This article is your complete guide to the best rides at Animal Kingdom 2023. Home to everything from lions and African elephants to butterflies and flamingos, the Animal Kingdom best rides and attractions also draw visitors in.
A theme park dedicated to living things, real and imaginary, it opened at Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort in 1998. The centerpiece of the park is the Tree of Life, modeled after the baobab tree that grows in places like Africa and Australia.
The best rides Animal Kingdom has to offer are few and far between compared to other Disney Parks that are extremely popular among guests like the Magic Kingdom, but that doesn’t compromise their quality. Some of the Animal Kingdom most popular rides include everything from the adventure-inspired Dinosaur ride and Avatar Flight of Passage simulator to the Kilimanjaro Safaris that showcase the park’s live animals.
If you want to know what the best rides at Animal Kingdom are, then keep reading!
Animal Kingdom Rides Ranked 2023
If you find yourself asking, “how many rides are there at Animal Kingdom?”, look no further than this article. In total, you’ll find eight different rides at Animal Kingdom, and they’re a mixture of reality and fantasy.
Animal Kingdom popular rides make up a large percentage of the attractions in the park, since there aren’t many rides to choose from. For that reason, it’s important to plan your day so that you hit your must-do attractions first.
Some of the best rides in Animal Kingdom include Avatar Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain and the Kilimanjaro Safaris—all of which are very different from one another. Take a look below at our picks for the top rides at Animal Kingdom.
List of the Best Rides in Animal Kingdom
When you visit Animal Kingdom, be sure to place these five rides at the top of your list to experience the best Animal Kingdom rides.
1. Avatar Flight of Passage
2. Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
3. Kilimanjaro Safaris
4. Dinosaur
5. Na’vi River Journey
These Animal Kingdom rides ranked high on our list, so follow along to learn more about the adventures to be had within the park.
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Location: Pandora – The World of Avatar
Description: The beauty of Pandora – The World of Avatar is on full display in this river ride, which showcases the beauty of the land inspired by the 2009 James Cameron film. The boat winds through a stunning bioluminescent rainforest before encountering a realistic animatronic of a Na’vi shaman.
Who would love it: Everyone! If you’re wondering, “Is Avatar ride scary?”, don’t fear: This ride is one that anyone can enjoy, since it is not fast or scary. However, use caution with little ones who may be scared of the dark.
Best Time to Ride: Since it’s a dark ride, ride it at night to get the full effect and when you’re also likely to find a shorter line.
Height Requirements: none
Dinosaur – Animal Kingdom Most Popular Rides #4
Location: DinoLand U.S.A.
Description: Following the same track as Indiana Jones Adventure at California Disneyland Resort, this bumpy, dinosaur-themed ride is one of the best rides in Animal Kingdom. Riders step into a “time rover” within an underground research facility before being transported to prehistoric times, where they come across various species of dinosaurs.
Who would love it: Many ask, “Is the Dinosaur ride in Animal Kingdom scary?”—and the answer is maybe. It’s fast, bumpy and dark, with some intense scenes and frightening dinosaurs. But thrill seekers will definitely enjoy this unique ride, which is not a roller coaster but still provides endless excitement and adventure.
Best Time to Ride: Keep an eye out for smaller lines early in the day or later at night.
Height Requirements: 40 inches
Kilimanjaro Safaris – Top Rides at Animal Kingdom #3
Location: Africa
Description: Hop aboard an open-air vehicle to take a nearly 20-minute trip through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. The habitats along the route mimic the African savanna, with grasslands and open plains as well as forests and wetlands. Keep your eyes peeled for everything from giraffes and lions to cheetahs, crocodiles, elephants, zebras and more, with 34 species living on the land.
Who would love it: Animal lovers will go crazy for this safari-style ride, which showcases the park’s array of live animals.
Best Time to Ride: The best time to ride safari at Animal Kingdom is close to sunset, when the animals are most active. For this reason, first thing in the morning can also be good since the weather tends to be cooler then.
Height Requirements: none
Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – Animal Kingdom Rides Ranked #2
Location: Asia
Description: The Animal Kingdom Asia land is home to Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, one of the Animal Kingdom most popular rides. A train will take you to the top of the world, high above a Tibetan village, where a Yeti lives in the mountain—until a broken track changes everything.
Who would love it: Expedition Everest is perfect for thrill seekers, as the intense roller coaster features high speeds, quick turns, intense drops, backwards movement and more.
Best Time to Ride: As with many other attractions, we’d recommend heading to Animal Kingdom Asia to ride Expedition Everest as soon as the park opens or just before it closes.
Height Requirements: 44 inches
Avatar Flight of Passage – Animal Kingdom Best Rides and Attractions #1
Location: Pandora – The World of Avatar
Description: Although a flight simulator would typically not be a park’s most popular ride, there’s no doubt that Avatar Flight of Passage is one of the top rides at Animal Kingdom. The adventure takes place on the back of a banshee, which flies guests over Pandora with a realistic screen that really immerses you in the fantasy world.
Who would love it: Another adventure ride, many wonder how intense is Avatar Flight of Passage? The truth is this ride is a thrill ride, but it’s not too intense. Children that are tall enough will likely enjoy it, but those who get motion sickness watching screens will want to skip it.
Best Time to Ride: The best time to ride Avatar Flight of Passage is definitely first thing in the morning; make it your first ride of the day to get it out of the way and ensure you have time for the other rides the park has to offer.
Height Requirements: 44 inches
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Best Rides for Toddlers at Animal Kingdom 2023
While many children may enjoy the thrill rides at the park, still others will be too small to hop aboard. Anyone seeking Animal Kingdom rides for 5 year olds do have quite a few options though, with half of the attractions in the park suitable for little ones.
If you’re wondering how many rides are in Animal Kingdom for kids, there are four options to choose from, including Kilimanjaro Safaris, Na’vi River Journey, TriceraTop Spin and Wildlife Express Train.
TriceraTop Spin, one of the Animal Kingdom rides for kids, takes riders high in the sky in a carnival-themed attraction, similar to Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The Wildlife Express Train, on the other hand, is a relaxing train ride that traverses the African savanna, stopping at Rafiki’s Planet Watch to teach families about wildlife conservation.
Animal Kingdom Thrill Rides
While the focus is definitely on the animals, there are plenty of attractions at Animal Kingdom for adults and thrill seekers. These popular thrill rides include:
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Dinosaur
- Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
- Kali River Rapids
Though it may seem hard to believe, those looking for Animal Kingdom roller coaster rides will only find one: Expedition Everest. But the other thrill rides at the park make up for it.
Anyone curious about is Flight of Passage a roller coaster will be interested to learn that it’s actually a flight simulation, with plenty adrenaline-fueled drops. Then there is the fast and bumpy Dinosaur, an exciting adventure focused on prehistoric animals.
Another one of the best rides at Animal Kingdom for adults is Kali River Rapids, a whitewater rafting attraction that traverses a lush jungle.
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Best Water Rides at Animal Kingdom 2023
Those looking for top Animal Kingdom rides will want to check out the water rides.
In the Florida heat, nothing beats finding a way to cool down while at the parks. And the only water ride also happens to be one of the most fun rides at Animal Kingdom. Kali River Rapids whisks guests down a river through the jungle in a 12-person raft, past geysers, waterfall and fast-moving rapids. While there’s a chance you may just get a splash of water, you’re likely to get drenched in this thrilling ride.
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Genie+/Lightning Lane — Busiest Rides at Animal Kingdom 2023
With the addition of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, you can skip the lines at some of the park’s most prominent attractions.
When trying to determine the Disney Animal Kingdom best rides, look no further than the Genie+ service. So, how many rides at Animal Kingdom work with Genie+? You’ll find it works with five rides within the park, including Dinosaur, Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris and Naʻvi River Journey—many of which are on our list of Disney Animal Kingdom rides ranked.
While Genie+ does not work for what is the best ride at Animal Kingdom, Flight of Passage, you can purchase an individual Lightning Lane pass for Avatar Flight of Passage to ensure you get on without a lengthy wait as well.
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What Should You Not Miss at Animal Kingdom?
Because there is not a large amount of popular rides Animal Kingdom, make sure to check out the other attractions the theme park has to offer.
The shows are one place where you can turn for entertainment during your trip. Some of the best shows in Animal Kingdom are Festival of the Lion King, which features pageantry and puppetry with animals from “The Lion King”, and It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, a 3-D experience inspired by the animated film “A Bug’s Life.”
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Animal Kingdom Best Rides FAQ 2022
Q: What are the best rides at Animal Kingdom?
A: The top five rides at Animal Kingdom are:
1. Avatar Flight of Passage
2. Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
3. Kilimanjaro Safaris
4. Dinosaur
5. Na’vi River Journey
Q: What are best rides for toddlers at Animal Kingdom?
A: The Animal Kingdom rides with no height requirement are Kilimanjaro Safaris, Na’vi River Journey, TriceraTop Spin and Wildlife Express Train.
Q: What are the best rides at Animal Kingdom for adults?
A: The best rides for thrill seekers at Animal Kingdom include Avatar Flight of Passage, Dinosaur, Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain and Kali River Rapids.
Q: Which top Animal Kingdom rides will get you wet?
A: The only water ride at Animal Kingdom is Kali River Rapids.
Q: What are the best rides in Animal Kingdom for Genie+/Lightning Lane?
A: The rides within Animal Kingdom that apply to Genie+ include Dinosaur, Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris and Naʻvi River Journey. You can also opt to purchase an individual Lightning Lane pass for Avatar Flight of Passage.
Q: What are the most popular attractions at Animal Kingdom that aren’t rides?
A: Two of the best shows in Animal Kingdom include Festival of the Lion King and It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
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