Animal Kingdom with Toddlers & Preschoolers
Looking for the best things to do at Animal Kingdom with toddlers or preschoolers? Then you’re in the right place! Malena and I are both annual passholders and I grew up with a cast member parent so I’ve spent way too much time at Disney.
I’ve been regularly go solo to the parks with my toddlers and preschoolers so these Animal Kingdom toddler highlights are real life tested by a solo frazzled mom.
But first, we’d be remiss not to highlight that Animal Kingdom only has two rides for little kids right now. And in general, it’s not a ride-heavy park. It’s more of a walking around and experience-focused park: amazing for some toddler families but not “Disney” enough for other families.
So you really need to read on to figure out if Animal Kingdom is right for your crew. There is so much fun to be had at Animal Kingdom with little kids! It’s still worth it for most families.
Let’s find some animals!
Is Animal Kingdom Good for Toddlers & Preschoolers?
Before we dive in, let’s discuss whether Animal Kingdom is worth a visit with a toddler or preschooler in tow.
I don’t think there is a cut and dry answer to this question. Animal Kingdom being worth it right now highly depends on your kid and your family. An animal-loving kid? No brainer. A toddler who won’t ride any rides? Probably a good fit.
However, right now there is very little in terms of rides for toddlers at Animal Kingdom. With the shutting down of DinoLand, there are only two rides without height requirements and they closed the awesome dino playground.
Animal Kingdom is like a really amazing zoo with some extremely high quality shows and experiences + Disney character meetings if you’re going with a kid too little for the rides.
It’s awesome but if you’re limited on park days, it is worth asking yourself what your family wants of its Disney experience. For some, an incredible zoo-like experience with crowds isn’t why they’re heading to Disney.
Things to Do at Animal Kingdom with Toddlers and Preschoolers
Ride the safari
I’m putting the safari as number one of this list because it is an incredible theme park experience. I’ve gone on real safari studying abroad in Tanzania and Disney has managed to condense it to a 15-minute experience instead of driving around for hours at 4am.
You see so many animals, the ride itself is fun and it gives you a sense of the huge scale of Animal Kingdom. It’s a just a must.
TIPS:
- The line for the safari usually gets much shorter or walk-on later in the afternoon. The animals are allegedly less active in the heat of the afternoon so people like to ride in the morning but we’ve always seen enough that it’s still a great experience.
- Safari closes with sunset which may be a few hours before park close depending on the time of year
Walk the animal viewing trails
You don’t have to ride the safari to get a great view of animals around the park. There are three walking trails with animal viewing.
I really love the trails because usually there are cast members scattered about that can tell you more about the animals.
The trails are:
- Discovery Island Trail: By the Tree of Life, this trail is a little more tucked away so can be calmer than the other trails
- Gorilla Falls Trail: By the Safari ride exit, this trail will give you more views of the safari animals
- Maharajah Trail: By Kali River Rapids, tigers are a highlight on this one.
Become Wilderness Explorers
The Wilderness Explorer guides are really fun. You can pick them up at the front of the park as you cross the bridge towards the Tree of Life.
As you walk around the park, you can find cast members who will teach you cool nature stuff and then give you a sticker to put in your guide. It’s almost like a Wilderness passport that you collect stamps in. This one is a big hit with my kids.
See the Lion King show
The Lion King show has Broadway caliber singers, huge parade-like floats and cool acrobatics. It’s interactive with the audience and just in general is a lot of fun.
My kids love this show and they haven’t even seen Lion King the movie yet. Our favorite way to see it is when the theater is empty enough to sit a few rows behind the crowd for a better view and more dancing room.
Take a train ride to Conservation Station
I mean, this one really goes without saying, right? Toddlers and trains go together like milk and cereal.
This train is fun because all the seating faces the sides instead of forwards so little kids can get a good view. It runs continuously so waits and lines are minimal to non-existent.
TIPS:
- Don’t worry about not being able to take a stroller, they have loaner strollers waiting for you at the other end of the train.
- Check the train hours, they’re usually shorter than park hours and will close by sunset
Borrow a Disney stroller at Conservation Station
Clearly, they’re so much funner and better than your own much-more comfortable stroller. Toddlers are weird and novelty is a powerful drug.
Visit the petting zoo
Again, little kids and a petting zoo, this one is obvious. The petting zoo being tucked a train ride away from the rest of the park means that crowds are usually light.
Bang on these drums
Outside the Africa area is a set on drums. Set you kid loose on them and enjoy 5 minutes of peace while you enjoy a Dole Whip or drink from Tamu Tamu across the way.
Meet Kevin
Seeing Kevin walking around the park is a THRILL for my kids. She’s so cool and impressive, definitely worth tracking her down.
She’s a walking character which means that she doesn’t have a line and you can approach her whenever you see her.
NOTE: Kevin won’t come out if it’s too windy and there’s no way to tell this from the app. Even cast members may not know because it’s always a game time decision (we’ve spent an afternoon trying to find her with no luck before)
Enjoy the empty waterfront amphitheater
Across from Expedition Everest is unused amphitheater seating on the river. There used to be a show there but it hasn’t been in use for years.
This space is usually fairly empty and is a good space when you need a quiet moment with less crowds. My kids love going up and down the stairs and getting a closer look at the river.
Play in this fountain
There’s a fountain tucked away by the Kali River Rapids ride that is a big hit with my kids. The water comes out like a thin half dome. It’s a good cool off spot on a hot Florida day.
See the Nemo show
The Nemo show is a puppet show retelling the story for Finding Nemo. The absolute highlight is they release tons of bubbles towards the end of the show and my kids love it so much. Make sure to not sit in the very back or on the edges if possible so you are in the bubble “splash zone.”
NOTE: It’s more mild than the movie in terms of possible scary parts but there are sharks and a few “tense” moments like in the movie.
Ride the Navi River ride (unless the line is long)
It’s like a pretty “It’s a Small World”. There’s a lot for little kids to look at, its very colorful but in a peaceful way and the music is soothing.
Honestly though, it’s a fine ride and pretty but I don’t think its worth it if you have to keep a toddler happy in a long line on a busy day. Just my hot take.
Zootopia Show (with caveats)
A Zootopia show replaced It’s Tough to Be a Bug in the tree of life. It’s much more kid-friendly now and not terrifying like the previous show was for little kids.
That said, it’s still a 4D show where 3D images fly out at you and some kids are going to hate that. For awhile my youngest was scared of any and all 3D shows, and now she thinks they’re so funny and loves them. So YMMV on this one depending on the kid.
The Bird Show (with good seating)
Feathered Friends in Flight bird show is really good but if you’re in the back, it may be hard for little kids to see what’s happening. Since the birds aren’t big, it can be harder to see than other shows. I recommend trying to sit closer to the front or somewhere without an obstructed view if possible.
Merry Menagerie (Christmas season)
This one is a seasonal offering but it’s good enough it deserves mention. The puppets are really cool and interactive.
When we’ve seen them, my kids have been in a stroller and the animals will come up and interact with them in the stroller too.
The Merry Menagerie is part of the holiday season at Disney, they usually start mid-November through the New Year.
Baby Care Center
Animal Kingdom has a baby care center and it’s good for a break. It doesn’t have anything particularly special, like Hollywood Studios tiny potty, but it is a nice space still and generally pretty quiet. I prefer it over Epcot’s baby care center.
Other tips
- Bring in your own food. With DinoLand closing, the park is shorter on quick service stops. No one wants to be in a long food line with a fussy toddler or pay $7 for an uncrustable.
- The Animation class at Conversation Station will give little kids coloring sheets and crayons to do while the older members of the party doing the drawing class. It’s still a long time for a toddler to sit but may work for an older preschooler and the class itself is really cool for adults.
