Animal Kingdom WDW at Large

Here is a listing of the rides in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Links in the Ride Column take you to the individual attraction pages in the Animal Kingdom area. Links in the Seat Type Column, take you to Photos of the Ride Vehicles.

Additional comments on individual rides are below the chart.

ATTRACTION
SEAT TYPE
DESCRIPTION
long winding queue, thrilling 3-D movie/ride
Special Notes
short standing pre-shows; one waiting in line and one movie and then an extremely bumpy, jerky ride
Special Notes
Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster, steep drops, fast curves, backwards
Seating Photo Gallery
Special Notes
bleachers without backs, covered
fabulous show!
wooden bleachers with backs, covered
Musical show based on Disney's Movie
bench seats without backs, covered
a bird show
a wonderful 3-D movie; special effects
a fun and not-so-scary raft ride with one 30 foot drop
Special Notes
very bumpy ride, no seat belts
Special Notes
long walking trail
Tigers, bats, an aviary, and more
bench seats accommodate two
Gentle river boat ride,
no special accessible boats
Special Notes
long walking trail with benches throughout
naked mole rats, underwater hippos, aviary, meercats, gorillas, and many other animals
quick and jerky tilt a whirl/small coaster ride
Special Notes
gentle up and down, round and round ride (Like Dumbo)
Special Notes

train ride to area, bench seats

this is a long walk from the train station to the building, but worth it.

General Comments

As a very large Disney guest (400+) and in a wheelchair(due to a severe leg injury) I have a couple tips. One at the AK recommend anyone in a wheelchair pay the price and rent a ECV. I didn't the first time and with the horrible condition of their paths/walkways (which they obviously designed with absolutely NO CONCERN for the handicap) I ended up with a 175.00 repair bill on my wheelchair. They will gladly store your own wheelchair when renting and asr very nice about getting it and bringing it right to you when you return.

Avatar Flight of Passage/Na'vi River Journey

… from Kyla: First off, just wanted to say thank you for all the info regarding Disney World! I was beyond nervous before going as I was worried I wouldn't fit on anything, but to my delight I had the time of my life. I am 310 pounds and 5' 9". I carry most of my weight around my stomach and have always struggled fitting onto regular coasters, however I had NO problems whatsoever at WDW and fit with ease on everything I went on. In particular, I was lucky enough to be one of the first riders on both Pandora rides and had no problem. The river ride was comfortable and very roomy, and the simulator fit me fine. I cannot express how good the simulator was. I honestly cried whilst on it because it is the most amazing thing. I 100 percent recommend giving this a go. And please if you are large, don't worry about anything. I didn't even feel embarrassed asking staff if i would fit. They are very professional and helpful.

from Robert Ziegler: After reading your article about the banshee ride in Pandora, I wanted to say that if you're over 6 feet tall, it is rather a tight fit on the bike. I'm 6' 6" and there was no way I could fit. My legs didn't go under the handlebars.

… from John Vallus: I'm 6' tall and 230 pounds and I fit on Avatar Flight of Passage just fine. Plenty of room to spare. Very gentle restraint system.

… from Diznegal: About Avatar Flight of Passage: After I mounted the vehicle, it took a few tries to latch the back security plate, but I have rods and screws in my back and while I have never had any problems on any ride, ever, it felt like my spine was going to crack. I am on the plus side so I suspect that's why it was such a tight fit. But then came time to latch the leg harness. My legs are small and thin (not plus-sized) but very short. Try as she might, the cast member could not latch it all the way. She said for me to lift my legs off the floor and dangle them so it would fit properly. I didn't really want to do an ab workout for the length of the ride but I was willing just so I could ride the new ride. As soon as she latched it closed, I got the two worst charleyhorses in my legs. At that point the cast member told me I couldn't ride and I had to get off because the leg device just wasn't on properly. I was so disappointed. I have heard a fair number of people have been turned away and this is the only time at either WDW or Disneyland that I couldn't ride a Disney ride. I plan to send a letter to Disney and hope they can make adjustments so the ride can be more accommodating to a larger audience. I heard from everyone who went that it was the best ride they had ever been on at Disney. I know you will all love it. Just be prepared to be disappointed if you are over-sized.

You can read more of our reader reviews of Pandora – The World of Avatar and its attractions in our Rate and Review section.

Expedition Everest

I am person of size and so is my husband. I am 5'9" and weigh about 310, and my husband is 6'2" and weighs about 340. I was a little worried since I am about size 28 on bottom, but much smaller on top. To my surprise, I fit with no problems. Most of my weight is im my butt, hips, and thighs, but I didn't have any problems clicking the lap bar. Neither did my hubby, who has a belly, and carries his weight up top. We even bought the ride photo because we loved the coaster so much! My advice would be… if you worry that you won't fit, go straight to Everest after the park opens and try the test seat, if you can't fit, there is plenty else to do in the park. If you can fit, it's a great start to a fun day, plus you won't have a 2 hour wait!

I almost did not try this ride based upon some very early comments. I just got back from Memorial Day weekend at Animal Kingdom. The seats on the EE train are very wide and the ride was comfortable. Being a large rider at 300 plus pounds, I have been on my share of rides that I "fit" into but they are not comfortable. This was a comfortable and thrilling experience. I highly recommend you go for it. You can try the trial seat located next to the EE gift shop (practically within the ride quque). The cast members were very friendly and helpful when I tried it.

My brother (320lbs) and I (298lbs) had read all the reports about Everest, we weren't even going to try to get on. Well, while we were at Animal Kingdom today (May 18,2006)we saw the testing vehicle and decided to give it a go. The cast members have this vehicle roped off so not just anyone can go in and test it out. They were so friendly and told us we would have no problem riding.It was so nice and decreet we didn't feel uncomfortable at all. After testing the vehicle and getting encouragement from the castmember we rode Everest. Sure enough it was great! We had room to spare. All you have to do is get the lap bar to click down on to your lap, it doesnt really matter how far down it goes. The seats were really nice and wide too. Just thought I'd write in to calm any worries.

I'm 6'2" and weigh 400lbs, with a 58 inch waist and I had no problems at all riding this ride. My wife and I were able to locate the trial car outside the EE giftshop after probably 20 minutes of searching for it. I sat in the car and was able to sit rather comfortably considerring my size, and I pulled the lap bar down for testing only to find the green and red 'go or no-go' guage shown in the photo on the At Large section gone. I was ready to give up and leave when a cast member happened to stroll by. I asked her where the bar locks and she told me that it locks at whatever point it stops at once its pulled down. After a 30 minute wait in line the big moment came and I was seated in the front car and sure enough, I got into my seat without any trouble and pulled the bar back and it clicked in place. I was THRILLED to say the least, it was a great ride and I'm extremely happy to be able to ride it, so happy in fact I decided on the spot to submit a report for anyone else w ho might be slightly hesitant about attempting to ride it. Oh, and my brother who is also a rather large man himself rode beside me and we were able to sit side-by-side without feeling wedged together.

Shortly before a recent WDW trip, I read the "At Large" report regarding Expedition Everest. After reading the report, in which a 5'9" 325 lb. Big Mama reported that she didn't fit in the test seat, I was very disappointed that, at 5'11" 350lbs. it looked like I wasn't going to fit in the ride the I was most looking forward to going on. When I got to the Expedition Everest area, I looked for the test seats, which I found behind a roped off area. I asked a cast member if I could try the seat. He said "sure" and also said that he didn't think that I'd have a problem and that the issue for people is fitting into the width of the seat and not so much a belly problem. As I was getting into the seat, I told him about Big Mama's report which said the opposite thing. He then told me that when the ride was first opened for testing, I probably wouldn't have fit on it, but that they had made a few modifications to the lap bar that seem to have eliminated the problem. One of the things that I noticed it that there is no longer a gauge on the test seat to show how far the bar must come down (which was reported by Big Mama). As I was pulling the lap bar down the cast member immediately said "You'll be fine. As soon as the bar clicks, you're good and it clicks really early." The biggest issue for me was getting both of my legs between the lap bar. I had to squeeze them together tightly in order to get the lap bar around them. If anyone has any concerns about fitting into these seats, go check out the test seats. I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I am 6'0" 320lbs, my wife is 5'2" 256lbs and we were concerned about fitting on EE. We both had no troubles at all getting the bar to close. I did see some larger people have trouble but it seems if you stand a little while pulling the bar down and then sitting you avoid the bar not snapping into place. The second time I went on it I thought the bar didn't close but it seemed no ones closed until everyone was seated. I am not sure if the ride vehicle throws a switch that allows the bars to lock at a certain time. As Big Mama wrote there is a test vehicle near the exit that should not draw crowds of onlookers.

I thought I'd write with a tip for over-weight riders wanting to ride Everest. I am over-weight. I am 5'3" and 310 pounds with weight in stomach and behind. As I do read your Newsletter I was aware that there were two seats I could try out before riding–and I did try the seat beforehand. I fit in the seat quite easily. The thing I did not realize until I got on the ride was that the bar has to click. Once I was on the ride, I could not pull the bar over my stomach until it clicked as it was supposed to. The cast member was very helpful, he suggested I pull the bar until it clicked then try and push myself down behind it. I tried twice but unsuccessfully–I still do not know if it was my embarrassment or uncoordination–but I couldn't quite 'get it". I think part of my attempt was half hearted, because I had read all the warnings signs and the idea of riding cramped and uncomfortable on a ride with twists and turns and drops–didn't quite appeal to me. While in line, I had seen 2 large gentlemen with large stomachs in line and they said I would have no problem as this was their second time on. However, they did not have the weight in both stomach and butt as I do. I think this ride could present a problem if you have majority of your weight in the middle area. It was a problem for me. My tip would be to try out the seat beforehand, as i did… but also try to see if you can squeeze behind the bar in a locked position. My husband loved the ride–hearing his reviews along with the other readers may even give me the incentive to lose some weight! Maybe not–but next time–I will try seat bar first before waiting for 2 hours to ride!

Large bellied folk, listen up! I'm a 5'9", 325-pound woman who looks as if she's nine months pregnant but is not. I had already made the decision not to ride the new Everest attraction, but took the opportunity to sit in the sample car. Here's the deal: I had plenty of hip and shoulder room, but not one breath of belly room to spare. You may need to stand up and shimmy around. And take note that the Cast Members will not assist you with the bar (or so I was told by several Cast Members who came to see me not fit in the car). The sample cars are out of the way, and I did not feel put on the spot whatsoever. Try it out if you aren't sure!

Dinosaur

Important Note: It is Standard Operating Procedure on Dinosaur to have the Cast Member do a seat belt check at a safety stop after the ride has left the boarding area but before it enters the main ride path

We always used the tip of extended the seatbelt all the way out before sitting down and that helped immensely. We rode everything! The only thing I had a problem with was Dinosaur in Animal Kingdom. I was seated in the back row on the end and restrained with a lap belt. This ride bucks up and down and pitches from side to side. I will never ride it again. I thought I was going to be "thrown" from the ride. I did not feel that the belt was going to hold my 250lbs with all that force. Everything else on the trip was great!

I am 5'8" and 300 lbs( a size 26). This ride was tight. You sit 4 across. And there is a seat belt that you have plenty of room for. So no worries there. HOWEVER, the seat dividers are hard, and if you have thick thighs, these dividers hit your right at the tops of your thighs. And this ride is extremely rough. So although it doesn't go fast, you spend half of your ride trying to brace yourself, so your thighs don't get beaten and bruised to death. It actually hurt my legs during this ride. Plus, its LOUD! These dinosaurs jump out and bite at you and its really TOO loud. And let me mention one more time, it hurts. I wouldn't ride this again if you paid me to. So if you don't have a love for Dinosaurs, avoid this one. Pretend you have to go to the bathroom, and take a small break for yourself.

I am a large man, about 315 lbs and I found that riding the count down to extinction an uncomfortable ride. When you sit in the seat there has to be clearance for the seat belt to retract or it will not snug up. This is what happened to me and I spent the entire ride holding on for dear life.

No Problem. I am 5'11" and 320 pounds.

My thighs didn't hit the arm rests like yours did, maybe because of the length of my legs. No problems with length of the seatbelt either. I am an agile size 26, with long legs 36 inch inseam.

I am 330 lbs and I fit in the seat (barely). The only problem is that went the ride went bouncing and jerking I found my upper thighs, saddlebag area, you get the point, to be in agony from being shoved against the sides of the hard seat in fast jerking motions. I did not enjoy the ride due to being uncomfortable to the point of pain.

Kali River Rapids

I am 5'8" and 300 lbs( a size 26). You sit in a round tube. Two people then a space, two people then a space and so on. I sat next to my mother in law. She is about a size 14. It was tight. I can not lie. I was a little worried that the belt wouldn't fasten, and when It finally did, IT WAS TIGHT. I felt a little bad for her, because it was as tight on her as it was on me. We did ride the ride, and enjoyed it. WE GOT SOAKED! And for those of you with legs that touch and rub together, you know that walking around in wet shorts, pants, or even in a skirt is not fun. Thankfully, it was our last ride, and I just walked back bus to the hotel after this one. But I heard some other people talking that day about a bad case of chaffing. OUCH!

At 6'6" and 390 lbs, I had no problems whatsoever fitting on this ride. The only thing that worked against me on this one was the combination of my weight, gravity, and luck. As luck would have it, I was on a boat entirely populated with tiny people, including my 5'2", 115 lb girlfriend, and when we hit the big drop off, the boat instantly swung around with me going backward into that huge wave at the bottom. We went under it – my side of the boat was completely immersed – and when we got to the end of the ride, even the Cast Members were gawking and talking amongst themselves that they'd never seen anyone get that wet. Walking past the queue of folks waiting to get on the ride, we got a lot of stupefied looks and a lot of questions. Don't ride it if you don't want to get wet, especially if you're on the larger side. That’s exactly what I went on that ride for, so I was more than happy for the cooling down on a warm day. Joshua Olive

They evidently no longer have extensions for Kali River Rapids. I asked for one before I boarded and the CM looked at me like I was crazy. The seatbelt just fit with me sitting by myself but I had a hard time getting it to fit. Since the belt did fit they must have changed the belts since opening {This was my first time on the ride but other people had said that they needed extensions.)

My wife and I sat together and could not fasten the seatbelt. I sat by myself the next time and had no trouble. Just inform the CM at the ride if you think there will be a problem. I am 5'11" and 320 pounds.

Even though it's over so fast I liked this more than Splash Mountain – go figure. No problem with seat belts or seat size but again I needed help from hubby with buckling the seatbelt. I am an agile size 26, with long legs 36 inch inseam.

Kilimanjaro Safari

Tony G.: Just wanted to give a report on my recent trip to WDW May 4-11, 2014.

Being a big person (6'2" – 370lbs – 54" waist – 4XL t-shirt) I was concerned about fitting on the rides at WDW. I felt some relief after reading AllEars.Net, but the doubt was still there. I only rode the safari in Animal Kingdom, as I don't normally like the thrill rides such as Expedition Everest. No problems on the Safari, very comfortable.

Primeval Whirl

We just got back from a wonderful week at WDW! We are both BBW (big beautiful women) (each weighing over 350, I'm 5'9" and she's 6'). Primevil Whirl however was a different story. Neither of us had been on this one before so during EMH we decided to try it. This ride litterally beat us up and I have the bruises to show for it! Billie's bar went down too tight over her chest and she could barely breathe! I would not recommend this one for larger folks. We had to sit and rest afterwards because we felt like we had been beaten up!

***

Primeval Whirl is a cross between a roller coaster and a "whip" ride. The cars are designed to hold four people — two people on each side. When we rode, we each took one side of the car. Warning: Don't pull the lap bar too tight or it will poke you in the stomach on some of the spins, making it uncomfortable.

The seats are created for an adult and a child/junior. The seat doesn't fit two adults comfortably. My mom and I were in one seat and we're just a bit above average size and we were able to get into the seat but for anyone bigger than us it wouldn't work. The cars never stop either so if they assign 2 people to the seat and they don't fit, it could be a problem.

Primeval Whirl: At 6'6" and 390 lbs, I had to ride in the front on this ride. They initially tried to load us into the back seat, but my knees were mashed into the seat in front and I just didn't fit back there, so we tried to switch it up and I fit in the front seat just fine. For those who haven't ridden it, this roller coaster takes the 'whirl' part seriously – it's a hoot! Joshua Olive

TriceraTop Spin

Triceratop Spin is a Dumbo-like ride, designed to hold two people in the front and two people in the back, similar to the fairly recent Magic Carpets Of Aladdin in the Magic Kingdom. Both my husband and I are people of size (both height and width). We always share a "carpet" with one of us in the front and one of us in the back without any problems.