Your 2020 Itinerary at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Who’s ready for a WILD day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

There’s no doubt about it, spending a day in Disney World looks different this year than it has in the past. Even veteran Disney-goers might be in for a few surprises on their next trips. But don’t worry — we’ve been keeping a close eye on the park hours, attraction wait times, and available dining options so we can pass along all the info you need!

Without further ado, here’s our itinerary for spending a day in Animal Kingdom in 2020!

Arriving at the Park

Recently, Animal Kingdom has regularly been opening at 9AM. But we have seen the park hours extended to open at 8AM on busier days, so be sure to double-check close to the date of your visit!

After you enter the park gates, you can stop for a minute or two to check out the animals in the Oasis. 

But since there aren’t many exhibits here, you should be able to make your way to Discovery Island pretty quickly!

Take a Right and Head to DinoLand, U.S.A.

The main attraction in DinoLand is the aptly named DINOSAUR. We have seen the wait times for DINOSAUR climb in the afternoon, occasionally even topping the hour mark, so you might as well tackle this attraction first while the line is relatively short!

After DINOSAUR, you can also stop for a ride on TriceraTop Spin if that’s your jam. It’s a pretty standard Dumbo-style attraction, but the wait is usually no more than 5 to 10-minutes, so, hey, why not??

Make Your Way Into Asia

Next, head for Expedition Everest in the Asia section of the park. The wait time for this coaster has generally stayed pretty steady throughout the day so say “hi” to the Yeti while letting the crowds disperse at the attractions in other areas of the park.

After Everest, take some time to explore the Maharajah Jungle Trek. You can spot some really cool animals on this trail (the tigers are a personal favorite of ours!), and the trails often close earlier than the park, so it’s best not to wait too long to check them out.

If you don’t mind getting wet (and we mean, like reallllly wet), knock out Kali River Rapids while you’re in Asia. But if you’d prefer to stay dry, this attraction might be a hard pass.

Grab Some Lunch

There are several awesome dining options that are a short walk from Asia. You can head to Discovery Island for Flame Tree Barbecue or Nomad Lounge, or make your way into Pandora for Satu’li Canteen.

Head to Africa

Regardless of which of the above lunch options you choose, you’ll be a short walk from Africa. Head to Kilimanjaro Safaris, which has generally had pretty steady wait times throughout the day.

After your safari, take some time to walk the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail and check out more awesome animals.

Once you’ve had plenty of time to peruse the trails, stop by the recently reopened Dawa Bar for a drink. Heads up, this location has been operating with limited hours, so be sure to ask a Cast Member about the hours early in the day if this is a must-do for you!

Continue to Pandora

The wait times for Na’vi River Journey and Flight of Passage have regularly been among the longest in the park. Typically, the wait spikes when the park opens and drops as the day goes on.

Since these two attractions are pretty close together, head to whichever one has the shorter wait and then move on to the other.

After you’ve ridden both of the land’s attractions, pick up a Pandora snack. At Pongu Pongu, you’ll find the Pongu Lumpia, Colossal Pretzel, and Night Blossom, which are all solid options.

Head Back to Discovery Island

You can catch a showing of It’s Tough to be a Bug as you make your way toward the park exit. The wait for this attraction has typically been pretty short throughout the day — you’ll usually just need to wait for the next show to start.

Park Close

Animal Kingdom has regularly been closing at 5PM, although hours have been extended to 6PM on especially busy days. Just like the opening time, be sure to double-check when the park closes before your visit.

Either way, since Animal Kingdom has been closing the earliest of all the parks, your best bet is probably to take advantage of your time checking out the attractions and animals rather than stopping for lunch AND dinner in the park. When it’s time to head out, make your way to Disney Springs or back to your Resort for dinner.

There you have it: our itinerary for spending a day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We hope this guide makes it a little easier for you to navigate the wilderness that is 2020!

Have you been to Animal Kingdom since the park reopened? Let us know how you would spend your day in the comments!

 

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