Tips about Animal Kingdom

ALL PARKS - Assign a meeting place IN THE SHADE! Meeting by the fountain at Epcot is great except it can be brutal in the afternoon sun. Better to meet at one of the Innovations cafes where you can stay cool and relax if your party is late. - D. Hamilton

ALL PARKS - There is another show at WDW that most people miss; sit down and watch the other guests. You will never see so diverse an amount of tennis shoes, fashion statements or age groups. - CMarlan

ALL PARKS - What our tip is, is to tie a bright bandana on the luggage rack or one of the mirrors of your car/minivan/truck that face the tram pick up area. We tied a bright colorful bandana nearest the tram pick up side on our while rented minivan, each day of our 11 day trip to WDW. It didn't matter what park we were at or what row we parked at. All we had to remember was the section, (example, stage, donald, unicorn, etc) we always found our van many times from very far away. We also used the bandana's on our stroller and on our luggage. - Clemley

ANIMAL KINGDOM - A lot of people just run right by Pizzafari on the way to the Safari. My friends had been there 3 times and never knew what Pizzafari even was. The building blends in with the tropical plants and trees. It is awesome inside. The most themed quick food restaurant I have seen in Disney World. When you finally take your eyes off the ceiling, floors and walls (I love the snails and frogs!) you will notice they have great food for sale. - Elaine Taddeo

ANIMAL KINGDOM - If you plan on enjoying Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom, note that you are required to keep your shoes on during the ride due to safety concerns. It doesn't matter what kind of shoes you wear, but you must have something on your feet. You might want to consider bringing flip-flops or water shoes (don't wear them all day -- your feet will thank you) to change into just before getting in line. Be sure to put your regular shoes and socks in a Ziploc style bag to put in the ride's center protected area. This way, you won't be stuck wearing soggy sneakers all day in the Florida heat. - Jen

ALL PARKS - We read complaints about some of the attractions being too loud so we carried a set of earplugs in our fanny packs and found that they helped tremendously! We could still hear well, but our ears were much more comfortable. The earplugs don't take up any room at all either! - Diane Taylor

ALL PARKS - You will only move at the pace of the slowest person in your group. Accept this, be patient, and do what you can to help that slowest person - under certain circumstances, it might be you! (Jen Kitchen)

ANIMAL KINGDOM - Flights of Wonder - Do not rush out when the show is over. The bird handlers will bring one or two owls or other birds to the edge of the stage for you to get an up close look at, ask questions and photograph!

ANIMAL KINGDOM - Rafiki's Planet Watch - While aboard the Wildlife Express train, pay close attention as you pass the first animal housing area. Pride Rock (home of Animal Kingdom's lions) can sometimes be seen in the distance.

ANIMAL KINGDOM - - Rafiki's Planet Watch - Regarding the train ride to Conservation Station -- great accessibility for the wheelchair, my son simply rolled right on in his power chair, but if you have a stroller you must park it at the train station (TIP: if you have your own collapsible stroller you are allowed to bring it along... a good idea since the hike in Conservation Station is a long one with a few hills). After the train ride, we looked around and started the hike to Conservation Station, but turned around since we no longer had our strollers (carrying two 40 lb boys in 100 degree heat depleted our energy!). (The Belcher Family)

ANIMAL KINGDOM - Pangani Forest Exploration Trail - Be sure to ask the Guides any questions you might have about the animals you encounter during your trek. Many of the guides are native to Africa. There are plenty of viewing areas for kids and lots of educational opportunities too.

ANIMAL KINGDOM - Kilimanjaro Safari - The ride is very bumpy and even though our driver took care to avoid some of the bigger bumps, our son was still jostled around quite a bit in his wheelchair. Smaller children will actually come out of their seats on some of the bumps. (The Belcher Family)

ANIMAL KINGDOM - Kilimanjaro Safari - If you don't want a bumpy ride, ask to sit in the front of the truck. The ride feels bumpiest in the back. Some drivers will hit EVERY pothole in the road, but most will warn you before you leave the dock.

ANIMAL KINGDOM - Kilimanjaro Safari - If you get a driver from Africa, ask them questions. Many are very happy to talk about their homeland! If you have questions about the animals, ASK. Though there is an assigned script, every safari really is different depending on where the animals are and who your driver is. So ride as much as you want! You will also find Cast Members representing countries in Africa and Asia around the park who are also wonderful to talk to.

ANIMAL KINGDOM - Festival of the Lion King - Best times to see this are the first or last show of the day. If you show up half an hour before the next show, chances are you will be waiting for the show that follows to be seated!