Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the newest theme park at Walt Disney World. This park is themed to
animals and wildlife- past, present, and mythical. While it may not have as many rides as some of the
other Disney parks out there, it features an interesting fleet of attractions you cannot
find the other Disney parks. And the top rides are some of the best attractions you can find at any
Disney property. So in this video, I will rank Animal Kingdom’s top 10 rides and attractions.
Before starting the countdown, I want to note this countdown will include some of the animal
trails since they’re an integral part of the Animal Kingdom experience. There also
will be a few shows on this list, but not KiteTails because….Kite Tails. I also will
be including some defunct attractions as honorable mentions mixed in with their current attractions.
Now let’s move onto the list. 10) Maharajah Jungle Trek- This scenic
nature trail in the Asian section passes a series of animals, most notably Bengal
tigers. They probably won’t be too active in the Florida heat, but they’re gorgeous.
9) Gorilla Falls Expedition Trail- This is another walkthrough; this one located in the
African section. The highlight of this one is the gorilla enclosure. There are multiple viewpoints
and you can get mere inches from these creatures. These primates are quite active and in one of my
recent trips, they had given birth to an infant. Primeval Whirl- This set of Reverchon spinning
coasters used to be the anchor attraction in the much maligned Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama.
This type of ride is fine for a smaller park, but it felt sorely out of place at
a Disney park. It just didn’t meet their standard of theming with the cartoonish,
over-the-top signs plastered around the course. It felt more like something Six Flags would do.
The ride itself was mildly thrilling with a few zippy drops and a second half that would
spin the car like a top. You just had to watch out for the finale; it could be a bit jerky.
8) It’s Tough to be a Bug- This 3D show is a weird one. Located beneath the iconic Tree of Life,
it seems innocent enough based on A Bug’s Life, but the show is surprisingly intense.
Don’t be surprised if you hear kids crying when the villain is revealed since some of
the visuals and multi-sensory effects get a little intense. I enjoy the show, but the older
style 3D does cause some strain on the eyes. Rivers of Light- This short-lived nighttime
spectacular was a spectacle with the multi-colored fountains, floating barges,
and soundtrack. It didn’t quite resonate with me like some of Disney’s other shows because
of its lesser reliance on characters, but it was still an enjoyable way to end the night.
7) Na’vi River Journey- This slow-moving boat ride is very atmospheric with the wonderful musical
score and fantastical scenery. It’s not quite as engaging as Disney’s plot driven dark rides,
but this one is still ear and eye candy, particularly when you come face to face
with the complex and incredibly impressive Shaman of Songs animatronic towards the end.
6) Kali River Rapids- This Intamin river rapids ride is a pretty unique one. The
entire ride is very scenic and the first half is tranquil to emphasize this. You’ll be bone dry
during this portion. The ride ramps it up in the second half, kicking things off with a 30 foot or
9 meter tall drop. It’s not as punchy as a flume drop, but it’s suspenseful because whoever hits
the splashdown backwards will get drenched. The return back to the station has some more
turbulent waters, but it still is less reliant on rapids than other installations out there.
I have a whole review going into more detail, but this is an interesting rapids ride.
5) Dinosaur- This dark ride is full of highs and lows. I absolutely love the EMV technology.
The bouncing and shaking vehicles are perfectly suited for an off-road adventure like this and it
adds a lot of excitement. And the giant dinosaur animatronics you see are spectacular between
their scale and motion. I particularly like the carnotaurus. On the downside,
parts of this attraction are dark and (I believe this goes hand-in-hand) light on the visuals.
But I prefer to focus on the positives and this is undoubtedly an enjoyable experience.
4) Festival of the Lion King- This is an incredible show. The Lion King has
one of the best soundtracks of any film and this production allows all the iconic songs to shine.
Along with the music and vocals, you have a series of impressive stunts between the fire dancer,
the acrobatic monkeys, and the aerial dancers. 3) Expedition Everest- This Vekoma roller coaster
takes place in and around a picturesque mountain. The visual splendor riding around
a mountain this large is awe-inspiring. Plus you also come face-to-face with the yeti. Sure
he doesn’t move anymore, but it still looks incredible. And this theming is accompanied
by a solid roller coaster too. The largest drop is decent, particularly in the back row.
Then the positive forces this ride dishes out are quite impressive. You get pretty good Gs on that
outdoor helix, but the star is the enclosed, backwards helix. This element is shockingly
intense and it’ll really make you dizzy. See my review if you want the full play-by-play.
2) Kilimanjaro Safaris- This 20 minute adventure is a must for animal lovers. You pass dozens of
African animals on this expansive wildlife refuge. You’ll see many of Africa’s most famous animals.
The highlight of the experience is usually the giraffes since they’re the most apt to cross
in-front of the vehicle or eat right beside you. No two rides will ever be the same, as different
animals are more or less active depending on the day. My recommendation is to ride this during
the cooler times- whether it be first thing, right before sunset, or during a rainstorm.
1) Avatar Flight of Passage- This cross between a flying theater and a motion
simulator is incredible. It’s such an immersive experience between the music and visuals. The
film is crisp and it beautifully brings Pandora to life. Then the experience is enhanced by the
right amount of thrills. Some of the dives even induce a slight freefall sensation. This ride can
still pull 2+ hour waits and it’s no wonder why. It’s one of the best dark rides in the world.
So those are the top 10 rides and attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. What are your favorite
rides at this zoological park? Let me know down in the comments. If you enjoyed this countdown, I’d
appreciate it if you gave this video a like and you considered subscribing since there will be a
lot more roller coaster and amusement park videos here at Canobie Coaster. Thanks for watching!