With building tools digging in Dinoland and a number of sights closed, many Walt Disney World trip planners are questioning whether or not they need to skip Animal Kingdom on their journeys between now and someday in 2027 when Tropical Americas opens. This submit covers what’s taking place, when initiatives might be accomplished, and the way they’ll affect your expertise on upcoming visits.
Relating to radical Walt Disney World overhauls, there are two present ‘templates’ based mostly upon latest initiatives: EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Each of those park reimaginings considerably impacted visitors, albeit in markedly alternative ways. Animal Kingdom’s overhaul will likewise little doubt weigh on the park expertise for the subsequent couple of years. The query thus turns into, must you skip Animal Kingdom?
Most followers will seemingly be aware of the Large EPCOT Dust Pit, which concerned a number of years of so-called progress partitions to exchange a fountain, flex constructing, and dated design parts with some planters and timber, flex constructing, and barely much less dated design parts. The associated fee in visitor burden, time or {dollars} was not “price it” for the top consequence–which is usually a lateral change with barely improved placemaking. However we’re not right here to relitigate the half-baked EPCOT overhaul.
Then there was the Disney’s Hollywood Studios enlargement. Throughout that, a number of sights closed to ensure that building to happen, together with flagship and opening day experiences that outlined the park, together with different less-popular choices. There have been fewer sights to expertise, however the building at DHS didn’t considerably affect the ambiance or visitor expertise.
Most building occurred inside buildings or out of the way in which, with partitions up at dead-ends however not in major thoroughfares or locations creating visible blight. You may see the development as you walked round Disney’s Hollywood Studios, however for probably the most half, it was not actually detrimental to the visitor expertise. Even the attraction capability that was misplaced was roughly offset by fewer visitors voluntarily visiting the park throughout building.
The top consequence was nicely price it at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as we obtained Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and a few improved placemaking. We did lose a few OG sights that old-timers (like me!) cherished, and I nonetheless lament the dearth of the Osborne Household Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Christmas. However on steadiness, I acknowledge that the overhaul was objectively a serious internet optimistic for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
For the report, we by no means suggested visitors keep away from DHS throughout the building. We introduced it to readers’ consideration in a “do with this data what you’ll” method, however nonetheless really useful the park. In contrast, we beforehand had a full article devoted as to whether it is best to skip EPCOT. The reply was at all times “it relies upon,” however earlier iterations instructed that possibly sure was the proper reply for some visitors.
This brings us to the Animal Kingdom building mission, which is like Disney’s Hollywood Studios in visitor affect however has (clearly) resulted in an identical ‘must you skip?’ article. And since I don’t have a behavior of writing posts for zero purpose in any way, you would possibly surmise that (spoiler alert) the reply is not going to be “undoubtedly not–everybody ought to do DAK.”
This text ending in something however a full-throated, unequivocal endorsement of Disney’s Animal Kingdom goes to anger some Walt Disney World followers. Now that old style EPCOT Heart has been gone for a few a long time, these purists (my individuals!) have been changed by DAK diehards.
The important thing distinction between the Animal Kingdom and EPCOT fans is straightforward: cynicism. Or reasonably, an absence thereof. The latter are vital of virtually each change, whereas the Animal Kingdom advocates could possibly be dubbed DAK defenders. And understandably so, because the park has been the topic of scorn, unfair ridicule and criticism. In a phrase, Animal Kingdom is misunderstood.
If this describes you, that’s nice–unbelievable, even! However you must also perceive that the target market of this submit shouldn’t be individuals who already love Animal Kingdom. If it’s your favourite park at Walt Disney World, you shouldn’t skip Animal Kingdom. Should you assume it’s an exemplar of themed design, you shouldn’t skip Animal Kingdom. Not right now and never when building is as its crescendo in 2026. However you already knew that.
For everybody else, Animal Kingdom already was extremely skippable even earlier than the development started.
Based on Themed Leisure Affiliation information (the gold customary for measuring annual attendance), Animal Kingdom is the worst performing park at Walt Disney World. Over the last 12 months for which information is offered, it was the one park at Walt Disney World not within the prime 10 for worldwide theme park attendance.
Animal Kingdom ranked #16, with 8.8 million annual guests. It’s the one Walt Disney World park that didn’t hit the ten million mark, and it had lower than half the annual guests of Magic Kingdom, the #1 theme park on this planet. So even pre-construction, Animal Kingdom was the most-skipped park at Walt Disney World, with half of visitors who opted to go to the flagship fortress park opting to skip DAK.
Our expectation is that this hole will proceed to develop. Animal Kingdom is the park most faraway from its final improvement cycle, and it has misplaced greater than it has gained since March 2020. It will likely be harm by its personal lack of choices and building, and is the park far and away almost definitely to lose attendance to Epic Universe at Common. The subsequent few years might be powerful for DAK, which very nicely may find yourself within the 7 million vary earlier than it begins rebounding with Tropical Americas in 2027-2028.
That is exactly why we’ve been advocating for additions at Animal Kingdom for the final a number of years and a higher sense of urgency from Walt Disney World management to make DAK a compelling vacation spot. The writing has been on the wall since March 2021 when Epic Universe resumed building. At that time, Disney ought to have began working to create new nighttime leisure and develop sights that might open by this 12 months, not 2027. That they didn’t is borderline dereliction of responsibility.
Level being, Walt Disney World visitors are already voting with their wallets and toes and skipping Animal Kingdom. Should you merely need the consensus reply and never my opinion, it’s sure, Animal Kingdom is skippable–and more and more so. However you’ve learn this far, so hopefully you’re after commentary, and never simply statistics.
I’ve had conflicted emotions about Animal Kingdom because the park opened. My household went opening 12 months, and it was our least favourite park at Walt Disney World. When Sarah and I returned throughout school, Animal Kingdom had improved, nevertheless it was nonetheless the park we visited least usually within the aughts.
In some unspecified time in the future, Animal Kingdom began to “click on” for us. As we visited Walt Disney World extra usually, we had time to decelerate and take the parks at a extra leisurely tempo. We grew to become extra inquisitive about Imagineering, design and particulars, which is the place Animal Kingdom actually shines. That led to the submit, “I Was Unsuitable About Disney’s Animal Kingdom” again in 2013 (since up to date to account for Pandora – World of Avatar).
A robust argument could be made that Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the most effective theme park in Florida. If you emphasize the theme in theme park, we’d rank it #1 at Walt Disney World. Animal Kingdom is an exemplar of themed design, and arguably Disney’s most “pure” park in terms of coherent storytelling. That is true even after the Avatar addition, which was weaved into the park’s overarching concepts masterfully.
The issue, because it’s ever been, is an absence of rides. Walt Disney World launched into an notorious Nahtazu advertising initiative following the debut of Animal Kingdom. For these unfamiliar with that, it was pronounced “not a zoo” and I’m positive you may surmise from that what it entailed.
Company have been skipping Animal Kingdom as a result of they seen it as not too dissimilar from their native zoos–why pay Disney’s costs and spend restricted trip time to expertise one thing they may at dwelling? The factor is, the advert marketing campaign was tacit admission of the problem. Company have been proper, there have been too few rides and never sufficient daylight between Animal Kingdom and a very nice zoo.
This isn’t to say visitors have been fully proper. Once more, Animal Kingdom is miles above the typical zoo, or perhaps a standout one just like the San Diego Safari Park. Nonetheless, the journey depend was approach too low and the park leaned too closely on animal displays and walk-through trails. These have been (and are) nice enhancements, however they have been (and are) referred to as on to hold an excessive amount of of the load. We’ve warned visitors to area these experiences out to keep away from “animal fatigue,” and this is among the explanation why there’s an early afternoon exodus from Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom’s lack of rides downside has by no means been totally addressed. Points of interest have been added over time, with Expedition Everest and Pandora – World of Avatar being enormous property, among the many finest rides in all of Walt Disney World.
Even after these additions, Animal Kingdom has by far the lightest journey roster of any park at Walt Disney World. And that has solely gotten worse in 2025, with the closure of two conventional theme park type sights. The park is now down to six rides that submit wait instances. Develop that to incorporate main reveals and the attraction depend is 9 or 10.
This massively understates the totality of the visitor expertise at Animal Kingdom, because it doesn’t depend a number of main animal displays (like Maharajah Jungle Trek or Gorilla Falls) that might be among the many highlights of a go to. It additionally doesn’t take into accounts characters, atmospheric leisure, or quite a few different issues that Animal Kingdom does so, so nicely.
We will spend a full day at Animal Kingdom and have an immensely satisfying and well-rounded expertise on par with any of the parks at Walt Disney World. You possibly can too, as long as you go in with the precise expectations, know the place to search for the park’s hidden gems, and tempo your self in order to keep away from “animal fatigue.”
Personally, I don’t assume the the attraction closures up to now in 2025–a spinner and a 3D present–transfer the needle on that. When it goes extinct in early 2026, DINOSAUR would be the a lot greater blow. However by the point DINOSAUR closes, Zootopia: Higher Zoogether will open. That’s undoubtedly not a 1:1 alternative, however the brand new 3D present will assist. And hopefully there’s extra leisure on faucet for 2026 to assist ease the rising pains.
Relating to building affect when it comes to visible blight or navigational points, there actually isn’t a lot of 1. Dino-Rama is the world that’s walled off, and the cheesy roadside carnival contributed simply as a lot visible blight when it was open, if no more. The partitions are much less of an eyesore, if you happen to ask me.
Even so, we’d proceed recommending Animal Kingdom to anybody with 4 or extra days at Walt Disney World that enjoys wildlife and desires an immersive theme park expertise that includes exploration and savoring the little issues, and never simply bouncing from journey to journey.
The truth that most visitors deal with Animal Kingdom like a half-day park and attendance will additional lower by way of 2027 could possibly be seen as an asset to savvy visitors, particularly these with Park Hopper tickets. Go very first thing within the morning or in late afternoon, and also you’ll be capable of get pleasure from low to average crowd ranges ~300 days of the 12 months. No want for Lightning Lanes!
You can too simply spend a full day at DAK. In truth, the argument could possibly be made that Animal Kingdom is rather a lot like World Showcase–mild on rides however heavy on surroundings and ambiance–and visitors not often complain about World Showcase. Most everybody views that space of EPCOT as an asset, and enjoys making their approach around the globe. Animal Kingdom is similar to that, however grittier and fewer romanticized…plus animals!
Mockingly sufficient, there are literally a number of promoting factors of visiting Animal Kingdom quickly…all of that are animals!
The plain all-star of Animal Kingdom proper now’s Bakso, the park’s lovely Sumatran tiger cub. Watch in awe because the cub and his mom, Sohni, playfully pounce and prowl collectively of their lush habitat stuffed with cascading waterfalls, timber, hills and logs. Maharajah Jungle Trek gives ample alternatives for the massive cats to habits naturally–speaking, resting, hiding, and exploring. Above all else, the duo likes to play, and their habits is heartwarming and acquainted to any mother or father.
Extra lately, Kilimanjaro Safaris welcomed a towering addition to its household as Mara, the park’s beloved Masai giraffe, gave delivery to a ravishing child boy named Tucker! Mara, who joined the savanna in 2015, has proudly expanded her household 3 times now! It looks as if simply yesterday Walt Disney World was celebrating the delivery of her first calf, Jabari, in 2019. (In fact, that is the primary giraffe calf delivery at Walt Disney World since 2021.) As with Bakso the tiger cub, Tucker can also be lovely.
Rounding out the trio is a trio: Butternut, Biscuit, and Potato (sure, Potato) are the most recent Asian small-clawed otter infants to debut at Animal Kingdom! These otters and their mother and father, Kevin and Mae, at the moment are showing within the Otter Grotto habitat on the Discovery Island Trails. Personally, I can’t wait to see Potato the Otter. (Significantly, don’t miss Otter Grotto–it’s one other of the unbelievable animal trails that’s usually missed!)
To not disparage lovely animals, however none of that is actually that notable. It’s heartwarming, however not a marketable draw for vacationers. Animals are born commonly at Animal Kingdom.
Relating to different additions that’ll draw visitors, Animal Kingdom is the one park with nothing deliberate in Summer time 2025. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is getting the Villains and Little Mermaid stage reveals. Magic Kingdom is getting Disney Starlight Night time Parade. EPCOT is getting Take a look at Observe 3.0, GEO-82 Lounge Inside Spaceship Earth, and Goofy’s Takeover of CommuniCore Corridor.
The park that wants probably the most is getting the least. It’s nonetheless completely baffling that Animal Kingdom isn’t getting a drone present, because the park badly wants to provide visitors a purpose to remain late. The entire purpose why I waited till after Walt Disney World introduced its summer time slate is as a result of I hoped DAK drone present was the ace up its sleeve–{that a} blockbuster nighttime spectacular would put this complete dialog to relaxation.
Whereas we very a lot would love for everybody to understand Animal Kingdom as a lot as we do, we’re additionally realists. There’s a purpose why the the park has decrease attendance, a day exodus, and provides visitors “animal fatigue.” It’s additionally true you could routinely end each journey in Animal Kingdom earlier than 11 am! There’s a divergence between how hardcore followers and informal visitors every understand Animal Kingdom, and that is price discussing, reasonably than simply pretending the overwhelming majority of informal guests are “doing it unsuitable.”
Then there’s the elephant within the room: Epic Universe. After having had the possibility to expertise this brand-new theme park, I’m now of the idea that ride-oriented visitors with restricted trip time eager to “make room” for Common Orlando’s new theme park would possibly need to reduce Animal Kingdom from the plans. (See We’re Reside Inside Epic Universe for Paid Previews: Images & Video for extra–plus tons extra protection to come back.)
On opening day, Epic Universe may have 11 rides and two main reveals, plus atmospheric leisure, play areas, and extra. For these retaining rating at dwelling, that is extra rides than Animal Kingdom. When you broaden that to all sights and compelling choices (minus animal displays), the rosters are arguably comparable. I’m nonetheless satisfied that the common visitor will desire the attraction slate at Epic Universe to that of Animal Kingdom.
Principally, the kind of one that felt the necessity to learn this submit (and never hate learn, however for planning functions) will most likely be higher suited by Epic Universe. Each parks have excessive factors and are extremely compelling in their very own methods, however there are extra main rides which might be must-dos at Epic Universe. And whereas I acknowledge recency bias could possibly be coloring my opinion, I’d definitely reasonably spend time at Epic Universe within the subsequent couple of years over Animal Kingdom. It has a number of heavy-hitters with countless re-rideability.
Mockingly sufficient, that is the outcome-determinative issue. Not something about Animal Kingdom itself. From our perspective, the development partitions aren’t notably impactful, and the sights which have closed additionally are usually not the straw that breaks the camel’s again. The difference-maker isn’t something taking place at Animal Kingdom. In a vacuum, the park is kind of as worthwhile of a draw right now because it was throughout any of the previous couple of years.
It’s really an externality that gave rise to this submit and in addition makes the reply “sure” for some visitors. That externality is Epic Universe, a brand new theme park that competes for the restricted trip {dollars} and time of vacationers. And whereas this sort of comparability has lengthy been doable with Common Studios Florida and Islands of Journey–which most likely a minimum of partially explains why DAK has decrease attendance than the opposite Walt Disney World parks–it’s way more pronounced now with Epic Universe.
Once more, it didn’t must be this fashion. Walt Disney World may have launched a brand new nighttime spectacular that includes drones, added leisure, enjoyable journey overlays or seasonal occasions–something to assist buoy Animal Kingdom and make it extra aggressive for the subsequent couple of years. That wouldn’t have made the reply to this submit an across-the-board “no,” however it could’ve made “no” a extra frequent reply. Staying on-site and visiting all 4 of the Walt Disney World theme parks is the cheaper and simpler choice–the trail of least resistance. Puncturing the Disney Bubble is extra of a trouble that will increase prices and logistics–nevertheless it’s an choice that’s worthy of consideration for a lot of visitors in 2025 by way of 2027 for the sake of seeing Epic Universe.
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Your Ideas
Will you be visiting Animal Kingdom within the subsequent couple of years? Should you’re skipping DAK, are you doing so to keep away from building and closed sights, and ready till new rides and Tropical Americas opens? Or are you taking your restricted trip time and reallocating the day from DAK to Epic Universe? Every other suggestions on upcoming adjustments and the way they’ll affect the expertise? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
