Rides You Can Skip at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is the largest Disney Park in the world at 580 acres. One may not know or realize that because the Magic Kingdom always gets the most attention and has the most rides, shows, and attractions. Nevertheless, Animal Kingdom can be the perfect way to round out a trip to Walt Disney World. It combines the animal exhibits of a zoo with the fun and excitement of a theme park, creating an experience comparable (but superior) to Busch Gardens.

Depending on one’s interests, planning a day at the theme park and hitting all its offerings may take a lot of work. Due to the Park’s size and the overwhelming experience that can be a visit to Walt Disney World, below are some rides that can be quickly passed over when visiting Animal Kingdom.

RELATED: Rides You Can Skip at Disney’s EPCOT

TriceraTop Spin

If you’ve been on Dumbo the Flying Elephant or The Magic Carpets of Aladdin at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, you’ve already experienced a superior version of TriceraTop Spin. The only difference with this attraction is that Guests ride in adorable triceratops instead of elephants or flying carpets. DinoLand U.S.A. is undergoing refurbishment (Primeval Whirl has already been demolished), and there are rumors of a Zootopia (2016) or Moana (2016)-themed areas replacing it in the coming years. But in the meantime, you miss nothing if you skip TriceraTop Spin.

It’s Tough to be a Bug!

This is a 3D movie based on the Disney Pixar animated film A Bug’s Life (1998), with some fun 4D effects (smells, splashing water, fog machine). The attraction opened with the theme park in 1998 and is located inside the Park’s icon–the Tree of Life. The show provides an excellent opportunity to get out of the Orlando heat, but there’s just so much to see in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park that it’s hard to justify watching a movie. The only exception is if you or someone you’re traveling with is a diehard A Bug’s Life fan. 

Na’vi River Journey

When Pandora– The World of Avatar opened at Walt Disney World, there were two main attractions: Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey. Avatar Flight of Passage is a unique ride experience unlike any other. It also has a massive following and is usually the ride with the longest wait times at Animal Kingdom. Its sister attraction, however, is a slow-moving boat ride that takes Guests through the Kasvapan River of Pandora. Although not a terrible ride, it is under five minutes long (for reference, “it’s a small world” in Magic Kingdom and Living With The Land at EPCOT are 15-minute boat rides) and, depending on when you visit, could have a wait time comparable to Space Mountain. Similar to It’s Tough to be a Bug!, the pay-off will not necessarily equal the wait.

So Much More

Guests of Animal Kingdom will have no trouble finding things to do, shows to watch, or animals to see. The park is home to some of Disney World’s most popular attractions, such as Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Avatar Flight of Passage. However, as with many Disney World Guests, your time in the parks is limited. As such, it’s always essential to assess what’s most important to you and plan your theme park day around it.

RELATED: The Animal Kingdom Attractions You Should Do Before Lunch