Best Age for Animal Kingdom

Stroller parking at Animal Kingdom / Animal Kingdom with baby

Is Animal Kingdom with a baby with a good idea? I understand that the idea of any theme park with a baby an be a daunting one to new parents but what about Animal Kingdom specifically?

Now I have good news for you if you are thinking about visiting Animal Kingdom with a baby.  We found Animal Kingdom to be one of the easier parks we have been to for littles. 

Rides are not at the forefront of the Animal Kingdom experience. However, even though they are not the main attraction to Animal Kingdom there are still rides they can do. 

For instance:

• Na’vi River Journey – a gentle boat ride through the land of Pandora from Avatar
• Triceratop Spin – a ride similar to Dumbo the Flying Elephant for those familiar with the best Magic Kingdom rides for toddlers. 

On top of that there are other Animal Kingdom attractions that babies can enjoy and go on such as the Kilimanjaro Safaris, the Wildlife Express Train as well as shows such as the Festival of the Lion King and the Finding Nemo musical. 

Also as this park has quite a large footprint it is very easy to get around with with a stroller. BE sure to check out our posts on the best Disney stroller hacks and best double strollers for Disney World before heading to the parks. 

Also it is worth noting that Animal Kingdom like the other parks has many facilities for babies. There are great baby care centers throughout the parks and rider switch at many attractions help parents traveling with young kids enjoy some of the more thrill rides such as Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest.

So is Animal Kingdom with a baby the best age to go?  Overall I would have to say no because there are many rides that babies can’t go on and many experiences they won’t get full enjoyment out of. So it Dinsey World is a once in a lifetime trip for you I would wait until you little one is older. 

However I wouldn’t say don’t go with a baby. There is plenty to enjoy with a baby in the park. So if you are in the area or will be returning, don’t let having a baby put you off visiting Animal Kingdom. 

For more information on what to wear to Animal Kingdom for families check out this post. 

Animal Kingdom with a toddler 

Safari – Best Age for Animal Kingdom / Animal Kingdom with toddlers

I love visiting Disney World with a toddler. In fact toddler is one of my favourite ages to go to Disney World. But is Animal Kingdom good with a toddler?

I would say absolutely yes! My toddler adored Animal Kingdom. In fact it was one of his favorite Disney parks as a toddler. 

He loved all of the rides I listed above. But also he really appreciated the Kilimanjaro safaris. Toddlers are at the age when they are fascinated by animals and can name the animals and the sounds. This was actually one of his favorite things to do with toddlers. So we went on a couple of times. 

On top of that he loved the Gorilla Exploration Trail which is more akin to a traditional zoo experience. 

As well as the rides and experiences, my toddler was really into the Finding Nemo Musical and the festival of the Lion King.  On top of that Animal Kingdom has one of the best playgrounds at Disney World in form of the Fossil area called the Boneyard which is absolutely perfect for toddlers 

Also, animal kingdom is full of great meet and greets. While we were there we met many of the characters from UP including Kevin, as well as Disney classic characters in their safari gear. 

Note: If you want some ideas for better Disney character interactions check out our post on questions to ask Disney characters. 

However the downsides of visiting Animal Kingdom with a toddler is that you may still have to work around nap times and still have to think about the best stroller for Animal Kingdom and packing snacks to take to Disney World. 

For a full guide on what to pack for Disney World with toddlers check out this post. 

However, I think my favorite thing about visiting Animal Kingdom with a toddler is that you can achieve so much in a day even if you don’t have a Genie + Pass. You can see if we think Genie+ is worth it at Animal Kingdom here. 

Note: if you are thinking about visiting any of the Disney World parks with toddlers check out the below posts:

• Epcot with toddlers
• Hollywood Studios with toddlers
• Magic Kingdom with toddlers

For more Animal Kingdom with toddler tips and itinerary check out this post. 

Animal Kingdom with kids (4-10)

Best Age for Animal kingdom

Although I absolutely loved visiting Animal Kingdom with out toddler perhaps the best age to go to Animal Kingdom is with kids is between the ages of 4-10. The reason for this is because children at this age:

• haven’t lost the magic that the park inspires,
• will still love the meet and greets of which there are plenty in Animal Kingdom
• they have stamina for long days in the park without naps or strollers
• they will get some educational value from earning their Explorer Badge
• they can watch all of the shows
• they will be able to go on the thrill rides such as Avatar Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest. 

In my opinion visiting Animal Kingdom with kids between the ages of 4 – 10 may be the best age to go to Animal Kingdom

For our full guide to visiting Animal Kingdom with kids check out this post. 

Animal Kingdom with teenagers

Animal Kingdom with teenagers is certainly possible and still enjoyable however out of all of the Disney Parks this might be one of the parks they enjoy least. 

Teenagers, generally speaking will have lost some of the magic and they won’t enjoy the character meet and greets as much as younger ages and animal Kingdom has some of my favorite character dining experiences (Tusker House). 

However on the plus side, they will be able to literally ride everything. The only downside for teenagers at Epcot is that they aren’t lots of thrill rides in the park – though Expedition Everest happens to be one of my favorite rides in all the Disney World parks. 

I would also say the shows and the Exploration Badge are more geared to younger children as opposed to teenagers. 

Therefore due to the lack of thrill rides I would say that teenagers aren’t the best age to go to Animal Kingdom. 

Animal Kingdom for Adults

Tusker’s House – Animal Kingdom Character dining

One fo the things I love about Animal Kingdom for adults is that it has a nice mix of attractions, shows and eats to keep grown ups entertained. 

Expedition Everest in my opinion is one of the best rides at Disney World, and the safari is a really enjoyable and unique experience. And on top of that the character dining in this park has some really interesting options (check out the Tuskers House Lunch menu). 

However, one of the downsides to this park is there aren’t many thrill rides and there is a lack of evening entertainment. For this reason I don’t think adult is the best age to go to Animal Kingdom. Though it is in my opinion one of the better Disney World parks to do when pregnant. 

Overall What is the Best Age to Go to Animal Kingdom

Kids at Animal Kingdom – Best Age for Animal kingdom

So what is the best age to go to the Animal Kingdom? Overall I think there is no bad age to go to the Animal Kingdom as it has something on offer for everyone.

However out of all the ages my choice for what is the best age to go to Animal Kingdom is either for kids between 4-10 and toddlers who will enjoy the meet and greets and Disney magic most alongside getting the most enjoyment out of the animal and educational experiences on offer here. 

FAQS About the best age for Animal Kingdom

Is Animal Kingdom good for 4 or 5 year olds?

In my opinion yes animal kingdom is good for 4 year olds as there is very little in terms of rides and experiences they will be unable to do. 

Is Animal Kingdom good for 7 year olds?

7 year olds actually might be the prime age for Animal Kingdom. They haven’t lost the Disney magic at that age, will love the meet and greets and will be able to ride everything and get both entertainment and educational value from the park.

Is Animal Kingdom worth it for a 2 year old?

I think Animal Kingdom is absolutely worth it for a 2 year old which is when I took my son. Although there are limited rides they can go on, Animal Kingdom is about more than just rides. 

The Safari experience was an absolute highlight for him as well as the meet greets. 

Is Animal Kingdom good for 10 year olds?

I think Animal Kingdom is at the upper end of the best age to go to Animal Kingdom. They can do everything but won’t have fully lost the Disney Magic and won’t be as cynical or unimpressed as a teenager can be.