Last updated: February 24, 2025. Please email us if you find any errors.
Are you planning your Disney World vacation and feeling overwhelmed with the options? Are you not sure how to navigate Animal Kingdom? Disney can often leave guests, both first-timers and repeaters, overwhelmed. This Animal Kingdom touring plan will help ensure your day’s success! Let’s get started!
Animal Kingdom is a great and fairly easy park to enjoy. It’s more than a zoo, so please don’t skip it thinking so. You will find animals mixed in with the many attractions Animal Kingdom has to offer, but the entertainment and immersive experiences make it more than a zoo.
Animal Kingdom can be completed in one day, but if you’d prefer to spend two days here, you can add on behind the scene tours and lounge about the many cozy niches and restaurants.
What You Need to Know About Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass Before Visiting Animal Kingdom
Table of Contents
Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Lightning Lane Multi Pass is a paid service at Walt Disney World that replaced the old Genie+ system and works a bit differently.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass can be purchased each day of your trip and must be purchased for each person in your party who wants to ride using the Lightning Lane.
Attractions are selected on the official Walt Disney World app (My Disney Experience) with a specific return time when you can join the Lightning Lane line.
Lightning Lane is a separate line at participating attractions that allows guests to skip the standby line (regular queue).
Guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel will be able to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass 7 days prior to your check-in date, for the entire length of your stay (up to 14 days). You can purchase for as many or as few days as you want during your stay.
Guests not staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel have a few options, depending on which type of ticket you’ll be using. For date-based tickets, you will be able to purchase 3 days before the first day of your ticket, for the length of your ticket. Any other type of tickets (Annual Passholder, Cast Member, etc) will need to book 3 days ahead for each day of your visit.
Note: At this time, international guests outside of the USA and Canada will not be able to pre-book selections until they are in the USA.
Pro Tip: You can choose your experiences and times before purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass to make sure there is availability that works for you.
You can select 3 rides in one park on your booking day: one from Tier 1, and two from Tier 2 (based on which theme park). After you use your first selection each day, you can choose another selection in any park, in any tier. After you use your second selection, you can again choose another, so that you always have 3 rides lined up.
Tips for Success:
Always check your My Disney Experience app as soon as you scan into a Lightning Lane and select your next attraction. The app tells you when you can choose the next attraction.
For a complete list of Lightning Lane Multi Pass attractions and priorities visit our Lightning Lane Priorities – Animal Kingdom Attractions post.
Lightning Lane Single Pass
Some of the more popular rides in each park are not included with Lightning Lane Multi Pass. These few attractions are called Lightning Lane Single Pass. Confused yet? We know, the names make it extra tricky! But we promise, it will all come together for you!
Lightning Lane Single Pass can be purchased in your My Disney Experience app, as a per person, per ride add on – for each ride offered. This can be purchased at the same time as Lightning Lane Multi Pass, for any park.
Those rides are: (Subject to change)
- Animal Kingdom – Flight of Passage
- Magic Kingdom – TRON Lightcycle Run and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- EPCOT – Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Hollywood Studios – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Prices change based on park and date attending.
Animal Kingdom Park Strategy with Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Here’s your Animal Kingdom Touring Plan. Let’s get started!
Remember, you can select your experiences 7 days before check-in day for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests, and 3 days before for date-based tickets.
Note: there are no tiers for the rides at Animal Kingdom.
• Select your first 3 rides for Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Na’vi River Journey, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Expedition Everest.
• Buy Lightning Lane Single Pass for Flight of Passage, if wanted. This can be done at the same time as buying your Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
If possible, try to select ride times earliest in the day, so you have more time to choose additional experiences as you use your first 3.
Arrive at least one hour before park opening: Park hours can be found in your My Disney Experience app or on the Disney World website.
Once you’re scanned in at Animal Kingdom:
• Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris standby (every safari can be different!)
• Ride Na’vi River Journey with Lightning Lane
• Choose Lightning Lane for DINOSAUR
• Ride Flight of Passage with Lightning Lane, if purchased
• Fill time with Festival of the Lion King, Feathered Friends in Flight, Finding Nemo – The Big Blue and Beyond (these shows are also available with Lightning Lane Multi Pass)
• Ride Expedition Everest with Lightning Lane
• Choose Lightning Lane for Kali River Rapids (you will get wet!)
• Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris with Lightning Lane
• Fill time with The Animation Experience, It’s Tough to be a Bug, and meet favorite Disney pals
• Ride Kali River Rapids with Lightning Lane
• Ride DINOSAUR with Lightning Lane
Other Entertainment
Animal Kingdom has a few offerings for entertainment throughout the day. Use the app to find show times and schedule any of the seated shows into your touring plan as they fit. A few favorites are Festival of the Lion King (don’t miss this one!), and Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond. The remaining entertainment are small pop up options like the Harambe Village Acrobats, Discovery Island Drummers Flotilla, and the Viva Gala Street Band. The times are listed in your app but you’re more likely to happen upon them, rather than schedule them into your day.
Animal Kingdom does not currently offer any nighttime entertainment options. The park tends to close around dark and makes for an easy evening to catch up on some much needed sleep.
For additional Park Touring plans visit the following:
For additional information on Lightning Lanes search “Lightning” in the top right. Here are links to a few of our favorites.
- A How-To Guide for the New Lightning Lane System (and How To Cut Costs Elsewhere to Balance the Price Increase)
- Lightning Lane Priorities – Magic Kingdom Attractions
Ready to book your next magical vacation? Contact your favorite Love of the Magic Vacations Travel Advisor or email hello@LOTMV.com
Don’t forget to join our Disney Besties Q&A Facebook Group where you’ll find all the helpful tips and answers you need for your next Disney vacation.
