7 Tips & Tricks for Keeping Cool in Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Of the four theme parks in Walt Disney World, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the largest and newest. With so many acres of amazing experiences, guests love to spend plenty of time exploring the park and enjoying attractions, dining, entertainment, shopping, landscaping, nature, and animals. While any trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom is sure to be an enjoyable one, the park is mostly outdoors and often times does not provide a lot of shade for guests. Little shade combined with the strong Central Florida sun, high temperatures, and high humidity can often leave guests feeling a little too hot and uncomfortable while exploring the park. Instead of heading back to a Disney Resort to go swimming or relax, there are plenty of ways to cool off within the park that allow guests to continue to spend time in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. From indoor attractions and entertainment to soaking experiences, there are plenty of ways to beat the heat. Here are seven tips and tricks for keeping cool in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

1 – Visit In The Early Morning Or Late Afternoon and Evening

One of the easiest ways to avoid the heat and keep cool in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is by avoiding the warmest times of the day. The parks are obviously the warmest in midday when the sun is high in the sky and beating down. A great way to stay cool in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is by visiting first thing in the morning or in the late afternoons and evenings when the sun isn’t as strong and temperatures are more bearable. These times are also great options for the park as the animals tend to be out of sight when the weather is too hot and more active during the cooler hours.

2 – Kali River Rapids

A thrilling attraction in Disney’s Animal Kingdom that guests should definitely not miss out on is also a great way to stay cool in the park! Kali River Rapids invites guests to board family style rafts and set off down the Chakranadi River. After passing through lush jungles and waterfalls, guests learn firsthand the devastation of illegal logging and deforestation. In addition to the conservation message, there are plenty of twists, turns, dips, and drops which create splashes and waves that are sure to leave guests soaked and cool.

3 – Festival of the Lion King

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is home to one of the most popular live shows in all of Walt Disney World. The Festival of the Lion King is housed in the Harambe Theater in the Africa section of the park and brings the story of the Disney animated classic The Lion King to life. Guests can enjoy the pumping air conditioning while watching aerial ballet, fire dancing, acrobatics, a parade, and favorite Disney music and characters.

4 – Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… And Beyond

Another popular live show in Disney’s Animal Kingdom brings the Pixar classic Finding Nemo to life through larger-than-life puppets. Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond is housed in the Theater in the Wild in the Dinoland area of the park and tells the story of Nemo and Marlin’s adventures through amazing puppets. Guests will find themselves laughing along with Dory, Crush, and other favorite characters and loving the original song “Big Blue World” while relaxing in the air conditioning.

5 – Yak & Yeti Restaurant

Another great way to keep cool in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is to stop and sit down to enjoy a full-service meal. While there are several full-service dining locations in the park to choose from, one of the most popular can be found in the Asia section of the park. The Yak & Yeti Restaurant serves up delicious Pan-Asian options in a beautifully themed location. Guests who dine at the restaurant for lunch or dinner can enjoy authentic South Asian artifacts, artwork, and décor while dining on menu options like Bhaktapur Duck, Chicken Tikka Masala, Crispy Honey Chicken, Malaysian Seafood Curry, Lo Mein, and Teriyaki Mahi Mahi.

6 – Dinosaur

Editor’s Note: Disney has announced that DinoLand, USA, will be closing and transforming into a Tropical Americas-themed land. No closing dates have been announced, but be aware that Dinosaur will be closing in the near future.

Also found in the Dinoland area of the park is a thrilling attraction that brings guests back in time. Dinosaur invites guests into the air-conditioned Dino Institute, where the technology to travel back to the age of the dinosaurs has been perfected. Guests are supposed to enjoy a serene tour through a quiet period of history but instead find themselves dangerously close to a massive asteroid impact while trying to locate one particular dinosaur to bring back to modern times. Dinosaur is a thrilling attraction that allows guests the chance to cool off for a bit in an indoor area.

7 – Enjoy A Cold Drink At Dawa Bar

Guests who are looking to keep cool in Disney’s Animal Kingdom definitely need to stop by the Dawa Bar in the Africa section of the park for some refreshing and delicious drink options. The open-air Dawa Bar is usually shady and cool to begin with. Still, guests can further cool down with drink options like the Watermelon Mimosa, Sugar Cane Mojito, African Bloody Mary, Lost on Safari, and Dawa Bloody Mary.