This Fairy Tale Life received two complimentary Walt Disney World one-day passes to share our adventures at the parks. All opinions are my own.
Recently, Tim and I visited Walt Disney World together for the first time and we knew we wanted to make our first day there special. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Tim’s favorite (out of the four Walt Disney World parks) and that weekend was Earth Day, so what better place to spend our first day than a park all about nature and conservation? Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the perfect park for the two of us. I get my Disney flair and Tim gets a roller coaster, and we both get amazing food and cute animals to squeee about. And trust me, I did a lot of squeee-ing.
If you and your sweetie are planning on spending a date day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, here are 10 things you cannot miss.
10 Things for Couples to See and Do at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
1. Donald’s Safari Breakfast at Tusker House. Tusker House is located in the Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and is right next to the entrance to the Kilimanjaro Safaris. It’s the best place for breakfast in the park! We had a great buffet with American and African-inspired foods, and got to visit with a few friends.
2. Kilimanjaro Safaris. If you only do one thing at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, be sure you snag a FastPass+ for the Kilimanjaro Safaris in the morning. The morning hours and dusk are your best bet to see active animals. We went on the Safaris around 10am and had really good luck seeing baby giraffes, a baby elephant, and snoozing lions, among several other animals.
3. Expedition Everest. This is the wildest ride in the park! Ride it … if you dare! (I tried it once, and I’m good … but Tim loves it.) At the very least, stop for a photo with Everest in the background because it’s so pretty!
4. Lunch at Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge. There are plenty of great restaurants inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom but whenever I’m visiting I have to eat at Sanaa. It’s one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Walt Disney World! It is located just a quick bus ride from Disney’s Animal Kingdom, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village. Sanaa offers African and Indian food, but really everyone comes here for two things: the bread service and the view. The famous bread service is various types of naan paired with nine different dipping sauces, and it’s basically heaven. And you can gaze out the floor-to-ceiling windows and watch giraffes and zebras wander around.
5. Meercats. Just because. Honestly, is there a cuter animal? Hi, Timon!
6. Magic Photos. Every park has Magic Photos but Disney’s Animal Kingdom has some of my favorites. Be sure you ask for your PhotoPass photographer for some Magic Photos!
7. #WallsOfHarambe. Search the #WallsOfHarambe hashtag on Instagram and you’ll see lots of cute photos of the colorful walls and buildings of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Stop and ask your Instagram Husband (or Wife) to take a few of your own.
8. Dinner at Tiffins. Tiffins is one of the Resort’s newest restaurants and it’s really spectacular. Inspired by exploration, you’ll find endless artifacts and artwork decorating the walls of this restaurant and lounge, located in a secluded corner of Discovery Island. The menu is definitely not your usual burgers and chicken fingers, so you have to be up for an adventure if you eat here. I had the Pomegranate-lacquered Chicken and Tim ordered the House-smoked Wagyu Beef Bolognese – outstanding! If you don’t have time for dinner, you can also stop by the adjacent Nomad Lounge for a unique cocktail and small bites.
9. Rivers of Light. For the first time (in forever), Disney’s Animal Kingdom is now open in the evening! This provides an opportunity to experience the park like never before. One experience not to miss is the Rivers of Light show. It’s a combination of performances, floating lights, dancing water, and beautiful music. It’s really majestic and spellbinding. Be sure to grab FastPasses for the reserved seating, or you’ll be waiting in the standby line for a while!
10. The Tree of Life awakenings. I saved the best for last! After dark, keep an eye on the Tree of Life, the beautiful centerpiece of the park. You may already know there are over 300 animals carved into the Tree of Life, but at night they come alive! Keep a close eye on the tree and you may see an animal’s spirit flicker and move. And every 10 minutes you’ll see a magical light projected show displayed on the tree. It was honestly my favorite part of the day! (Although tricky to properly capture on camera.)
We had such a blast during our Disney’s Animal Kingdom day, we went back for a second day before our vacation was over. There’s so much to love about this unique park, and there’s literally something for everyone to enjoy. Be sure you carve out a day for Disney’s Animal Kingdom during your next visit to Walt Disney World!
