Disney's Animal Kingdom for kids

This one is a tuff one for one big reason.  Anyone who has ever visited this park in the summer can attest to the fact that I think is averages 120 degrees here.  Not really but it always seems to be especially hot, humid, and little air flow at this park.  Therefore, small children and parents lugging them around feel a little overwhelmed here.  There are however some fantastic attractions and a couple of amazing show to see here which are definitely worth the wait.

1.  The first must see is Kilamanjaro Safari which is probably one of the most impressive attractions you will ever see.  Go first thing in the morning preferably around park opening when the animals are active to get the biggest wow factor.  Basically you board a vehicle and travel through the ride where animals appear to be roaming free and alot actually are.  If you are lucky you will have an incredible view of animals in their natural habitat standing right next to you.  On two seperate occasions when we visited we could literally reach out and touch animals if it was allowed (it is not!).  Once it was a large rhino and the other it was a mother and baby giraffe and both instances were incredible.  You can view elephants, hippo, rhino, and many other grassland animals in a habitat representing an African Plain.

2.  The two main shows to see are "Festival of the Lion King" and "Finding Nemo - The Musical" and both are fantastic.  The pageantry, costumes and sheer energy of the performers will make you forget you are sitting on benches for 28 minutes. There are no backs on the benches so if you have health concerns this may be an issue for you.  However, if you can enjoy the show you should because each number is more colorful than the next as you listen to some favorite Lion King songs.  Finding Nemo - The Musical gives guests the chance to be literally immersed in the story of Marlin and Nemo through the combination of puppets, dancers, acrobats and animated backdrops.  Both shows are indoor and air conditioned so they make an excellent break from the heat.  These shows are spectacular and kids and parents will both enjoy their brilliance.

3.  We also enjoy Mickey's Jammin' Jungle parade that runs through the park at 3 each day.  You get a wonderful mix of an island street party and Disney characters which is a first an odd combination but it works so go enjoy.

4.  The other major attractions are fantastic including Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, and the 3-D show called It's Tough to Be a Bug are amazing masterpieces but definitely not kid approved.  You must be 48" tall to ride Everest and if you parents love roller coasters then this is a must do but it will be too much for most kids.  Dinosaur is extremely loud, dark, and scary so unless you want you small kids having nightmares the rest of your trip I would advise not to attempt this one!  Bug's Life is kind of a grey area because it doesn't seem scary at first and some kids love it.  However, everytime we go to this show there are tons of screaming kids so just use caution and make a good decision.

5.  There is also a water ride called Kali River Rapids which will get you soaked as it is a typical whitewater adventure.  We love the ride and your kids might as well but when you are wet in a very humid park you never seem to dry out again.  If you have some dry clothes or are going back to your resort after you ride I say go for it and have fun.  The air-conditioned bus will be cold on the way back!

All in all we typically only spend about half a day here but we could do a full day if it wasn't too hot.  If your kids love animals then the Jungle Trek and Pangani Forest Exploration Trail which are walking trails to see numerous species of animals similar to an elaborate zoo.