Best Animal Kingdom Rides/Shows/Activities for 3 year old?

[laughingduck]

I am taking my 3 year old daughter to Animal Kingdom tomorrow. What would people recommend for activities and fast passes? So far we have fast passes for Kilimanjaro Safaris, It's Tough to be a Bug, and Kali River Rapids. We may have to cancel the Kali because I just measured her and she is only 37" and it requires her to be 38". What would be a good alternative? Is the park like a zoo? Seems to be less rides etc, so I'm wondering what there is to do there. Thanks!

 

[JenLynn]

Does she know/like the movies? If so, the Festival of the Lion King show is fun. The Finding Nemo show is good for younger ones too.
(When my son was 4 we went to It's Tough to Be Bug and it was a catastrophe for us. It was too intense and he cried and was very scared so we had to leave in the middle of the show.)

 

[chicagoshannon]

The Lion King show would be nice. Also, the triceratops spin and the dinosaur dig site will be fun. It's a Tough to be a bug might be a little scary. Don't forget the animal trails too.

 

[Mikie]

At that age, my kids loved the safari, the walking trails, Triceratops Spin (like dumbo), the street performers in Africa, Lion King and Znemo shows, Flights of Wonder bird show and their absolute favorite was the boneyard play area (we'd take turns watching them there while others rode dinosaur, Expedition Everest or Primeval Whirl)

 

[kcpinwdw]

my 2 year olds loved Festival of the Lion king. There is a petting zoo area up by rafiki.

 

[kaetra]

Dinoland's Boneyard play area would be worth trying, and the Nemo stage show is very colorful and fun, as is The Festival of the Lion King show. There's also a Triceratops Spin that's pretty much like Dumbo in Magic Kingdom.

Flights of Wonder is an amazing bird show that might work. There is a petting Zoo at Rafiki's Planet Watch. If you might enjoy character meals, Tusker House is yummy and has character meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 

[laughingduck]

In what way is It's Tough to be a Bug scary?

 

[laughingduck]

I've heard the Boneyard is great! I would love to do a character meal, I booked nothing like that thinking she was too shy but as it turns out she LOVES meeting characters. I doubt we would get in though, as we are booked to go there tomorrow...

 

[disnut8]

Flights of Wonder, Flights of Wonder, Flights of Wonder. No FastPass needed, just go for the next show. There is a short preshow outside the open air (but covered) theatre so be there about twenty or so minutes before the start of the show. The preshow is for anyone passing by, you don't have to go into the show after. For the show, it is a bird "show" but it's more about what birds will do in their natural environment. There is a host and a comedic sidekick but the jokes are all in good fun. What impresses me most about the show is that alot of people think "it's just a bird show" (I know I did until I visited the first time) but leave with a sense of "wow, those birds can do a lot!" Also, after the show, kids of all ages are encouraged to come up to the stage (not on the stage) and see the birds up close and personal.

Most people will sit on the benches in front of the stage but if your daughter is "up" for it, I'd advise sitting in the bleachers. Maybe to the right and about four rows from the top? Just sayin' *whistles*

Also at Animal Kingdom, the two walking trails are great for taking your time and seeing what you can see. My, at the time, five year old granddaughter was entranced with something once and we ran over to see what she was looking at. A perfectly normal bunny rabbit she sees all the time at her father's farm. She was so excited because Disney World had bunny rabbit (not a Disney bunny but a natural one who just like being at Animal Kingdom that day).

Rafiki's Planet Watch is a favorite of ours (two adults in our earlyish 50s) because there's nothing that beats being able to pet or brush a goat or a pig or a sheep instead of zooming around on a coaster.

After Epcot and walking around World Showcase, Animal Kingdom is our favorite just to kick back and take it easy. There's not a ton that needs FastPasses but there's a lot to do. Just take your time and don't look for "rides", look for everything else.

 

[kaetra]

Maybe youtube TTBAB first, to check it out. We didn't care for it. The chair pokes you i the back to simulate a sting (it doesn't hurt) and they fill the room with stinky fog to simulate bug spray. And, bugs can be kinda scary to some people.

I don't know of it's been updated since we went in 2010.

 

[mshanson3121]

In what way is It's Tough to be a Bug scary?

If you search you can probably find my old thread, as I asked the same, and from what I was told:

- It's dark
- It's loud
- The bugs are large and rather menacing looking
- A giant spider drops down suddenly out of the ceiling to scare you
- The poking in the back thing

 

[JimmyV]

At that age, my kids loved the safari, the walking trails, Triceratops Spin (like dumbo), the street performers in Africa, Lion King and Znemo shows, Flights of Wonder bird show and their absolute favorite was the boneyard play area (we'd take turns watching them there while others rode dinosaur, Expedition Everest or Primeval Whirl)

Pretty much dead on. Nothing really to add. Don't breeze through the walking trails. If there are gorillas up against the glass, your 3 year old might want to spend an hour there observing them. (I know I do.)

 

[ZoZo]

If you search you can probably find my old thread, as I asked the same, and from what I was told:

- It's dark
- It's loud
- The bugs are large and rather menacing looking
- A giant spider drops down suddenly out of the ceiling to scare you
- The poking in the back thing

Apparently there is often crying by little kids during ITTBAB - sometimes hysterical crying! The special effects are great, but apparently pretty scary for little ones. The "poking in the back thing" described above is meant to simulate bugs crawling behind you on the seats - even adults have been known to jump and shriek when they get poked!

 

[SnackCredit]

There are 3D effects of things shooting at you, "acid" spraying, and other bug predatory behaviors. If you don't know what to expect, the movie can be pretty frightening.

 

[buyerbrad]

Here is my report from another thread from Monday....

1) Park opening was 8am, but they started letting people in at 7:45am.

2) KS didn't start letting people in until close to 8:15am.

3) It seemed like we were the only people aware there would be a character dance party at 3:30pm (Chip, Dale, Rafiki and Brer Fox).

4) We had used a FP+ earlier in the day to meet Mickey and Minnie, but the pictures they took on our phone were not good. At 4:05pm we went in the standby line and were 2nd in line.

5) Did the Flights of Wonder show at 4:45pm before leaving and the theatre was maybe 25-30% full.

Things we did today in order... KS, P trail, Rafiki's Planet Watch, meet Daisy, Lion King FP+, Pizzafari, meet Mickey/Minnie FP+, M Trail (also sat for 1 hour on the bench at end of trail while daughter slept in stroller), Everest FP+ and parent swap, Dino games, Triceratop Spin, meet Goofy/Pluto, Dinosaur FP+ and parent swap, character dance party, Bug 4D, meet Mickey/Minnie again, meet Baloo/King Louie, Flights of Wonder, in car for home at 5:35pm. (There was a Nemo show at 6pm, but we decided to just go home instead)

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[mkla2015]

We were there 2 weeks ago and my 3 year old LOVED the lion king show and the safari. He slept through Nemo.

 

[RJstanis]

Here is my report from another thread from Monday....

1) Park opening was 8am, but they started letting people in at 7:45am.

Was there EMH the morning of opening at 745am instead of 8am?

 

[helenm29]

You DO NOT want to take your little one to see Bugs life! too dark and scary...Even I get scared on that one!

 

[Planogirl]

DS was OK with Tough To Be A Bug but I got him to sit forward during the stinging part and had to put my arm around him when the spider appeared. Most of the show is cute.

 

[buyerbrad]

Was there EMH the morning of opening at 745am instead of 8am?

Nope. Regular park opening time was 8am.