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Walt Disney World 2023: Disney's Animal Kingdom



Are you planning on visiting Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in 2023? DAK is a fantastic park, dedicated to Walt Disney's love for animals and nature.  There is so much to explore. No Walt Disney World vacation would be complete without a trip to DAK. 

Here are some of the things you can expect for Disney's Animal Kingdom to offer in 2023:

Enjoy the Classics
Even if Animal Kingdom isn’t getting many new additions this year, guests can still enjoy the current attractions. After all, the classics are classics for a reason. 

The most popular attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, and the Festival of the Lion King show. 


As one of the newest attractions at DAK, Flight of Passage still draws long lines. Luckily, you can usually avoid these wait times by arriving early to the park. Even so, the wait is worth it. This is a spectacular ride with intricate theming, and I cannot recommend it enough. 

Kilimanjaro Safaris is often ranked as one of Disney’s best attractions with its high guest satisfaction. Hop on board a truck and drive through the lush habitats of elephants, lions, and hippos. The rhinos and giraffes love to get close to the vehicles! This ride is a great way to see many of the animals in the park at once. 



Next to Kilimanjaro Safaris is The Festival of The Lion King. This show is constantly rated as Walt Disney World Resort’s best. The lively music and skilled dancers leave the audience in awe every time. Plus, it’s a great way to rest your legs indoors for a few minutes. 

Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain is Walt Disney World’s fourth mountain ride. This daring rollercoaster will take you through the Himalayas. Be aware - there’s some surprises along the way.


For more ways to spend your day at DAK, check out my Top 5 Things To Do At Animal Kingdom. 


25th Anniversary
While Walt Disney World Resort recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, Disney’s Animal Kingdom park has actually not been around that long. The park first opened on Earth Day in 1998. That means that this year is the 25th anniversary of the park! There may not be as big of a celebration, but I would be surprised if the park didn’t do something. Keep an eye out for special shows or decorations. Knowing Disney, there will at least be merchandise on sale to commemorate the major milestone. 

Kali River Rapids Refurbishment
It is not uncommon for theme park rides to undergo a brief refurbishment after the holiday season. This water ride will close January 9th and is reported to reopen around March 16th. No major changes are expected during this multi-month maintenance. 

Lately, many Disney fans have noticed many rides undergoing long refurbishments. There are not many new attractions announced for this year. Or next year. Or the year after that…

So, it is theorized that Disney is instead focusing all of its efforts on keeping the old rides in tip-top shape. Guests visiting Walt Disney World in 2023 and beyond should expect all experiences, new and old, to be spectacular. 

Expected: Baby Animals
We do not have any current news on this, but I highly expect there to be some new baby animals this year. Animals are always being born at DAK. Last year an okapi, a piglet, and 7 hedge-hoglets were born. Who knows which baby animals will make an appearance this year? 



Rumored: Way of Water Updates To Pandora
Pandora is Animal Kingdom’s latest and biggest expansion, based on James Cameron’s Avatar (no, not the one with bald kid).  The themed land is stunning, and definitely worth the visit. The land’s most popular ride is Flight of Passage. The ride takes guests through the world of Pandora. In late 2022, the sequel Way of Water was released. Rumors have sprung up about an update to Flight of Passage to include scenes and references to the new movie. Bob Iger himself reportedly like the idea. The movie has been out for a few weeks now and no updates have been made to the ride. However, that does not mean updates are completely off the table.



An update was already made to Awakenings, DAK’s nighttime projection show. The Way of Water Awakeinings experience is said to be a “limited run” that started December 2022. The end date of the show has not been announced. At the time of writing, the show is still promoted on Walt Disney World’s Website. 

Rumored: Dino-Rama Closing
Let’s face it: Dino-Rama is the weakest part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. This cheesey,  not-so-tongue-in-cheek parody of a theme park within a theme park never really worked at Disney.  Primeval Whirl was demolished last year and that was the area’s biggest attraction. With half of the area now gone, it would easy to just get rid of the rest. But what would replace it? Disney did tease Zootopia and Moana coming to DAK at last year’s D23, but I do not see either of those happening. 


I do not think Disney will do much with this area until they have solid plans. It is very possible that what is left of Dino-rama will survive yet another year.  What do you think Dino-rama should be replaced with? 

Animal Kingdom 2023
What are you most excited about for DAK this year? Leave a comment below telling me your thought. 
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