Perfect Day at Animal Kingdom: What to Do According to Travel Planner

As a travel agent with MEI Travel who's been planning vacations for 10 years, it's my job to share all my tips and tricks.

I don't know why, but Animal Kingdom does not get enough appreciation from Disney guests. So many of my clients want to either skip it or just spend a few hours there.

Usually, when I urge them to give it a little more time, they come back raving about the beautiful park.

Here's a closer look at how you can spend a day exploring Animal Kingdom.

As soon as you enter the park you're surrounded by the stunning foliage of the Oasis Exhibits. Keep your eyes peeled because you never know what animals are calling this area home — we've seen birds, anteaters, and more.

As you walk over the bridge to Discovery Island, you're greeted by the Tree of Life. This beautiful park icon can be seen from several areas, but be sure to grab some photos front and center.

There are supposedly over 300 animals carved into the Tree of Life, from the roots to the trunk to the branches. You can spend an entire day just looking for animals.

Pro tip: There's a secret path that allows you to take an up-close look at the Tree of Life. As you leave the Africa section, look to the right after the tree but before the bridge.

There's a lot of vegetation at the entrance to the path, which makes it harder to find. But it's open to the public, and it's a great place to get pictures.

Expedition Everest is located in the Asia section of the park, but you'll likely be able to catch a glimpse of its peak long before you get there.

The high-speed coaster takes you forward and backward as you try to avoid the Yeti that lives on the mountain.

In the early morning, the wait times are not bad at all, and they tend to dip again right before the park closes. The coaster is one of my family's favorite attractions, and we never miss a chance to ride it (multiple times).

Pro tip: If you have little ones that can't or don't want to ride, you can use the single-rider line to get in and out more quickly while part of the group stays behind.

"Festival of the Lion King" is absolutely a must-watch.

It's a vibrant show featuring amazing acrobatics, live songs, and choreographed dances to your favorite "Lion King" tunes.

The audience is encouraged to sing and clap along with the performers. And there are even some extra opportunities for audience participation.

We've been watching this show since my kids were little. Now they're 13 and 22, and we still make sure we see it every visit.

Flight of Passage is probably the most popular attraction at Animal Kingdom, and for good reason.

It's located in the "Avatar"-themed area of the park. You'll ride on a winged mountain banshee for a breathtaking 3D flight over Pandora's landscape.

This ride is great for the whole family, as the minimum height requirement is 44 inches. But with its popularity comes long wait times during the day.

Pro tip: We ride this just before the park closes and there's never more than a 30-minute wait.

Animal Kingdom has the most beautiful details in every corner of the park.

It was designed to be an immersive experience that makes you feel like you're in an African village or at the base of Mount Everest in Asia.

Everywhere you look there's a detail — it's all part of the story and worth taking the time to notice. Grab a cocktail or treat and enjoy your surroundings no matter what section of the park you're in.

This not-so-hidden gem is my favorite spot in the park to relax.

Located just before you cross the bridge to Pandora from Discovery Island, Nomad Lounge is my favorite bar on Disney property.

Even when I travel with my kids, we stop here as they have small plates and nonalcoholic drinks as well.

Sit outside and enjoy the views of the Discovery River as you sip on one of the many specialty drinks and snack on the tasty bread service.

Pro tip: Ask for the "Steve Special" for a secret experience — any bartender should know exactly what you want (an extra shot).

Dinosaur is such a fun attraction. But even I have to admit that on our last visit, it was a little more intense than I remembered.

You travel back to a prehistoric time on your own Time Rover to bring a dino to the present. But you may come across a few unsavory friends along the way.

This attraction has a lot of loud noises and dark scenes, so it may not be the best ride for little ones.

On the self-guided Maharajah Jungle Trek, you'll wander through the ancient ruins of India and see tigers, bats, birds, and more.

As you journey through this magnificent area of the park, be sure to also take time to look at the art and architecture surrounding you.

The Tiger Forest is the most popular area along this trail as you come face to face with beautiful Asian tigers.

If you or someone in the family loves animals, this is a must-do.

Kilimanjaro Safari is an absolute must for us on every visit.

The 20-minute, family-friendly safari takes you along an African-inspired landscape, and you can see elephants, lions, giraffes, and more.

Harambe Reserve is a 100-acre savanna full of the most beautiful animals. Your safari guide will point out all of the wildlife along the way.

Pro tip: If you take the safari later in the day, closer to dusk, the animals are usually more active, and you may even see a few rare lions.

Located on Discovery Island, Flame Tree is one of our favorite lunch spots.

Offering ribs, chicken, pulled pork, and tasty sides, the menu has something a little bit of everything.

I always get the smokehouse chicken salad. It's an entrée-sized portion but not a heavy meal.

Flame Tree also has seating along the Discovery River, and you can hear Everest roar in the distance.

It's not a secret that Florida is hot, but Kali River Rapids is the perfect way to cool off in the afternoon.

You and 11 of your "closest friends" are launched down the turbulent Chakranadi River for a wild ride through a jungle.

The height requirement is only 38 inches, so it's perfect for the whole family.

Pro tip: You will get wet on this ride. If anyone from your party is sitting it out, it might be best to leave any valuables with them.

You can meet a few characters when you come to Animal Kingdom, including Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Donald.

Other more unique characters, like Kevin from "Up," also roam around the park.

Pro tip: If you want to guarantee character meet and greets, book a dining reservation at Tusker House. There you'll see Mickey and his friends in their Safari outfits.

Even the gift shops at Animal Kingdom are full of intricate designs and details.

Discovery Island is home to four large shops where you can find everything from stuffed animals to T-shirts.

Pro tip: We often find special Disney trading pins here that we haven't seen in other parks.

Many write off Animal Kingdom as a glorified zoo, but the attractions are as good as (if not better than) ones in the other parks.

I think the balance of exciting rides, live shows, and nature is what makes the park so special.

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