Why Animal Kingdom Is Even Better At Night

Since it opened in 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has often been referred to as a “half day” or “daytime” park. This is partially due to the fact that the park was only open during daylight hours, and also because many guests believed it had the least for families to do and see compared to the other parks on Walt Disney World property. After years of improvements and additions, Animal Kingdom is now a popular park for the entire day, and now even at night too! Here are some of our favorite things about spending an unforgettable night at Animal Kingdom.

1. See Nocturnal Animals in Action

One of the most popular times to check out Kilimanjaro Safaris is in the early morning when many of the animals are the most active, but did you know you can see plenty of other animals in action at night? While this attraction always closed down around sunset, it is now open for guests to enjoy at night as well. See some of your old favorite animals as well as some new faces that aren’t typically out and about during the day. What makes this experience extra special is the fact that the lighting around the safari was designed to look like a sunset and the rising of the moon, so you can still see as much as possible without disturbing the animals. If you haven’t experienced this ride at night, definitely give it a try during your next visit to the park! Try riding the safari twice in one day to see how many animals you can spot throughout the day!

2. Expedition Everest in the Moonlight

One of the most popular rides in the park, and one of the most thrilling rides in all of Walt Disney World is Expedition Everest. This ride can give you some amazing thrills during the day, but your experience can be enhanced when you make your journey through the mountain at night! Riding this at night can enhance the experience by making the experience a little spookier, especially when you go from the dark outdoors into dark tunnels and back out into the moonlight. If you’re a big fan of riding roller coasters after dark, you will not want to miss this on your upcoming vacation!

3 .Check out the Tree of Life

This structure, which also serves as the symbol of Animal Kingdom, is impressive during the day, but there’s something even more special about seeing it lit up at night. After sunset, the Tree of Life seems to actually come alive with gorgeous nighttime light displays. Tree of Life Awakenings occurs every ten minutes after sunset, where beautiful and colorful projected images of various animals dance around the tree along with calming music, giving you an amazing experience. The light show occurs up until park close, so be sure to stop and enjoy it at least once before heading back to your resort for the night.