Animal Kingdom FastPass Recommendations
Like Hollywood Studios and Epcot, Animal Kingdom uses a Tier System for their FastPass selections in an attempt to keep things fair when booking FastPasses.
You are able to select one attraction from Tier 1, and your other two attractions must be from Tier 2.
Tier 1 Attractions
- Avatar Flight of Passage (44″)
- Na’vi River Journey (any height)
Ok, so unlike Hollywood Studios and Epcot, your Tier 1 choice at Animal Kingdom is a no brainer: Avatar Flight of Passage.
This is by far the most popular attraction at this park, and it is highly unlikely that you will be able to score a FastPass for it on the day of. Actually, it’s hard to get a FastPass for it even 59 days in advance.
The only reason you should get Na’vi River instead of Flight of Passage is if you have little riders that are not tall enough for this attraction.
Even then… and I’m an advocate for sticking together as a family… but even if your little one isn’t tall enough, I’d try to use Rider Swap for ride this. To go this route, read below:
Go ahead and grab a FastPass for Flight of Passage for Adult 1 and big kids. Adult 2 and little kids can grab a FastPass for Na’vi.
When you arrive at Flight of Passage, let a cast member know you will be using Rider Swap.
Adult 1 and big kids will ride Flight of Passage using their FastPasses.
Then Adult 2 (and one more people, even if he or she already rode) will ride Flight of Passage using Rider Swap.
As for Na’vi River, only Adult 2 and little kids will get to ride since they are the ones with FastPasses and there is no Rider Swap for Na’vi.
Go ahead and do some of your own research on Na’vi River, but in my opinion, Adult 1 and big kids aren’t really missing out on anything. There, I said it! 😳
Below is a complicated but worthwhile video on Rider Swap. Please noted that Rider Swap now only one other person to accompany the Adult 2 (as of July 2021).
Tier 2 Attractions
- The Animation Experience at Conservation Station (any height)
- Dinosaur (44″)
- Expedition Everest (44″)
- Festival of the Lion King (any height)
- Finding Nemo – The Musical (any height)
- It’s Tough to be a Bug! (any height)
- Kali River Rapids (38″)
- Kilimanjaro Safaris (any height)
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals (any height)
- Primeval Whirl (48″)
- Rivers of Light: We Are One (any height)
- UP! A Great Bird Adventure (any height)
Although there are a lot of attractions in the Tier 2 list, there are only a few I would recommend for FastPasses, at least for your initial 2 selections.
Definitely go for Kilimanjaro Safari (early morning if you can). This line will get long throughout the day, and it is hard to get a FastPass on the day of.
Then I would go for Expedition Everest if you’re tall enough and adventurous enough 😉 These lines can get very long as well, but I’ve usually been able to grab a FastPass for this attraction on the day of.
You can also typically find very short lines for Everest during the Rivers of Light Show.
Even so, I still think Everest is FastPass-worthy.
If you can’t or don’t want to do Everest, and you are going in the summer, go for Kali River Rapids.
For everything else, I would try grabbing FastPasses for those one at a time, once you’ve already used your first 3 FastPasses.
As for the shows, you can see most shows at Disney World without a FastPass, but the FastPass will either give you a better seat or free you up to not have to get in line 45 minutes in advance.
**I feel like I should let you know that The Festival of the Lion King is my all time favorite attraction at Disney World. Please don’t miss this! If you can grab a FastPass for it on the day of, grab it, but whether you have a FastPass or not, be sure you see this show!
