Moderate crowds
Animal Kingdom in October
October at Animal Kingdom means moderate crowds, cooling mornings on the safari trails, and afternoon highs still near 85F once the sun clears the canopy on Discovery Island.
Updated Reviewed by ParkSwiz research
- Crowd level
- Moderate
- Avg high
- 85°F
- Avg low
- 68°F
- Rain days
- 9 days
Pros
Reasons to visit in October
- Kilimanjaro Safaris runs comfortably in the milder morning air, with animals often more active than in summer heat.
- Avatar Flight of Passage draws moderate crowds this month, so Lightning Lane Single Pass windows open up more than in busier seasons.
- Halloween decorations throughout the resort add atmosphere to Discovery Island and the Tree of Life without any park-specific ticketed event to plan around.
- Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids see shorter waits with the park's moderate October crowd levels.
- Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek are pleasant to walk once the midday heat breaks late in the afternoon.
Cons
Things to watch out for
- There is no park-specific event here in October, so if you want festival energy you'll find it at another park, not this one.
- Discovery Island and the Africa queues offer little shade, and the mid-80s afternoon sun makes standing in Kilimanjaro Safaris lines rough by midday.
- Kali River Rapids will soak you, and October afternoons aren't always warm enough to dry off quickly.
- About 9 rain days this month mean afternoon storms can still shut down Feathered Friends in Flight! or push Festival of the Lion King indoors-only crowds.
- This park still closes earlier than the others most nights, so late-arriving guests lose options once evening hits.
Special events
Events in October
No Animal Kingdom-specific events in October. Park hours and crowds follow the resort-wide calendar below. See what is running elsewhere at Walt Disney World.
Resort-wideHalloween decorations throughout
Must-do rides
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Day plan
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Attractions
Attractions at Animal Kingdom
With moderate crowds all month, October is a solid time to work through Animal Kingdom's mix of thrill rides, animal trails, and shows without the longest waits of the year.
Lightning LaneSingle PassMulti Pass (no tiers at Animal Kingdom)30 shown
- Festival of the Lion KingAfrica
- Gorilla Falls Exploration TrailAfrica
- Harambe Village Street Band – BurudikaAfrica
- Kilimanjaro SafarisAfricaMust-do
- Kora Tinga TingaAfrica
- Tam Tam Drummers of HarambeAfrica
- Wildlife Express TrainAfrica
- Expedition EverestAsia44 in or taller
- Feathered Friends in Flight!Asia
- Kali River RapidsAsia38 in or taller
- Maharajah Jungle TrekAsia
- Animal Care at Conservation StationConservation Station
- Bluey's Wild WorldConservation Station
- Butterflies – Disney AnimalsConservation Station
- Jumping JunctionConservation Station
- Animal Encounters: Winged Encounters – The Kingdom Takes FlightDiscovery Island
- Discovery Island TrailsDiscovery Island
- Eco-RhythmicsDiscovery Island
- The Oasis ExhibitsDiscovery Island
- Tree of LifeDiscovery Island
- Viva Gaia Street Band!Discovery Island
- Wilderness ExplorersDiscovery Island
- Zootopia: Better ZoogetherDiscovery Island
- Avatar Flight of PassagePandora – The World of Avatar44 in or tallerMust-do
- Na'vi River JourneyPandora – The World of AvatarMust-do
- Beats and Strings
- DiVine
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond!
- Tree of Life Awakenings
- Zoogether Day Gathering Spot
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