Hi Nicole,
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! How fun that you’re planning a dino-centric visit for little guy.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is definitely a great place to work on your roar, with so many great dinosaur-rific things to see and do.
My son and I had the BEST time at
Donald’s Dino-Bash! in DinoLand, U.S.A. last summer! When I saw Chip ‘n Dale walking toward me in their dino onesies, I had tears in my eyes – they are seriously the cutest. We also met my childhood crush, Scrooge McDuck, plus lots of Donald’s other friends and relatives who were invited to his prehistoric party.
Donald’s Dino-Bash’s times are not published on the website, as the party continues to change and, ahem,
evolve. In my experience, it usually starts around 10:00 a.m. and goes until around 5:30 p.m., and the dance party usually begins around 5:00 p.m. Characters do come and go throughout the day and are subject to change, so your best bet is to pick up a Times Guide as you enter the park, as it will post the most up-to-date information. I just checked the
My Disney Experience mobile app, and I see appearances by several characters in DinoLand, U.S.A. today. Simply tap the map on the app’s home screen and use the drop-down menu at the top to select “Characters.” From there, you can navigate on the map through the theme parks, and tap any Mickey Mouse head icon you see for all the details about that character’s appearances. You don't need to make any reservations for the party - just stop by when it works in your day.
Nicole, make sure you take your dino-loving Mouseketeer to
The Boneyard in Disney’s Animal Kingdom for some playtime. At this playground, kiddos can dig for fossils and explore a dinosaur dig site – my kids beg to visit every time. (Mom pro tip: hats, sunscreen, and water are a must here, as the sun can get pretty intense when you’re digging up bones!)
I hope your son has an absolutely magical first visit, and that your family makes the most wonderful memories together. Please come back and see us as you do your planning and dreaming – we would love to help make your dino fan’s first time at Disney a dream come true!
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn