One of my FAVORITE things about Animal Kingdom (besides the animals) is all of the incredible live performances that you can see throughout the park! Recently some new offerings have debuted and this guide is going to go over EVERYTHING so you can know what is not to miss on your next visit to Animal Kingdom.

Beats & Strings

Speaking of new offerings, this is one of them! Beats and Strings can be found on a small platform stage right across from the Feathered Friends in Flight show in the Asia section of the park. This is around a 10-15 minute show where you can see a live Sitar player accompanied by some hand drums.

A Sitar is a guitar type instrument with a super unique sound and it isn’t every day that you can see one played live - especially here in the states! They will usually play a few songs with a fun backing track to give it some extra flair and then finish out with a beautiful piece featuring just the instrument.

You won’t be able to find showtimes for this in the app as they perform in between shows of the Feathered Friends in Flight. If you see them on the stage, but they look like they are just hanging out, that just means they are waiting for the show to end so they can safely start their set without disrupting the birds or the show.

My recommendation is to check out Feathered Friends in Flight and then hit Beats & Strings on your way out!

Discovery Island Drummers Flotilla

This one you’ll need to keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for! The Discovery Island Drummers are the last remaining flotilla that floats down the Discovery River. This river goes through pretty much the whole park, so if you hear those drums, take a few seconds to peek at the river and hear their fun music!

One of my favorite spots to catch them is at the big stadium seating over near the Finding Nemo show - this is where they come out and exit, so you can see them for a little longer as they make their way over to the river. Plus it’s a good place to take a short break in the expansive seating!

DiVine

If you are coming into Animal Kingdom a little later, be sure to go on the right path when entering the park! You may get lucky and catch DiVine! She is a stilt performer all decked out in leaves, foliage, and vines and will almost blend in with the actual foliage surrounding the area.

This isn’t so much a show, but it’s a fun performance to catch and you can even take a few pictures with her!

Feathered Friends in Flight

If you are not a fan of birds, be warned - this show is NOT for you! BUT if you do like birds, or even just like some fun comedy, this show is so much fun! This is a 35 minute long show that demonstrates some of the unique things about different bird species and even how they’ve been able to train some of them for some special ‘tricks’ that show off some of the natural behaviors you may see from these birds in the wild.

This could be watching a parrot sing a song, seeing a raven recycle, checking out how quiet an owl takes flight, and more! Pro tip, be sure to have a dollar handy and sit in the lower section to have a chance to be picked for a fun audience interaction moment!

This show also goes over some conservation efforts to continue protecting these bird species and their habitats and it’s seriously a perfect offering for this park! It’s had a few updates over the years, but it’s an opening day show that I think is NOT to miss! It’s pretty easy to get a seat for this one, but I would still recommend arriving around 10-15 minutes early so that you can sit a little closer.

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Festival of the Lion King

This is probably Animal Kingdom’s most popular and well known show! This is a 30 minute long show that features singing, acrobatics, fire dancing, puppetry, and more. You’ll sing along to some well known songs from the movie and there is even some audience interaction throughout the show.

This is another opening day show and has been a fan favorite ever since. Because of that, I HIGHLY recommend getting in line around 30 minutes before showtime so that you can get a good seat. If you opt to use a Lightning Lane for this show, I still recommend arriving around that 30 minute mark. If you show up 10 minutes before the show, you are pretty much going to sit in the back, EVEN if you have a Lightning Lane.

Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!

This is my personal favorite when it comes to the stage shows at Animal Kingdom! This recently got a revamp is is now a short and sweet 25 minute long show that takes you through the story of Finding Nemo through original songs, puppetry, and projections.

This is seriously a beautiful show to see and the performers are absolutely incredible! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this show and I still go back every time. (I’m a local who visits the parks several times a week, so that’s a lot)

This is another show that you can use a Lightning Lane for, however, unless you are just wanting to be able to sit in some a/c for 30 minutes before showtime, you don’t really need one. They typically let the standby line in around 10-15 minutes before showtime and I can almost always find a seat up at the front in the lower sections (which is where I recommend sitting) even if I walk up 10 minutes before showtime.

Harambe Village Street Band - Burudika

This is another new/returning live band and OH MY GOSH is this not to miss! These artists are so incredibly talented and they also have a dancer who gets the crowd dancing along too. We had an absolute BLAST with this show and were so in love with how much fun the performers were having.

You can catch them on the Harambe stage right across from the Dawa Bar and Tamu Tamu Refreshments. They alternate days with the Tam Tam Drummers so be sure to check the My Disney Experience App or website to see which one is performing the day you are there.

Kora Tinga Tinga

If you are eating lunch at Harambe Market or happen to be in that area, be on the lookout for Kora Tinga Tinga! A Kora is a 21 stringed African harp and is so beautiful to listen to! The performer who does this is incredibly talented and according to the Disney website his family used to perform for kings! I could truly listen to him play all day as its very relaxing and soft and the performer is so kind to chat with too.

You can typically find him right across from Harambe Market next to the entrance of Zuri’s Sweet Shop.

“Songs You’ll Dig” with a Dino Institute Intern

This will only be around for a little longer, so definitely try and catch this one while you can! Did you know that there is a lounge in Dinoland? Attached to Restaurantosaurous on the side near the Dinosaur attraction, you’ll find a little lounge serving a variety of fruity mix drinks. While there you may catch a Dino Institute Intern there to play some fun songs including some improv ones that you’ll make together.

This is a fun little gem and is absolutely sure to get you laughing! It’s also pretty impressive that they are able to make up a song on the fly.

We experienced this hilarity in our Dinoland video:

Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe

If you are looking for some dancing fun, you’ll want to check this out! In the same location as the Burudika show, you can catch the Tam Tam Drummers performing traditional African drum songs while you dance along to the beat. The dance leader will guide you in some traditional dance moves, so it’s a fun one for kiddos to interact with and get out some energy.

Again, this alternates days with Burudika, so be sure to check your My Disney Experience App or Disney website for show dates and times.

Viva Gaia Street Band!

Speaking of dancing, over on the other side of Animal Kingdom across from Flame Tree BBQ, you’ll find the Viva Gaia Street Band! This is another fun and colorful band playing upbeat music and they recently brought back the dancers too. I don’t think it’s possible to walk by them playing and not want to shake your hips a little bit.

This is a fun one to watch as you wait for your Flame Tree mobile order, or simply make a pit stop on your way to Dinoland. If you love to dance, I highly recommend!