We keep an eye on what’s new in each of the Disney World parks so that you know what to expect on your upcoming vacation!

We’ve taken a look at all the new updates in EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Magic Kingdom recently, so now we’re heading to Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Let’s check out any updates on the food, construction, merchandise, and crowds in Disney’s wildest park.

We like to start our updates with the most important thing to us — the food!

Animal Kingdom Food Update

Caravan Road is a counter-service restaurant located in Asia in Animal Kingdom.

This spot — which used to have some snack and beverage options — has been closed for a while now. In the past, the menu spot for Caravan Road has housed a sign that directs guests to Mr. Kamal’s (another counter-service restaurant in Animal Kingdom). But when we stopped by today, we noticed that there was a menu up instead!

The menu didn’t list any food, but there were several drink options including some with or without alcohol. Could this be a sign that this spot will reopen soon? Here’s to hoping!

Click Here to See 10 DFB Reviews You Need to Read Before You Go to Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom Construction Update

We noticed today that the ride Primeval Whirl (now permanently closed) in DinoLand U.S.A. has construction walls all around it.

In the front, there were opaque walls, and around the sides, we found mesh barriers.

Could this be a sign that the ride is getting torn down soon? More than likely. But we’ll keep you updated! While we were in DinoLand U.S.A., we noticed that the cost for carnival games in that area went up a little bit. The games used to be $5 plus tax. Now, they’re $6 total (tax included).

It also used to be the policy that guests would get a prize if they bought three tickets, whether or not they won the game. Recently this rule changed as well: now, guests won’t get a prize unless they win.

We headed to the Africa section next and found that the Muziki drums are back!

Kids can once again play on the ones that are out, or you can buy your own at the stand. This is a fun, free activity for little kids (or adults too — we don’t judge!), so we’re glad to see them back. We also saw that the Wood Carvers are back in their pre-COVID location next to the Mombasa Marketplace gift shop.

While we were checking on some rides in the area, we saw that Kali River Rapids got its Lightning Lane sign.

It’s joining the growing lists of rides that have these signs now, in preparation for the new Genie+ and Pay-Per-Ride system that will arrive in Disney World this Fall.

Over in Pandora, we rode the Na’vi River Journey again, since last time the Na’vi Shaman animatronic was missing from the ride (replaced by a screen).

We’re happy to report that the shaman animatronic is back again!

This is one of the most amazing animatronics in Disney World, in our opinion, so we’re very glad to see her back!

Our final construction update is another look at the barges for the upcoming KiteTails show that will debut in Animal Kingdom for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary.

Cats Members have been building little huts on the barges, and they’re getting closer and closer to completion!

We’ll be keeping an eye on these, so stay tuned for more updates.

Click Here to See the First Look Video at the New KiteTails Show

We’re going to make one more stop to find some new merchandise in Animal Kingdom!

Animal Kingdom Merchandise Update

Riverside Depot is a merchandise store located on Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom. While we were there, we spotted a new Halloween-themed Hulk t-shirt for kids for $19.99.

The shirt has the Hulk holding two ghosts and the words “Happy Hulkoween!” around them. It made us chuckle a little to see the Hulk “smashing” the two ghosts. We think this is the perfect t-shirt for any kids that are scared of Halloween monsters — they just need to be reminded that there are superheroes too! Also at Riverside Depot, we spotted some Disney Apple Cider Mix.

The mixes have a few different flavors, like spiced apple, red apple, and caramel apple. If you love your fall Disney drinks, you can grab some at Riverside Depot now!

Animal Kingdom Crowds Update

We came on a pretty rainy day, so the crowd levels weren’t too bad!

Granted, everyone might have been hiding inside to stay dry… .

When we stopped by Expedition Everest, though, it was still running with a wait time of just 15 minutes.

On the other side of the park, Dinosaur also had a short wait time, at 10 minutes.

That’s it for our update of what’s new at Animal Kingdom! Stay tuned with DFB, and we’ll let you know about all the new projects, food, and merchandise in Disney World.

Click Here to Learn More About the New Show Coming to Animal Kingdom

What’s your favorite ride in Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Let us know in the comments!