Avoid Crowds At This Secret Entrance Into A Popular Disney World Theme Park

When's the last time you visited the gift shop at Disney's Animal Kingdom? If you answered, "Never," congratulations. You've just discovered a to Animal Kingdom that other guests might overlook as they're making a beeline for the front turnstiles. Just in the grand scheme of Disney could depend on how well the average visitor knows Animal Kingdom's layout. The park receives , and many of those may be coming in from out of state on once-in-a-lifetime trips. A jungle-themed chain restaurant that might not be everyone's first dining choice on their Florida vacation, either.

Though it's not explicitly labeled "Entrance," the route through Rainforest Cafe's gift shop is shown on Animal Kingdom's official . It's a , one that -based and other frequent Disney World visitors might take for granted, given that it's been around . When you've only been to Animal Kingdom once or twice, however, the Rainforest Cafe entrance isn't necessarily one that would jump out at you. This is because it's set back from the main entrance, tucked away deep in the heart of the rainforest, as it were.

Part of the fun of exploring Disney World is finding new things that you never noticed with each visit. Yet besides the novelty of venturing off the beaten path, using Rainforest Cafe to enter or exit Animal Kingdom could prove worthwhile for avoiding crowds.

In recent months, even at the Q&A service have been fielding questions about the Rainforest Cafe entrance ahead of people's trips to Animal Kingdom. When you're inside the park, you might walk by the restaurant path without realizing it's connected to the outside. The sign inside the park (shown above) is more noticeable since it features a colorful array of animals, including the red-eyed , Cha! Cha! As a weaned on Disney World trips, the first time I spotted that sign was when was in its opening summer. Many people probably breeze right past it and the attraction,

A at Animal Kingdom might tell you that some tree frogs like Cha! Cha! and camouflage themselves, similar to chameleons. The sign for Rainforest Cafe is no different. The one outside Animal Kingdom with the surrounding earth tones more, but you can find it of the main entrance. One thing to note is that Rainforest Cafe usually , whereas Animal Kingdom usually , with Early Entry beginning at 7:30 a.m. If you're planning to be at the park in the morning right , the gift shop entrance to you.

If there's still a bottleneck of guests waiting outside Animal Kingdom after 8:30 a.m., you could try cutting through Rainforest Cafe's gift shop to avoid the crowds. You'll need a valid park ticket, of course, since you'll be like you would at the main entrance. It's the same as if you were using the to directly access the landmarks of World Showcase at the back of EPCOT. Since Rainforest Cafe is selling , however, there's always a chance Disney could decide to restrict the use of its gift shop entrance to guests with receipts.

On the plus side, Rainforest Cafe sometimes only has a for tables. This could make it a good alternative if you want to get off your feet, but  for one of Animal Kingdom's busy table-service restaurants. The and animatronic inside could also give Rainforest Cafe a fun atmosphere for kids. That said, the menu has some , so it's not necessarily the cheapest family dining option  the .

It's been 30 years since the in Minnesota's most-visited tourist attraction, the Mall of America, back in 1994. For adults of a certain age, this one in Disney World could provide a nostalgia trip. If nothing else, the open secret of its special entrance to Animal Kingdom might provide a shortcut.