Animal Kingdom help needed

[KAT1811]

:mickey: I'll admit I'm not a big fan of Animal Kingdom. If I didn't get a chance to visit AK on a trip I wouldn't be disappointed. I know people that love it so I'm determined to give it a fair shake this trip. Partly because DH's cousin is coming and she hasn't seen AK yet. :blush:

Can any Animal Kingdom lovers give me some tips on how to navigate the park??? I always feel like I walked all over the place yet saw very little. What is the easiest way to take on the park? :mickey:

[Going2HeavenRU]

The park is a little hard to navigate since most of the time you have to keep going back to the tree of life to go to the next place.

I usually get to the park when the rope drops and go left to hit the Safari first to beat the crowds and see the animals after they have been fed. When you come off the Safari, if you go left to Asia, you can go to Expedition Everest, then cross the bridge to the Finding Nemo show and then do Dinosaur (depending on the Nemo show schedule).

After Dinosaur, head toward the Exit and hit Tough to Be a Bug and Lion King (in Camp Minnie Mickey). That is about all I do there accept eat at Yak and Yeti which is a wonderful TS.

[Joannelet]

It all depends on what you want to do there. If you want to go to the Lion King show I'd find out what time that is first and then stay on that side of the park till afterwards. So if you have a while to kill before the show begins head over to the safari and ride and then walk through the jungle trek. Take in the sites in Africa and check out some stores (my personal favorite is Island Mercantile since that is where I was a cast member :) Then around the time of the show head towards camp minnin and mickey. You may even find some characters.
If you like EE I would actually get a FP for that sometime in the morning.....or if the line isn't too long do standby.
I usually have my hubby run to it now in the morning and get FP. Then I do the Safari etc. After the safari I head to Asia...do all of that area. Then head to Dinoland etc. I always end it with it's tough to be a bug.
Take time in each place...take in all the sites...this park is so into details...it's amazing.....

[magicalmom]

If you're interested in AK as a theme park, get there early, get the fast passes for EE, book to the Safari at the rope drop, hit Dinosaur, Nemo, Lion King, and It's Tough to be a Bug, have a nice lunch, and you're gone. On a hot day, add the Rapids. It's a longish half-day, so you can head to whichever park will have EMH that evening.

On the other hand, if you have the time, and if you're interested in AK as a break from the fast pace and lines of the other parks, or if you're interested in AK as an animal park, slow down. Walk the two trails - the tigers are just so beautiful, and the gorillas are always fascinating (I will never forget my dad explaining to my grade school daughters that the gorillas were, ummmmm, making little gorillas . . . :blush: )

Don't miss the bats. Check out what Conservation Station has to offer. Enjoy the bird show - it's not substantially different from other bird shows, but birds are just magical. And real. If you're into birds, look for the roseate spoonbills near the park entrance.

Absorb the ambiance in the Africa and Asia areas - OK, they're Disneyfied, but it's as close as most of us will ever be able to get to these amazing places. Don't miss the live performers - music, acrobatics, DeVine . . . There's also a little place in Africa where you can play drums.

I really think the AK is best approached with a very different attitude from the other parks - it's closest in spirit to Epcot in the early 80's -
open to new discoveries and willing to take time for details.

My favorite part about the AK is it works so well either way! (And I really enjoy the parade - fabulous puppetry and great music)

And either way, I know you all will have a great visit -

[DizneyRox]

If you can, please give it a full day, an evening EMH would be icing on the cake. I would just say, take the park slow, meander down the different paths and stop and look around every so often. It's probably the best themed park in Orlando.

You probably want to do a safari in the early morning, or during a rain. Festival of the Lion King should not be missed along with Finding Nemo the Musical. Do both walking trails and stick around the gorillas and the tigers to watch.

Even a trip up to Rafiki's Planet Watch is worth the time, as long as you give it the time.

We enjoy lunch overlooking Discovery River eating Flame Tree BBQ. Y&Y is great too, we don't spend enough time in Asia, but we want to make up for that this year.

The shops are usually great to pokearound, but Island Mercantile will probably have all you need.

At night AK comes alive though. It's great seeing the park in the dark. EE is better at night and the atmosphere is great. It's a don't miss if you ask me.

[crltkcagle]

I can't offer any help. The only time Dh and I got in a fight on our last trip was in AK because as he put it, "we didn't have a plan" and "were walking in circles" LOL So I am interested to see what everyone else says also.

[dixielandings]

AK is maybe the best Park to stroll through. Those who go for activity only might be disappointed. But AK is packed with incredible beauty and detail. I agree with the PPs about taking your time and enjoying the ambience, the animals, the plants, etc. AK has 3 great shows - Festival of the Lion King, Flights of Wonder (my favorite), and Finding Nemo; and some really cool rides and attractions - Everest, Kilimijaro Safari, It's Tough to be a Bug, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl...

We usually arrive at opening, FP Everest, and head straight to the Safari (it's best enjoyed in the morning when the animals are more energetic). We also use the single rider line at Everest a LOT - it's great. We eat at Flame Tree Grill - they have great food and tons of seating along the water's edge (keep following the path behind the counter until you get to the covered pavillion).

I hope you enjoy it - I love thsi Park. I hate it that so many Disney regulars don't think as highly of it as we do!

[NokOnHarts]

For those who have enjoyed the park in the evening, is it true that none of the animal rides/exhibits are open in the evening EMH? I have only been to the park in the morning but have read on here that it is beautiful to see in the evening. I'd like to give it a try next time we go but seems like there might not be a lot to do if none of the animal areas are open? We'll have our 2 year old daughter with us so just doing EE (etc) woudn't be that fun for her as, of course, she is not included. Is this a good park for kids for the evening EMH then?

[Tink#64]

We really do enjoy AK, but on our list of WDW parks, it's on the bottom. :blush: For some reason, there always seems to be a lot of back tracking going on in that park! Especially if you are trying to take in the shows! It also seems to be our "hottest" park day - always! :confused:

In years past, when DS's were younger, at park opening we always headed right for the Safari ride, my way of thinking was that this is an attraction for everyone, so more interest there than maybe the thrill rides, and the animals are supposed to be more active in the morning. After that our schedule mostly worked around the "live" shows. If you are planning to see any of the "live shows", DON'T forget to pick up a Times Guide so that you can plan accordingly! FOTLK has always been my fav, now idk, the Nemo musical is really great too!

After EE opened, it became our 1st morning attraction as DS' are now older & that was the key attraction for the day! We always try to fit in our "Must Do's" in the early AM & after that, it's all icing on the cake!

It's always seemed to us that Dinoland was the hottest part of AK! I'm assuming because of the blacktop. So this year we went to EE 1st & then hit Dinoland & did everything we wanted there in the early morning trying to beat the heat!

IMHO, AK is the hardest park to fit everything in without a lot back & forth, always circling the Tree of Life! lol ("Look kids, Big Ben"!) :silly: I do think AK is best enjoyed when you truly allow yourself to slow down, relax a bit and enjoy all the beautiful sights! There are some truly uniques experiences to be had there! :thumbsup:

[Kenny1113]

..this park is so into details...it's amazing.....

agreed! I was like the OP, AK was not a park I really cared about at all.I thought it was hot, crowded ( because of narrow walkways). Until our trip in April last year.I was sent to get FP for EE for our group I noticed the footprints and bike tread tracks.I started to notice all the little details all over the park.this is what I love about Disney, all the little details and I think this park has the best "little details". :) I really enjoy AK now.

[DizneyRox]

Actually, I don't think any of the animal "attractions" are open at night. KS is most definitely closed, Gorilla Falls Exploration Trails and the Maharajah Jungle Trek I believe are closed as well. There may be some areas around the Tree of Life, but when it's dark in Florida, it's dark. There are no lights in the animal viewing areas. You would be going to enjoy the atmosphere of the park at night, not the animals.

[DNS]

I totally agree with others who have said to go through the park at a slow pace. I think it is magnificent. I love to spend time in Africa and Asia. Take all the paths, there are often little surprises you find. Personally, we love the animal attractions as well as the rides, but mostly I just think the ambience is the best of all the parks in Florida. But if riding is what you really care about, I think you'll miss the best of the park, in my opinion.

[CaptSmee]

We have 2 different attack methods for touring AK. Usually we get there early, have breakfast at Rainforest Cafe. Then we enter the park heading towards Africa. We get a fastpass for the safari & then walk the jungle trail. If there's still time to kill prior to the safari, we'll take the train to nowhere (Rafiki's Planet Watch). Afterwards we'll walk the path behind the Tree of Life to Asia to get a fastpass for Everest. If it's time, we'll take in the Nemo show & ride Dinosaur. Usually by then it's return time for out FP, afterwards we tour the tiger side trail and see It's Tough to be a Bug. If we feel like it we'll take in the Lion King show before leaving for the day (usually right at parade time).

Our 2nd option is to start on the Dinoland/Asia side & finish up on the Africa side, but usually we'll do the detailed tour above.

[DizneyRox]

Oh the parade! It's a good one! Personally, I like the Jingle Jungle version at Christmas, but the normal parade is pretty good. I think a lot of people miss it as they leave well before the parade...

[pixiesmimi]

I can't offer any help. The only time Dh and I got in a fight on our last trip was in AK because as he put it, "we didn't have a plan" and "were walking in circles" LOL So I am interested to see what everyone else says also.

This happened to us on our first trip there too! We never went back until last year on our anniversary and I was determined to do every park and DH wanted to do EE. We started with breakfast at Tusker House and went to Lion King and then worked our way around the park. We found out that the FP kiosk is in the front in the center for some of the rides if not all. Correct me if I'm wrong about this. It's hard to remember. We had a hard time finding it because assumed it would be by each ride. Maybe it was just EE that was in front. Not sure.

[Imagineer1981]

Mickeys Jammin Jungle Parade is one of the best in the parks IMHO. Its alot of fun and different then the others. The park itself sometimes gets knocked because its so hot and people get upset that it closes at 5, but if you give it a shot, take your time, and take in the atmosphere, you'll love it