Money & Time Saving Tips
Disney’s Animal
Kingdom Do’s and Don’ts
1) Disney’s Animal Kingdom opens early. Unlike the three other Disney theme parks which usually open at 9:00AM, this park opens at 8:00AM. This allows visitors to maximize the amount of daylight available, since the park closes at dark. TIP: The park does close as early as 6:00PM during some non-peak times of the year.
2) Best Time to Visit. The best time to visit the park is after 1:00PM. We recommend that you visit one of the other three theme parks in the morning and early afternoon and then trek over to the Animal Kingdom for the second half of the day.
3) Spending the entire day. If you decide to spend the whole day there, arrive between 8:30AM and 9:00AM. This allows the crowds waiting for the 8:00AM opening to filter through the gates. If you arrive early, head for the Dinoland U.S.A. section of the park. There are several attractions here and no lines. Almost everyone heads to the Africa section of the park first to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris, the open-air safari expedition with all the animals.
4) Anytime is a good time to see the animals on safari. The biggest attraction by far is Kilimanjaro Safaris. Many guests are told the best time to see the animals on safari in first thing in the morning because the temperature is cool. This is not true. This fictitious information creates lines 1-2 hours long until about 10:00AM. In the dozen or so times we went on safari, we seen the most animals during the mid-afternoon. In fact, we rode the safari several times in a row and saw different animals each time. The best advice is to ride the safari at several different times during the day.
5) Options for breakfast are limited. When compared to the other three theme parks, the choices for breakfast at the Animal Kingdom are very limited. Your best bet to grab a bite at the park before 10:30AM is at the Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery in the Africa section of the park. You should eat breakfast before you arrive, if possible. Disney has added a few “carts” in the park that have limited selections of cinnamon rolls, pastries, and juices for breakfast as well.
6) Some attractions may be scary to young children. The movie “It’s tough to be a bug” is similar to “Honey, I shrunk the audience” at EPCOT, only a little more intense. We observed some small children were frightened and had to leave the theater in the middle of the show. It is, however, a fantastic show! The attraction “Countdown to Extinction” is another extraordinary attraction, but the special effects are very loud and in complete darkness at many points. This attraction may cause motion sickness, but not to the degree of a flight simulator like “Body Wars” or the Star Wars ride.
7) The “Festival of the Lion King Show” is must see. This show combines over thirty live actors and performers, four large floats, and an enormous center stage. This is the best live show we’ve ever seen at a theme park. Plan on arriving at least 30-45 minutes before showtime.
8) Disney characters are located in the Camp Minnie-Mickey section of the park. This area of the park has four large “huts” where all the characters reside. You can take pictures of them with your kids and get autographs too. The best time to visit here is while the “Festival of the Lion King” show is in progress.
Brought to you by: Mouse Tips – The Unofficial Newsletter of Walt Disney World
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