AK 7 a.m. EMH--when does the Safari open?

[NiceOneSimba]

Trying to plan out our EMH strategy for Feb. 19. I have read they've been opening the park in advance of the posted EMH hours, and I'm just trying to figure out our strategy for utilizing that time to maximum advantage.

We have FOP FP+ for 8:40, so that is NOT a priority for us during the EMH. My current plan is to hotfoot it to Navii River Journey and ride once or twice, and then head over to the Safari. But if the Safari doesn't open until like 7:30 or even after that, I'd like to have a plan for something until the Safari does open.

Does the Safari opening time vary based on sunrise time? Or will it be open as soon as the official EMH opening?

Thanks--All this WDW planning is hard on this Disneyland girl!

 

[cavepig]

7:00am as far as I know.

 

[hllb]

Just wanted to add, RDing Navi is very easy. We got to the park at 8:20 or 8:25 on a 9 am opening day. Everyone was already waiting on the bridge to Pandora. Navi was a walk on and I think it took 10 minutes to board and complete the ride.

Just checked my timestamp on pictures. We were off the ride at 8:47.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Safaris should be running.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

Thanks so much! So excited to finally see the other WDW parks on this trip!

 

[WDW dreaming]

When we were there for 7 am EMH the week of Thanksgiving the safari was scheduled to open at 7:45 and it was right about then that it did open. (I knew it ahead of time from looking at the disney website (under Attractions section) so you might take a peek there to see what it's showing.) Same as you we had a FP for FOP and planned to hit Navi River first at EMH & then leave Pandora for other attractions. The AK bus from All Stars Music was just pulling away as we got there and had to wait a bit for the next one so it was 7:20ish when we got to the Pandora entrance and CMs were telling everyone that it was a 2 hour wait to even get inside the land. Not sure if that was really the case or an effort to encourage people to go to other areas of the park but we didn't want to risk it so we got in what looked like a long line for Safari out in the street but once they opened the queue we got through the line quickly and quickly boarded. We just went with the flow & were still able to get a same day FP for Navi River later that night.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

OMG. I didn't even think to look at the Attractions part of the website (total facepalm). 8 a.m. it is. Well, that changes my plan up a bit, for sure!

 

[HydroGuy]

Not an expert but the Safari during EMH threw us a curve ball on Pandora opening day last May. We had a FP for FOP and NRJ (I know you can't get FPs for both because of tiering but on Day 1 of Pandora there was a glitch and I got both) and the FPs were for noon. We decided to come during 7AM EMH since everyone else was doing that too and do everything else in AK while most folks were focused on Pandora.

We arrived at AK at 6:10AM and AK opened the turnstiles early (not sure when exactly that day, it was at 6:20 or 6:30AM). I had a FP for EE and after checking in advance that KS would be open during EMH we decided to do that first at 7AM. We were let in as far as the bridge to Africa near the Tree of Life on the left. There was a rope there (or some kind of a barrier - can't remember). We were the first ones. Then at like 6:55AM the CMs said that AK would in fact not be open at 7AM. That was frustrating as we had waited there for KS for almost half an hour by then and there was a bit of a line by then at the bridge with other folks doing the same plan as us.

Since it was so close to 7AM by this time we stayed put and after rope drop we crossed the bridge and then made a hard right towards Asia to do EE standby first thing. In the end no big deal as there was virtually no line for EE. It was just, as I said, kind of frustrating that we understood from everyone we asked that KS would be open at 7AM and then it wasn't. It was never clear if it was just late that day or it happens that way every day. From reading this thread it appears there may not be a consistent answer.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

I'm so glad I thought to ask. Yay DISBoards! I was worried that it wouldn't open during EMH if it was still dark out, and sunrise isn't until like 7:15 that day. Now at least I can juggle my plans around to make the most of that hour (which sounds like it's more like an hour and a half or so these days), and plan to be there in line for KS before it opens at 8.

Probably better the safari is opening later anyway, because I should be able to get my husband properly caffeinated with a Starbucks at some point during that EMH now that I'm not going to be hustling everyone from Pandora to KS quite so urgently.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

Oooh...good to know this as we were thinking we'd be able to hit a 7am safari on March 26, which is a 7am opening day. But it does open at 8....bit of a letdown but good to know!

 

[Robo]

Stats:

"Sunrise" is at 7:00AM on Feb. 19.

BTW, the sky will be light at least 15-25 min. BEFORE that time.

 

[Donalyn]

Okay - I'm confused. The safari ride is an EMH attraction, but you are saying sometimes it isn't open (as in planned that it will not be open when EMH starts, as opposed to not open due to a tech failure)? And that you can find this somewhere on the Disney website?

 

[WDW dreaming]

Okay - I'm confused. The safari ride is an EMH attraction, but you are saying sometimes it isn't open (as in planned that it will not be open when EMH starts, as opposed to not open due to a tech failure)? And that you can find this somewhere on the Disney website?

Here's the link for the disney website that shows the time for the date in question (Feb 19).

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/kilimanjaro-safaris/

To see operating times for a different date, just click on the calendar & change the date. I suspect it makes a difference whether EMH is at 7:00 a.m. versus 8:00 as to whether it is running during EMH. When we went during Thanksgiving week, EMH started at 7:00 & the safari opened at 7:45. For Feb 19 it looks like EMH starts at 7:00 & the safari opens at 8:00. Hope this helps.

 

[cavepig]

So, it adjusts depending on when sunrise is then? I guess I didn't think of that since it was up and running when we did it at 7 before but it was earlier sunrise times I guess, like it was April I think and summer times. Oops my bad on my earlier post assuming it was at opening.

 

[Robo]

So, it adjusts depending on when sunrise is then?

Apparently it is not directly analogous.

 

[cleophus12]

We rode the safari a couple of weeks ago when it was cold at WDW. We rode early and hardly any animals were out. So if you ride early your may not see much. That was just our experience, and it was far colder than normal.

 

[lisa cameron]

Not an expert but the Safari during EMH threw us a curve ball on Pandora opening day last May. We had a FP for FOP and NRJ (I know you can't get FPs for both because of tiering but on Day 1 of Pandora there was a glitch and I got both) and the FPs were for noon. We decided to come during 7AM EMH since everyone else was doing that too and do everything else in AK while most folks were focused on Pandora.

We arrived at AK at 6:10AM and AK opened the turnstiles early (not sure when exactly that day, it was at 6:20 or 6:30AM). I had a FP for EE and after checking in advance that KS would be open during EMH we decided to do that first at 7AM. We were let in as far as the bridge to Africa near the Tree of Life on the left. There was a rope there (or some kind of a barrier - can't remember). We were the first ones. Then at like 6:55AM the CMs said that AK would in fact not be open at 7AM. That was frustrating as we had waited there for KS for almost half an hour by then and there was a bit of a line by then at the bridge with other folks doing the same plan as us.

Since it was so close to 7AM by this time we stayed put and after rope drop we crossed the bridge and then made a hard right towards Asia to do EE standby first thing. In the end no big deal as there was virtually no line for EE. It was just, as I said, kind of frustrating that we understood from everyone we asked that KS would be open at 7AM and then it wasn't. It was never clear if it was just late that day or it happens that way every day. From reading this thread it appears there may not be a consistent answer.

I think they must change it. We are going Feb 17th and I swear KS was listed as one that opened at 7am during the EMH but now that I check again it says 8am.