AK - do you prefer RD or stay til closing? (pre-RoL)

[JaimeK]

Our plan for AK is: Lion King, Everest, Safari, Nemo. Maybe a trail or two. Maybe Dinosaur. Flights of wonder and the boneyard will be closed when we are there next week.
Park hours are 9-6:30pm Since we really only need a 1/2 day, which half do you prefer? It seems like the park will be pretty quiet both at the beginning and end of the day.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We typically get to AK close to opening and leave by 1. We then do another park at nighttime.

 

[Pemeberly]

When we went in September, we got at AK by 10;30a/11a and made it back to FQ by 1pm.

 

[magicaldisney]

You'll get much more done at rope drop.

 

[ELSA711]

We go in the fall when the hours are typically short and since AK almost beats MK as my family's fav park we open and close the park multiple times during our visit.

 

[LinderInWonderland]

Another vote for rope drop. I loved it when we did it. That park is absolutely stunning in the morning.

 

[sretav]

We always go all day. More or less Rope Drop to closing. We save Kali until the last hour (5 to 6 or 6 to 7), usually get to ride it 3 or 4 times and then call it a day after we're soaked. That strategy won't work this May though with park hours likely going until at least 9 or 10 pm. I guess a change of clothes will be required and then some fun in the dark.

 

[CAS239]

We always do AK in the morning then head out around noonish. Most of the time AK closes early so it's better to do AK in the morning rather than afternoon. Lines are shorter in the morning than in the afternoon.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We've always preferred RD at AK. With ROL starting before our next trip, our strategy will still include RD, but we will take a mid-day break and then return in the evening. We have given up on park hopping for most of our trips so we wouldn't be going to a different park after AK anyway.

 

[Tara1988]

We do rope drop. The animals are more active before it gets hot.

 

[pens4821]

I haven't gone in the evening, but we liked morning. We rope dropped EMH, then the next day too. First day we walked to Everest, and rode it three times in a row. Then walked to the Safari, then headed to MK. It took us maybe an hour from the time we walked in until we were heading out. The next day we got there maybe 10 minutes after it opened, did Everest, Dino, the ride like dumbo (forget the name), strolled around, had a Starbucks, then the Safari. At that point, the Safari was about a 40 minute wait though. It took us a couple hours to do it that day, but we weren't really moving too fast as we were just taking it easy.

 

[mindeola]

Rope Drop- cooler temps, more active animals, park is so pretty in the morning. We generally stay till close as well.

 

[nilla]

In recent years, we've been gone by 3:00.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

We have arrived at RD and arrived for a late day at AK. I think the KS is best first thing in the morning when all the animals are out. On our last trip we were forced to start our AK day late getting there around 2:30 and we had a great time, experienced every thing on our list, ending the day with the last FOTLK show. I'm thinking about an afternoon arrival for our next trip and working in ROL. its usually true EE will have 10 minute wait in the last hour of AK hours.

 

[JimmyV]

I've never found an advantage to arriving late. We go from opening until around 4:00.

 

[mrzrich]

Voice of dissent here. AK (Pre ROL) is a great park to arrive after 2. Especially when the park is open until 7 or later. See all the people above who say they leave by noon, one, three? Yup, they are gone and I am walking on EE, Kali and KS.

ROL and the nighttime activities will put a damper on this.

I remember when AK had Evening EMH. It was awesome to ride EE and Kali in the dark. Even Cheesy Dinoland is cool at night. All those round lightbulbs light up, it really does feel like a carnival (for better or worse)

 

[J. Iminy]

We went last trip with a 4yo and 2yo. On our AK day, we arrived late around 10am and then were gone by 330. There was only so much to do with the little ones. My vote would be morning with a separate plan for the evening. We almost always do Disney Springs for dinner the night we do AK. I don't like losing the time. I fear that if we didn't "plan" to go until 1 or 2, then we wouldn't do anything in the morning.

 

[mrzrich]

Let me be clear, when I do AK in the late afternoon It comes after a DHS rope drop, or a morning by the pool or at DS.

 

[tinkerbella16]

It all depends on when it closes. When we went in November, AK closed at 7pm, which was nice for a change. We had a 4:30 dinner adr at Yak & Yeti and had a couple of hours to explore and enjoy the rides with no lines. We arrived to the park in the afternoon. We never really get to do AK at night, with it closing at 5pm so often.. So we wanted to take advantage of being there when it was dark. Loved it!

This year we will probably do the morning and head back to the resort to swim/rest. And then head back later for the ROL show.

 

[DisDadDVC]

Everyone does AK in the AM. The park is nearly empty near close. Great time to go for no lines.