AK Planning for Oct.

[LISA STETLER]

Can anyone help me plan a day at AK? We will arrive for the extra am hr and would like to get it all in before we have to leave for the MGM parade which starts at 3. Plan on grabbing breakfast before hand and a quick lunch in AK.
We do not want to do the Kali River Rapids, Primeval Whirl, Tricera Top Spin, EE since we do not do roller coasters or quick rides. We do not have children so that would knock some things off the list as well. I am unsure how much time we should allow for each attraction, show and walking. Has anyone went to Rafiki's Planet recently? Is this worth going to and if so how much time should we allow?
We plan on spending the evening at MGM and hope to get most of our must sees in then and what we miss we hope to make it up later in the week.

 

[Olallamom]

I would do the safari first, it's tough to be a bug, flights of wonder, lion king show.
In regards to Rafiki's, my Dh and I didn't enjoy it last Oct. I don't know if it was our timing or what?
You will have no problem doing AK by lunch if you aren't going to be doing some of the more major rides that are there. Those rides are what takes up the day.

 

[clonetothebone]

I agree with Olallamom about the attractions you should see.

As for Rafiki's we enjoyed it and it is a nice quiet walk to Conservation Station once you get off the train. If you are interested in small, behind the scenes info about animals and how they are cared for then I would try it. When we were there in June they were getting ready to draw blood on a turtle but we had FP for KS and didn't stick around to see it. If you have little or no interest in this sort of thing then I would skip it. There really isn't much to see there IMHO if they aren't doing a demonstration of some sort. We have kids so they love looking at even the most minor attractions as long as an animal is there.

I'm not sure what time of year you are going but based on what you said you wanted and did not want to do this is how I would tour using the show times listed for the current week:

1. Kilimanjaro Safari
2. Its Tough to Be A Bug
3. Discovery Island Trails(good view of all the wonderful carvings on the Tree of Life)
4. 09:40 am Festival of the Lion King
5. 10:20 am Pochaontas and Her Forest Friends(kids show but DW and I (both in our early 40's)enjoyed it
6. 11:30 am Flights of Wonder Show
7. Maharajah Jungle Trek
8. Lunch at Tusker House
9. Pangani Forest Exploration Trail


If Finding Nemo-The Musical is open in Dinoland when you go I would work that in too but don't know show times on this or how it will operate. After lunch if you still had time you could check out Rafiki's if it interests you. Work in character greetings if interested around the shows. You should be able to see all you want and easily make Studios for the parade.

 

[rlovew]

I would follow the above schedule, although you may be able to fit in some of the trails between shows and end a little earlier. My favorite show there is flights of wonder. You should have no trouble getting to MGM in time for the parade if you don't want to do the rides.

 

[LISA STETLER]

Thanks for all the info. We are going the 2nd wk of Oct.