AK safari - 30 mins makes a huge difference!

[Mollygirl21]

We arrived at AK at park opening last Sunday and after renting a stroller, headed straight to the Safari. We had a 9am FP but the standby was only 10 mins so we decided to ride standby and then ride a second time with our FP.

Our first ride was at about 9:15 and we saw so many animals - even the cheetah! The hippos were laying out, the giraffes were in the open, the wild dogs were moving about, just lots and lots of animals around. Then when we finished, we went right back on and rode at about 10am - what a difference. We hardly saw any animals; the giraffes were up in the trees, the cheetah was gone, the warthogs looked like rocks, the wild dogs were napping.

The only thing better about the second ride was that we got to see the new baby elephant, Stella. She wasn't out the first ride through.

So happy we did both rides but highly recommend getting there first thing!

 

[Parker Clan]

I'm always trying to catch a glimpse of a cheetah! I saw it maybe once in six years lol

 

[Mollygirl21]

I'm always trying to catch a glimpse of a cheetah! I saw it maybe once in six years lol

It was awesome- he (she?) jumped up on a rock and found a comfy spot to lay pretty close to us!

 

[Robo]

So happy we did both rides but highly recommend getting there first thing!

Sounds like you had some great experiences!

So many of us here have ridden so many times... at different times of year, under different temperature and weather conditions, at all times of day...
there is not just one "best time to ride."

 

[bobbiwoz]

We did see the cheetah in January.

You scored with your Stella sighting!!

 

[CAS239]

Yea sometimes they don't have all the animatronics working constantly.

I'm still waiting for Little Red to be put back out

 

[cassie58]

We also like to do it first thing, but have also found the end of the day can be good(4-4:30, prior to evening being added) . That is when we saw the male lion pacing and roaring!! DD still talks about it, and I had just started using my new DSLR camera, and was hoping I was getting it! Great pics luckily, and that was our fourth ride that day. My advice to people is always try to ride more than once, cause each ride is different, and you never know what you will see!

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I agree with OP. I will also say riding towards sunset/evening is great! The animals were very active when I went at that time, and it is the only time I have ever heard the female lions roaring! It was definitely an experience.

 

[DizptchrAJ]

Last week we rode once in the evening just before it changed to a "sunset safari" and then immediately after at sunset. What a difference. They had to stop the ride vehicle on the savanna bc the giraffes started running around, which triggered the wildebeest , which triggered the cattle and so on. it was amazing

 

[Klayfish]

We arrived at AK at park opening last Sunday and after renting a stroller, headed straight to the Safari. We had a 9am FP but the standby was only 10 mins so we decided to ride standby and then ride a second time with our FP.

Our first ride was at about 9:15 and we saw so many animals - even the cheetah! The hippos were laying out, the giraffes were in the open, the wild dogs were moving about, just lots and lots of animals around. Then when we finished, we went right back on and rode at about 10am - what a difference. We hardly saw any animals; the giraffes were up in the trees, the cheetah was gone, the warthogs looked like rocks, the wild dogs were napping.

The only thing better about the second ride was that we got to see the new baby elephant, Stella. She wasn't out the first ride through.

So happy we did both rides but highly recommend getting there first thing!

Really glad you got to see so many animals, that's fantastic!! However, it was random luck. Getting there first thing doesn't guarantee anything. It's not like the animals are union, and at 10am they look at their watch and say "Time for our hourly coffee break". Anytime is the "right" time to ride the safari.

 

[ejdmomma]

We have a family membership to our local zoo and go many times throughout the year. What we have experienced is that the first thing in the morning, the animals are usually out and about. BUT this may not be the case in the summer if it's already 90 degrees at 9am. The other time that we have found them to be fairly active is the end of the day. Talking to the zoo workers, it's close to dinner time and the animals know it. Plus after dinner, many of the animals go into their nighttime enclosures.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I love the Safari and as I think about it I realize that we've never ridden it more than once in a day. I think that we will have to try that.

On a whim we decided to go to our local zoo on a day in November. It was chilly, but not cold and the sun was out. We had the best time we've ever had at the zoo. The tigers, the cheetah, and the lions were all very active and all were growling, pacing, and making noise. DH thought it may be mating season or something. I had never heard a lion roar in real life before and it really is an incredible thing to hear-he was definitely the King of the zoo. It was almost like he was showing off.

 

[cigar95]

Last week we rode once in the evening just before it changed to a "sunset safari" and then immediately after at sunset. What a difference. They had to stop the ride vehicle on the savanna bc the giraffes started running around, which triggered the wildebeest , which triggered the cattle and so on. it was amazing

Ditto, I had the same experience - this had never happened to us during a daytime safari before. WE didn't see *as many* animals, but we saw far more activity than ever before, both on the savanna and with the lions. (And my scimitar-horned oryx were still out - love those dudes.)
Plus, riding just at dusk, when you pass the area with the "perpetual twilight", or whatever it's called, so many riders think they're seeing a really good sunset through the trees.

 

[emmabelle]

He was not only standing he was actually roaring too! This was in November, in all the times I've ridden it, it was the first time he wasn't asleep. hahaha

 

[amcnj]

Last week we rode once in the evening just before it changed to a "sunset safari" and then immediately after at sunset. What a difference. They had to stop the ride vehicle on the savanna bc the giraffes started running around, which triggered the wildebeest , which triggered the cattle and so on. it was amazing

I am probably being a little thick here, but was the ride in the evening just before sunset safari the one with more activity than the one immediately after at sunset? Or were both pretty much the same being so close together in time?

 

[alex9179]

The safari is changeable, that's for sure. Morning and evening are best for the cats, in my limited experience on the ride. This is true for my cat, at home, though!

We went on one safari ride right before park close and it was underwhelming in the beginning. Except for the lions being up and around, the bunny sighting was as exciting as it got until the end. No elephants, rhinos, giraffes but the addax were INSANE! Fighting each other (play), racing around the vehicle, leaping in the air! Our driver was freaking out - hahaha! It's our most memorable ride, with the least amount of animal sightings.

 

[Larry D]

We're going the last week of March and can't wait !! Our granddaughter is going to have such a great time. She is four and still believes that it's all real. The perfect age in my opinion. The Safari is highly anticipated and we're going first thing in the morning. Hope we have an experience as nice as yours.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

In our experience riding the Safari first thing in the morning and toward park close has the best experiences with seeing the animals. They aren't very active in the middle of the day, especially during the warmer months. They are often in the shade, at their back of their sections. They are also much more active in the rain.

 

[katethegreat24]

Coming from a former cast member who drove around the safari multiple times a day for months....

First thing in the morning (as long as it's not hot) and right around sunset will usually give you the best shows. The hotter it is, the quieter the safari is because the animals hang out in the shade trying to stay cool. Just remember they are real live animals (some with strong personalities!!) so nothing is guaranteed. Don't get discouraged if you don't see a lot... as a previous poster said, sometimes it just takes one animal to make it the best safari ever!

I always recommend scheduling the safari in at least twice if you can. It will be a different experience every time, both because of the animals and the safari guide.

(And if anyone finds Little Red, please share!! Miss that guy...)

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Yea I've always had my best safaris first thing at park open. No line and animals are active. It seems the animals go into hiding once the people start to crowd in and I can hardly blame them.