All day at AK + ROL questions+ breakfast

[rentayenta]

AK is DH's favorite WDW park; is there enough to do to stay aaaaallllll day? Like 13 hours all day...we haven't been in 6 years.........I have some questions:

What attractions are open during morning EMH? And how does that work with FP+. Last time we went to WDW FP+ was only a rumor.

If the schedule says ROL is at 9:15 pm but the ROL dining package says its for the 1st ROL, what am I missing? Is there more than one ROL a night?

Thoughts on dinner: Tiffin's ROL package or go back to AKV and eat at Sanaa or Jiko then head back for ROL and Pandora at night? Is Tusker House only a buffet? If there is just one ROL and we don't do the dining package, how early should we arrive for seats? Are there seats or is it like sitting on the ground when at Disneyland during Fantasmic? Is ROL worth the trouble?

We do like to have a drink or two and the Nomad Lounge is on our list. Any other cool watering holes?


ETA: where to have breakfast in AK?



I know we want to see Pandora at night.

 

[Robo]

AK is DH's favorite WDW park; is there enough to do to stay aaaaallllll day? Like 13 hours all day...we haven't been in 6 years.........I have some questions:

1. What attractions are open during morning EMH?
2. And how does that work with FP+.

3. If the schedule says ROL is at 9:15 pm but the ROL dining package says its for the 1st ROL, what am I missing?
4. Is there more than one ROL a night?

Thoughts on dinner:
5. Tiffin's ROL package or go back to AKV and eat at Sanaa or Jiko then head back for ROL and Pandora at night?
6. Is Tusker House only a buffet?
If there is just one ROL and we don't do the dining package,
7. how early should we arrive for seats?
8. Are there seats
9. or is it like sitting on the ground when at Disneyland during Fantasmic?
10. Is ROL worth the trouble?

1. From HERE.
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park — Mornings
The following attractions are open during morning Extra Magic Hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park:

• Avatar Flight of Passage
• DINOSAUR
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail (subject to availability)
• Kilimanjaro Safaris (subject to availability)
• Na'vi River Journey
• Primeval Whirl
• TriceraTop Spin

2. FP+ only starts after AM EMH ends.
3. & 4. There CAN be. You'll see the show times for any multiple shows before your trip.
5. Food tastes are very personal. Only you can decide what you'd like.
6. Yes.
7. 45 min. or earlier. (Depends on the DAK crowd level that day.)
8. Benches in two theater seating areas.
9. No.
10. Another unanswerable question, based on individual taste.

 

[rentayenta]

2. FP+ only starts after AM EMH ends.

Thanks! Do you know what is open during that extra morning hour? What would be the smartest thing to do? Clearly we will have aaaallllll day but I still want to be smart with our time.

 

[Robo]

Thanks! Do you know what is open during that extra morning hour? What would be the smartest thing to do? Clearly we will have aaaallllll day but I still want to be smart with our time.

See my first post.

 

[rentayenta]

See my first post.

Funny it didn't show up until now. Thank you! I just found your maps thread and didn't realize that AK and AKV are only a mile a part so going back to the resort to eat won't add on a ton of time....

 

[Robo]

Thank you! I just found your maps thread and didn't realize that AK and AKV are only a mile a part so going back to the resort to eat won't add on a ton of time....

Yup.
Have fun!

 

[rentayenta]

Yup.
Have fun!

I am going to keep bothering you ......I am a rookie, clearly, but it seems like a good idea to spend that hour waiting for Flight of Passage? No? I guess I should wait to see what FPs we get.




Planning all this is blowing my mind but DH's we'll-figure-it-out-when-we-get-there attitude won't work in this case.

 

[Robo]

is there enough to do to stay aaaaallllll day? Like 13 hours all day...

I am a rookie, clearly, but it seems like a good idea to spend that hour waiting for Flight of Passage? No?

First you worry that you will have too MUCH time, then you worry that you won't have ENOUGH time.

Stop worrying.
Enjoy!

I guess I should wait to see what FPs we get.

Yes. This.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

I think you will have plenty of time to take things leisurely and not worry so much, if you are spending the whole day there. Try for early FPs, because if you can get them, 4th, 5th and even 6th are not that hard to get other than the Avatarland rides. If you enjoy just looking at the animals on all the trails and doing the shows/entertainment, you can have a great and relaxing day. Just try your best to get that FoP FP+ or things will get much more complicated. If you don't get it, I would definitely be at EMH EARLY and get there first thing. After that, you should have a great day. I too LOVE AK best!!!

 

[rentayenta]

First you worry that you will have too MUCH time, then you worry that you won't have ENOUGH time.

Stop worrying.
Enjoy!



Yes. This.

Silly I know in the whole scheme of life.

I think you will have plenty of time to take things leisurely and not worry so much, if you are spending the whole day there. Try for early FPs, because if you can get them, 4th, 5th and even 6th are not that hard to get other than the Avatarland rides. If you enjoy just looking at the animals on all the trails and doing the shows/entertainment, you can have a great and relaxing day. Just try your best to get that FoP FP+ or things will get much more complicated. If you don't get it, I would definitely be at EMH EARLY and get there first thing. After that, you should have a great day. I too LOVE AK best!!!

Thank you! That FoP FP and FP+ has me worked up. I have been trying to mess around with FP+. I like the advice to secure this FP and then take the rest of the day as it comes. I also want to see Festival of the Lion King; we haven't seen it and I've read its wonderful.

Arrive how early for an 8 am EMH to do Flight of Passage?

 

[Gehrig1B]

For an 8:00 am EMH arrive no later than 7:00 am but worry about that after you see what FP you get.

Dining at AK for us - Tusker House for brunch. We like to have a little breakfast at the hotel (OJ, coffee, bagel, cereal, etc.) then get a 10:30 reservation as both breakfast and then lunch items will appear on the buffet. Mobile order at Sa'tuli Canteen later in the day. Yak and Yeti for dinner or Tiffins might work.

 

[OB1]

Plenty to do at AK, especially now that Pandora is open. Best show on property in the Lion King, and Nemo is mighty good also.

Probably the best counter service food, and some good table service also. We like Jiko's the best of any place to eat, but like Robo said, it is opinions. Tusker House is buffet, like a Boma Lite.

Your best bars are Nomad, which has a super area to chill, and Dawa Bar in Africa. It will be much louder than Nomad's.

Remember, this is an exploration park. Take a little time to watch animals, not just run to each attraction. The animals are an attraction. We have seen so many neat things just by stopping and watching a little.

 

[MorpethMiss]

There is so much to do at AK, we stay from park open to close and still don't do it all in one day.
Do you only have one day to spend there? Planning everything within a day can be overwhelming, for sure, and makes those FPs even more important to get. If you have a day and a half, or 2 days to spread it over, might that relieve a bit of the stress? Just a thought.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Festival of the Lion King is amazing. It will never get old to us. Nemo was okay, but more of an if time permits show for our family.

 

[rentayenta]

For an 8:00 am EMH arrive no later than 7:00 am but worry about that after you see what FP you get.

Dining at AK for us - Tusker House for brunch. We like to have a little breakfast at the hotel (OJ, coffee, bagel, cereal, etc.) then get a 10:30 reservation as both breakfast and then lunch items will appear on the buffet. Mobile order at Sa'tuli Canteen later in the day. Yak and Yeti for dinner or Tiffins might work.

Ok! What other FP would you try to get?

That’s exactly what we are going to do at Tusker House. I grabbed a 10:35 am reservation to get both breakfast and lunch items. I figure we’ll have coffee in the villa, leave AKV, 6:45-7:15 am (depending on what the FP situation looks like) and be good and hungry by the time Tusker House rolls around. For dinner I am looking at Nomad Lounge. We typically share and the menu looks good. We are suckers for a good drink, Charcuterie, and bread service.

Plenty to do at AK, especially now that Pandora is open. Best show on property in the Lion King, and Nemo is mighty good also.

Probably the best counter service food, and some good table service also. We like Jiko's the best of any place to eat, but like Robo said, it is opinions. Tusker House is buffet, like a Boma Lite.

Your best bars are Nomad, which has a super area to chill, and Dawa Bar in Africa. It will be much louder than Nomad's.

Remember, this is an exploration park. Take a little time to watch animals, not just run to each attraction. The animals are an attraction. We have seen so many neat things just by stopping and watching a little.

Thank you! Your description is part of the reason DH loves this park; very different from the others especially in terms of taking it all in. I hadn’t heard of Dawa Bar in Africa, I’ll check it out.

We will be dining at Jiko the evening before. We haven’t tried it yet. Loved Sanaa and Boma. If DH ditches Jiko for Sanaa I won’t be shocked.

Lion King does FP; is that one of the ones we should try for on the 60 days mark or is something to get when we arrive?

There is so much to do at AK, we stay from park open to close and still don't do it all in one day.
Do you only have one day to spend there? Planning everything within a day can be overwhelming, for sure, and makes those FPs even more important to get. If you have a day and a half, or 2 days to spread it over, might that relieve a bit of the stress? Just a thought.

We arrive on a Sunday after a red-eye that Saturday night. Our plans for Sunday include brunch at California Grill, pool time at Kidani, then Jiko for dinner. We’ll have 4 full days after that and then our flight leaves at 6 pm on the 6th day. My plan was a full day at each park with only one morning EMH at AK. I think we won’t rope drop much. We have great dinners planned which usually mean lots of wine as well. I’m unsure that DH will have access to DHS at all which will give us an extra full day; he’s a CM at the GCH at the Disneyland Resort. Hopefully the blockout days will post soon. My AP doesn’t have any limitations.

Festival of the Lion King is amazing. It will never get old to us. Nemo was okay, but more of an if time permits show for our family.

I can’t wait to see it! Any advice on where to sit, how early to arrive, are FP needed?

 

[Robo]

Lion King does FP; is that one of the ones we should try for on the 60 days mark or is something to get when we arrive...

how early to arrive, are FP needed?

FP is not needed.
Arrive 30-40 min. before show time.

Sit anywhere.
Your view will not be blocked as they wheel in elevated stages when the actual show begins.

 

[Robo]

What other FP would you try to get?

DAK PRIORITY FP+
From FP Sticky Post (HERE.)

FastPass+ Attraction List With Suggested Priorities

ANIMAL KINGDOM (13 Attractions) Tiering

Tier 1/Group 1 (select no more than one)
A - Avatar Flight of Passage
A - Na'vi River Journey

Tier 2/Group 2 (select up to three)
A - Expedition Everest (Single Rider also available)
A - Kali River Rapids
A - Kilimanjaro Safaris
A - Rivers Of Light (Reserved Area)
B - DINOSAUR
B - Festival of the Lion King (Separate Access)
B - Finding Nemo (Separate Access)
B - Primeval Whirl
C - It's Tough to be a Bug
C - Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
C - UP! A Great Bird Adventure

 

[kaybird]

I wouldn't leave AK to eat, it is the best park for food options, including my favorite TS, Yak & Yeti, the spectacular Tifffins, Rain Forest, plus over the top delicious QS; Satuli, Harambe market, Flame tree, Restaurantasaurus, Pizzafari, Y&Y, and a host of kiosks with everything from chili shrimp Mac n cheese to ice cream and eggrolls. We can not only spend a whole day, but several, plan on the safari both day and night, don't miss the live shows, and be sure and hit the trails!!!

 

[rentayenta]

FP is not needed.
Arrive 30-40 min. before show time.

Sit anywhere.
Your view will not be blocked as they wheel in elevated stages when the actual show begins.

Thank you again.

DAK PRIORITY FP+
From FP Sticky Post (HERE.)

FastPass+ Attraction List With Suggested Priorities

ANIMAL KINGDOM (13 Attractions) Tiering

Tier 1/Group 1 (select no more than one)
A - Avatar Flight of Passage
A - Na'vi River Journey

Tier 2/Group 2 (select up to three)
A - Expedition Everest (Single Rider also available)
A - Kali River Rapids
A - Kilimanjaro Safaris
A - Rivers Of Light (Reserved Area)
B - DINOSAUR
B - Festival of the Lion King (Separate Access)
B - Finding Nemo (Separate Access)
B - Primeval Whirl
C - It's Tough to be a Bug
C - Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
C - UP! A Great Bird Adventure

I have been pouring though your posts. There is so much information. Thank you for taking the time to insert what I need here.

I wouldn't leave AK to eat, it is the best park for food options, including my favorite TS, Yak & Yeti, the spectacular Tifffins, Rain Forest, plus over the top delicious QS; Satuli, Harambe market, Flame tree, Restaurantasaurus, Pizzafari, Y&Y, and a host of kiosks with everything from chili shrimp Mac n cheese to ice cream and eggrolls. We can not only spend a whole day, but several, plan on the safari both day and night, don't miss the live shows, and be sure and hit the trails!!!

We have decided not to leave for dinner. I think we tried the Yak and Yeti counter service years ago but not the table service. I will check out the menu. I am looking forward to trying Nomad Lounger and Tusker House. Thank you!!

 

[cgattis]

And most importantly, don't forget....you can get a Dole whip WITH RUM in AK Grab one and sit and watch Burudika Band (African drummers) in front of Dawa Bar. Excellent use of 30 minutes of your 13 hours. I *heart* AK--second only to MK for me.