Animal kingdom best kept secrets

[ChristineL38]

Hi! I went to Animal Kingdom years ago, but my husband and I want to go sometime soon. What are the new best kept secrets or top recommendations!?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Hi! I went to Animal Kingdom years ago, but my husband and I want to go sometime soon. What are the new best kept secrets or top recommendations!?

Enjoy at least part of it after dark, especially Pandora - amazing. We love to get a dining reservation at Tiffins about 90 minutes before closing. As dinner ends, we head to the right from Tiffins into Pandora to walk around until official closing. So maybe that's 2 recommendations - dinner and a 'show'!

 

[ChristineL38]

Ooh that's a great suggestion! Thank you!

 

[Miffy]

If you want to ride FoP (or ride it again), get in line just before park closing. Whatever the posted wait time is, the actual wait is much less.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Ooh that's a great suggestion! Thank you!

Don’t get your hopes up on that one. The park often closes before dark now.

 

[ChristineL38]

Thank you!!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Enter at rope drop and head back to Kilimanjaro Safari first thing. The animals are more active early in the morning, it is cooler and you won't have to wait so long in line. Plan on doing Festival of The Lion King in the morning as well. It is a half day park for us.

Flame Tree BBQ (QS) is pretty good though the salad with chicken hasn't been great lately so be forewarned (greasy leftovers IMO).

Enjoy!

 

[Tatebeck]

If you want to ride FoP (or ride it again), get in line just before park closing. Whatever the posted wait time is, the actual wait is much less.

Learned the hard way that that's not always true! We tried doing that on our last trip. Wait said 2 hours, ended up being 2.5 hours and we were late to our Boma dinner reservation. Just hop in line, but if the lines stop outside before getting deep into the caves, you will still be in for a wait! On the bright side we got to see it after dark after all lol

 

[The Hendies]

Take the walking tours! Gorilla Falls, near Kilimanjaro Safari and Maharajah Jungle Trek near Kali River Rapids. We enjoy both!

 

[Miffy]

Learned the hard way that that's not always true! We tried doing that on our last trip. Wait said 2 hours, ended up being 2.5 hours and we were late to our Boma dinner reservation. Just hop in line, but if the lines stop outside before getting deep into the caves, you will still be in for a wait! On the bright side we got to see it after dark after all lol

Oh no! This has always worked for me, although once I waited nearly 60 minutes and the posted wait was about 60 as well. Still better than your 2.5 hours! Ack!

 

[Tatebeck]

Oh no! This has always worked for me, although once I waited nearly 60 minutes and the posted wait was about 60 as well. Still better than your 2.5 hours! Ack!

Yeah something extra must have been going on as well, there was a double back where we didn't move for at least 15 minutes at one point

 

[Miffy]

Enter at rope drop and head back to Kilimanjaro Safari first thing. The animals are more active early in the morning, it is cooler and you won't have to wait so long in line. Plan on doing Festival of The Lion King in the morning as well. It is a half day park for us.

Flame Tree BBQ (QS) is pretty good though the salad with chicken hasn't been great lately so be forewarned (greasy leftovers IMO).

Enjoy!

Is KS open at EE now? When we were there in May, it wasn't.

 

[Tatebeck]

We always get their breakfast tots (best tots in WDW!) and coconut iced coffee from Kusafiri over in Africa before you get to the safari. Best quick breakfast combo anywhere! I just wish they were from the same stand but they are basically right next to each other at least

 

[ChristineL38]

Great tips, thank you!

 

[kes601]

Enjoy at least part of it after dark, especially Pandora - amazing.

Unfortunately that is impossible a good part of the year since they typically close AK at 6 or 7, on a rare occasion 8:00. But, I agree it is great to see.

 

[DJFan88]

Also the Yak and Yeti QS has really great breakfast bowls. Get a couple RD rides under your belt and then get one!!

Do not neglect the train ride over to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. While your there, time it to be able to do an Art of Animation experience.

Ride Dinosaur. See the shows. Explore the animal trails. Ride Kali when you get hot. Study the tree of life. Altough many book through this park. If you immerse yourself and see all that is at this park, you will be there awhile. But, i like that kind of stuff. Keep an eye on the show times if you plan on hitting them.

Get a dessert over in the back of Africa at Zuri’s sweetshop.

 

[ford family]

We did a DVC Moonlight Magic at AK earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed wandering around the park in the dark and experiencing the lights.

ford family

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Unfortunately that is impossible a good part of the year since they typically close AK at 6 or 7, on a rare occasion 8:00. But, I agree it is great to see.

Yea, the suggestion was based on our experiences, which are always during the shorter daylight and Eastern Standard time. I can see the issue during the longer daylight hours some parts of the year. Didn't take that into account.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Is KS open at EE now? When we were there in May, it wasn't.

No. KS does not open until the park officially opens to all guests.

 

[disneyseniors]

I recommend Yak and Yeti for a nice sit down dinner. We always eat there twice while at Disney