Animal Kingdom Evening EMH

[madge]

We've not done the evening EMH at the Animal Kingdom, but are thinking seriously about it for this trip. How are the crowds, especially since the opening of Expedition Everest? I've read what attractions are open... has anyone been lately (this week?) that can tell me if the safari is open after 5:00, now that it gets dark sooner? Any advice would be helpful - I'm looking for an evening park for this Friday (October 6 ) and I'm hoping that with a Not So Scary Halloween Party at the MK, and the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot, the Animal Kingdom EMH might be a good choice to avoid the crowds.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Although I wasn't there this week, I was there on the 9/20. And that was my fourth AK EMH evening. When we went in May, DH waited about 15-so minutes in the stand-by line at 6:15pm. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you what the wait times were like on the 20th. After riding it in May and going whippy-whirly, I didn't even go near it last week! I went on KS though-it closes at sunset, which I think was about 6:30-7:00. I went on it right at 5:00. There were very few people in the entire park.

 

[elgerber]

Bumping, I am interested in more answers to this question also.

 

[Punkin's Mom]

Bump - I want to know for December. It's very important to my touring plans.

 

[Robo]

We've not done the evening EMH at the Animal Kingdom, but are thinking seriously about it for this trip. How are the crowds, especially since the opening of Expedition Everest? I've read what attractions are open... has anyone been lately (this week?) that can tell me if the safari is open after 5:00, now that it gets dark sooner? Any advice would be helpful - I'm looking for an evening park for this Friday (October 6 ) and I'm hoping that with a Not So Scary Halloween Party at the MK, and the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot, the Animal Kingdom EMH might be a good choice to avoid the crowds.

There are NO LIGHTS in the Safari area, so they must close at dusk.

Remember that NOBODY can tell you what WILL happen with ATTENDANCE on any given date, any more than they can predict the WEATHER (which WILL affect the attendance much more than EMH.)

EMH is FREE.
I go.
If I need to, I can always go elsewhere.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Who cares about the crowds!! You get to be in the AK after dark!

LOL, just teasing, but seriously - AK EMH is the bomb. The AK is absolutely beautiful at night. And by the end the lines do reduce somewhat; remember, you can get in line until the last minute, so as long as you are at E:E and walking into line by 7:59PM you can still ride, even if you are in line for 15-20 minutes. They close the line at 8PM, not the ride.

Don't miss out on the beauty of the AK after dark. It's amazing. Best idea is to pick another day as your "hardcore" AK day to do all the attractions, and just come for EMH. Get a few rides in, but you could easily spend three hours just walking around and seeing how different the park looks at night. It's really a shame it's not open later regularly, as the AK is probably the prettiest of the parks at night (yes, even more than the MK or World Showcase!).

NED

 

[bleeps]

Thanks, NED -- that's why I've always wanted to see AK at night; not for the rides, but in order to see everything lit up. If you are observant during the day, you'll realize how many places have amazing looking lights/lamps that you don't normally get to see utilized.

Bonk me on the head for a silly question -- all evening mh's extend the park's time by 3 hours -- is that right? I'm trying to figure out if we'll have time, this trip, to check out AK at night....

 

[Simba's Mom]

Bump - I want to know for December. It's very important to my touring plans.

December is one of the times I did EMH evening at AK. Last December, EE wasn't ready yet, so I don't know about that. KS closed at sunset, I believe their last Safari left at 4:30 or 4:45. However, I've gotta agree with how beautiful AK is when it's dark. I rode TS 3 times in a row without getting off, just because it afforded such a beautiful view of the Tree of Life. And I got to visit with Pooh and Eeyore with no wait.

 

[madge]

Don't miss out on the beauty of the AK after dark. It's amazing. Best idea is to pick another day as your "hardcore" AK day to do all the attractions, and just come for EMH. Get a few rides in, but you could easily spend three hours just walking around and seeing how different the park looks at night. It's really a shame it's not open later regularly, as the AK is probably the prettiest of the parks at night (yes, even more than the MK or World Showcase!).

that's exactly what I was thinking - making it time well spent on a Friday evening

 

[Punkin's Mom]

December is one of the times I did EMH evening at AK. Last December, EE wasn't ready yet, so I don't know about that. KS closed at sunset, I believe their last Safari left at 4:30 or 4:45. However, I've gotta agree with how beautiful AK is when it's dark. I rode TS 3 times in a row without getting off, just because it afforded such a beautiful view of the Tree of Life. And I got to visit with Pooh and Eeyore with no wait.

That sounds really cool. I'm counting on the fact that most everyone will be at MK the night we'll be at AK because it's the only night MK has Spectro all week. I really do want to ride EE and the safari, see the parade and Lion King and maybe ride Dinosaur too. I have no idea about the Nemo show yet. It seems logical that we could do that in 7 hours.