Animal Kingdom morning or evening?

[maryj11]

Trying to decide on if we should go in the morning or evening to Animal Kingdom. Do crowds drop off in the evening or is morning still best? We are going in the summer, so I’m hoping they will be open at least until dark. We can only go half a day. I know resort guest get in half hour early and crowds will be lower then. Then again I hate to miss the tree of life and Pandora lite up if they are open at night.

 

[holden]

Of all the parks, AK usually closes earliest. I'm hoping they are open later in summer too!

If it is open after dark, I'd go later. Pandora is awesome at night.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Trying to decide on if we should go in the morning or evening to Animal Kingdom. Do crowds drop off in the evening or is morning still best? We are going in the summer, so I’m hoping they will be open at least until dark. We can only go half a day. I know resort guest get in half hour early and crowds will be lower then. Then again I hate to miss the tree of life and Pandora lite up if they are open at night.

Although it has been announced that at some point Disney resort guests will be allowed to enter the parks 30 mins early, this has not started nor has an official start date been announced.

Currently all parks are opening about 45 mins before official opening time for all guests, both onsite and offsite.

 

[WDWOswald]

The only reason to avoid animal kingdom in the evening would be the UP bird show is only during the day and the last safari is usually before 5 pm.

 

[gharter]

Agree that Pandora is really nice at night.
We try and get to AK before RD as the crowds tend to build quickly. If they are open late, the park is still very nice at night.

 

[maryj11]

I wonder if it is worth hurrying to FOP at rope drop. I hate to be in the hoards of people heading in.

 

[gharter]

I wonder if it is worth hurrying to FOP at rope drop. I hate to be in the hoards of people heading in.

For fun, just looked at wait times, at 4 pm on a Saturday, during Spring Break and FoP wait time was 40 minutes and Navi was 30 minutes.
Could be worth heading the other direction to Dinosaur and Everest at RD and do them several times.

 

[Devil13]

Later is always better

 

[Nabas]

Kilimanjaro Safaris typically stops running before dark.

I suggest Kilimanjaro Safaris is the #1 reason to go to Disney's Animal Kingdom.

 

[maryj11]

Kilimanjaro Safaris typically stops running before dark.

I suggest Kilimanjaro Safaris is the #1 reason to go to Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Yes it is one of my favorites!

 

[Skippyboo]

In the summer it not getting dark until after 9 pm or so. AK is basically the least popular park right now and is the one closing before the other parks. Right now at peak Spring Break time it’s only open to 8pm. So don’t count on it being open when it’s dark.

 

[maryj11]

In the summer it not getting dark until after 9 pm or so. AK is basically the least popular park right now and is the one closing before the other parks. Right now at peak Spring Break time it’s only open to 8pm. So don’t count on it being open when it’s dark.

I think I looked it up a month or so ago and around 8:30 is sunset. So yeah if they are going to light up the tree of life and Pandora they would have to stay open later.

 

[MarkS2112]

AK at night for Pandora.

 

[Shughart]

Pandora at night is actually on my wishlist for our next trip, and we didn't even go to AK on our last trip, so I would agree with Pandora at night for the lights.

 

[Bullseye]

Aren't they only open until 5pm? As it stands right now, you go in the morning and plan on do something else at night.

 

[Nabas]

Aren't they only open until 5pm? As it stands right now, you go in the morning and plan on do something else at night.

For Spring Break, Disney has been extending hours and keeping the Animal Kingdom open to 8 PM. They might very well go back to 5 PM once Spring Break is over.

 

[Meglen]

For Spring Break, Disney has been extending hours and keeping the Animal Kingdom open to 8 PM. They might very well go back to 5 PM once Spring Break is over.

Not all places do spring break at the same time. My son's is not till next week.

 

[mamaofsix]

Night 100%. I think by summer the hours will for sure be extended into the evenings again. If you are going in after lunch, you can still fit in the attractions that close at dark. Lately, wait times for almost everything have been shorter in the afternoon/evening than the morning - which is definitely a departure from how things used to be.

Pandora at night, Tree of Life Awakenings, cooler temperatures... Night all the way!

 

[Nabas]

Not all places do spring break at the same time. My son's is not till next week.

The Animal Kingdom has been open from 8 AM to 8 PM, and currently is scheduled to continue these hours until April 17.

This 7-week period pretty much covers everyone's spring break.

 

[loves to dive]

Depends on if you want to do the safari and walk the trails. The animals on the safari are usually more active early in the day because of the heat. Unless it's raining then they are out as well. They close the trails earlier than the close the park as well.

If you are only interested in riding rides and seeing the Tree of Life and Pandora, the afternoon/evening would be your best bet. If you are wanting to make your park reservations now for then, you only have the posted hours to go by and risk that they will or won't change them by summer.