Animal Kingdom strategy, critique please

[DWeav]

Please critique away our Animal Kingdom plan for a Sunday in late august. It is me, my wife and 5 year old girl.

9:00 Rope drop to Pocahontas
9:30 Safari 1st Fastpass
10:30 Flights of Wonder
11:00-11:45 Bugs Life, take a few pictures free time
11:50 Tusker House Lunch with Mickey (Jungle Book reservation)
2:00 Festival of Lion King
2:45 Rapids 2nd Fastpass
4:00 Nemo Musical
5:15 Yak & Yeti Dinner reservation
6:30 Dad fast passing Everest, Mom and daughter fast passing Mickey Outpost
7:00-8:30 Dinosaur Dig Area, pictures, Triceratops ride
9:00 Jungle Book Show

Any spots where I put too much time in an area or not enough? Tried to plan afternoon shows (air conditioning). Also will have a camelback hydrobackpack filled with ice water in the morning. Also planned on getting the frog togg towels. Tried to also plan early arrival for shows for good seats at show.

 

[BrianL]

If you can, squeeze in some time for the Maharajah Jungle Trek and the Gorilla Falls Trail (formerly Pangani Forest) to see some of the animals. I particularly like the Maharajah for the giant bats. Other than that, it's looking very good. Tusker House is always a good call.

 

[piccolopat]

I agree with BrianL. We love the Maharajah Jungle Trek and Gorilla Falls Trail. It is a nice, relaxing stroll and we especially love seeing the bats, tigers, gorillas and meerkats.

 

[JimmyV]

If you can, squeeze in some time for the Maharajah Jungle Trek and the Gorilla Falls Trail (formerly Pangani Forest) to see some of the animals.

Agree. These walking trails should be as high a priority when visiting AK as the Safari Ride, in my opinion.

 

[DWeav]

Thanks guys, I think I will have to switch a few shows too. I thought there was a 2:00 Lion King for our date, but I must have looked at today or something. I'll go with Lion King at 11, move Flights of Wonder to 2:30 and just do rapids after lunch or right after Flights and before Nemo.

 

[ELSA711]

I agree about squeezing in the walking trails if you can and the only other item would be meals. Seem pretty close together IMO
especially with a buffet lunch on a hot August day

 

[mshanson3121]

None of us could have handled a 13 hour day during the heat and crowds of summer, and our 5 year old definitely could not have. So... you might want to consider whether she can handle 13 hours of theme parks. AK is very hot and steamy, and parts of it will feel more crowded than the other parks due to it's size/construction. I'd look at taking an afternoon break, myself.

Also - the "Bugs Life"... I'm assuming you mean the ride "It's Tough to be a Bug"? That is dark, loud and scary. Many on here have reported their children were terrified of it.

Otherwise, it's a decent plan but you haven't allowed any time at all for the trails and seeing the animals, which most children really enjoy. Maharajah and Pangani Trails are amazing. I'd skip the Dinosaur stuff for the trails.

 

[BrianL]

Also, don't forget Rafiki's Planet Watch. That can be fun with a young child. You have to ride the train to access it though so it takes a little time.

 

[DWeav]

Mshanson, I reconfigured 11:00 Lion King, straight to 11:50 Lunch at Tusker House, and Nemo at 2. Is this not suitable enough of a "break"? That's in air conditioning for most of the 11:00-2:45 time period. Then catching Flights of Wonder at 3:30.

Elsa711, you mean you think I should push Yak and Yeti back a little?

 

[DWeav]

I'll certainly try to squeeze in animal trails and train to Rafiki...but we're trying to complete this park in one day. Seems like an awful lot to squeeze in while trying to stay cool.

 

[mshanson3121]

I'd personally do something more like this:

9:00 Rope drop to Pocahontas
Maharajah Jungle Trek (nice to do this one earlier on)
10:30 Flights of Wonder
11:00 Kali FP+
11:50 Tusker House Lunch with Mickey (Jungle Book reservation)

Afernoon break


5:15 Yak & Yeti Dinner reservation
6:30 Dad fast passing Everest, Mom and daughter fast passing Mickey Outpost
7:00 FP+ Evening Safari
Pangani Trail
9:00 Jungle Book Show

 

[Accident]

9:00 Jungle Book Show

Any spots where I put too much time in an area or not enough?

Did you not want to see the safari or ride any outdoor coasters when it gets dark out? That's the best part of AK at night to me. Safari will be in dusk with some nocturnal animals and EE when it's dark is amazing.. (many of the rides outdoors are different and to me better when it's dark).

 

[DWeav]

We went to Disney last year, she had no problem with the its a bug life show.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

I'll certainly try to squeeze in animal trails and train to Rafiki...but we're trying to complete this park in one day. Seems like an awful lot to squeeze in while trying to stay cool.

If you're trying to fit all the park into one day, I would skip Rafiki's. As much as I love it, it can be a real time consumer with the train up and back (If it's busy, you might have to wait for the next departure)

 

[mshanson3121]

Mshanson, I reconfigured 11:00 Lion King, straight to 11:50 Lunch at Tusker House, and Nemo at 2. Is this not suitable enough of a "break"? That's in air conditioning for most of the 11:00-2:45 time period. Then catching Flights of Wonder at 3:30.

Elsa711, you mean you think I should push Yak and Yeti back a little?

It's decent. It's just not the same as actually leaving the park, laying down, resting etc. It's not just the heat etc... it's putting in a 14+ hour day (from the time you leave for the park to the time you leave the park) combined with heat, crowds etc... Your daughter may be able to do it just fine I just know that mine never could have. We did afternoon breaks, where they were out of the parks, and able to lay down on the couch, watch tv, read, play toys, take a dip in the pool what have you. Just have some down time. I don't count restaurants as down time honestly, as while you're sitting, most 5 years olds don't find being stuck in a restaurant for an hour plus all that relaxing (haha, and many parents don't find trying to contain a 5 year old in a restaurant for that long all the relaxing either, lol).

 

[DWeav]

Did you not want to see the safari or ride any outdoor coasters when it gets dark out? That's the best part of AK at night to me. Safari will be in dusk with some nocturnal animals and EE when it's dark is amazing.. (many of the rides outdoors are different and to me better when it's dark).

I don't know about Safari at night, guess I have some time to read reviews before booking but I saw some early report that said they didn't see many animals at night or tough to see. I could push my fastpass for Everest back, no problem, I've been on Everest at dark a few times, agreed. She's too small for Everest or the Whirl ride.

Guess I'm more for pleasing my daughter at this point.

 

[mshanson3121]

I'll certainly try to squeeze in animal trails and train to Rafiki...but we're trying to complete this park in one day. Seems like an awful lot to squeeze in while trying to stay cool.

You won't be able to do Rafiki's Planet Watch in this day. AK is a two-day park easily (at minimum one and a half) if you're going to try and do it all. Planet Watch eats up about 2 hours, by the time you have the train ride there, back and then actually spend time there.

 

[DWeav]

It's decent. It's just not the same as actually leaving the park, laying down, resting etc. It's not just the heat etc... it's putting in a 14+ hour day (from the time you leave for the park to the time you leave the park) combined with heat, crowds etc... Your daughter may be able to do it just fine I just know that mine never could have. We did afternoon breaks, where they were out of the parks, and able to lay down on the couch, watch tv, read, play toys, take a dip in the pool what have you. Just have some down time. I don't count restaurants as down time honestly, as while you're sitting, most 5 years olds don't find being stuck in a restaurant for an hour plus all that relaxing (haha, and many parents don't find trying to contain a 5 year old in a restaurant for that long all the relaxing either, lol).

Lol, understood. Thank you!

 

[ELSA711]

Mshanson, I reconfigured 11:00 Lion King, straight to 11:50 Lunch at Tusker House, and Nemo at 2. Is this not suitable enough of a "break"? That's in air conditioning for most of the 11:00-2:45 time period. Then catching Flights of Wonder at 3:30.

Elsa711, you mean you think I should push Yak and Yeti back a little?

I would definitely push dinner back a bit if you can.
We love AK and my kids prefer it to most other parks including MK.
The trails, the train and Rafiki's planet watch are all my childrens must dos, especially my 5 yr old. More so than almost anything else.
It's really hard to cut anything to make AK a 1 day park for us but I understand that you can't do everything. That's what we do to DHS (it has become a 1 day park so we have to give something up)

 

[DWeav]

Thanks Elsa.

What time of year do you go? Our girl hardly ever naps during the day while I understand a lot of kids her age do too. She also stays up late (I know, bad parenting...).

Do you think with all of the shows and 2 table service meals that we should be able to make it without a break? Again, also taking the frog togs and hydropack with ice water.