Anyone attend Moonlight Magic 10/24?

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Thank you so much @CWTC and @Emily921. Ironically I spent like 5m last night trying to get a clear snip of some map on a YT video, and then Emily shared images this morning.

I am surprised to hear that Kilimanjaro Safari’s stayed open until 6pm. I wonder if they will close earlier in Nov? I feel like it was common to see signs around AK saying last safari of the day is an hour or two before park closing.

 

[zavandor]

No Jalapeño Pretzels? That’s OK. I guess we’ll live

No Jalapeño Pretzels? This is the last straw, I'm selling!

 

[Genie+]

No Jalapeño Pretzels? This is the last straw, I'm selling!

I thought that was so funny. With all the stuff Moonlight Magic gives away, they had to draw the line at Jalapeno Pretzels

 

[Genie+]

I am surprised to hear that Kilimanjaro Safari’s stayed open until 6pm. I wonder if they will close earlier in Nov? I feel like it was common to see signs around AK saying last safari of the day is an hour or two before park closing.

Yeah I’m wondering that too. Sunset around the Oct event was around 7pm but between days getting shorter and losing an hour to DST, sunset will be closer to 5:30pm for the Nov event.

 

[jo-jo]

Yeah I’m wondering that too. Sunset around the Oct event was around 7pm but between days getting shorter and losing an hour to DST, sunset will be closer to 5:30pm for the Nov event.

View attachment 907553

So in Dec , 4:30?

What ever happened to that sunset thing they had on the safari? Seemed to be a big deal , then was gone in a flash.

 

[Genie+]

So in Dec , 4:30?

What ever happened to that sunset thing they had on the safari? Seemed to be a big deal , then was gone in a flash.

The sunset safari Yep, that was a thing! They installed yellow lighting. Lasted only about a year or so. It was all part of expanding AK into a nighttime park. They added Rivers of Light and Pandora which also lent itself well to a night experience.

I’m not sure if Disney Parks gave up on that idea altogether or what. I loved it all. Sad it didn’t succeed the way they wanted.

 

[jo-jo]

The sunset safari Yep, that was a thing! They installed yellow lighting. Lasted only about a year or so. It was all part of expanding AK into a nighttime park. They added Rivers of Light and Pandora which also lent itself well to a night experience.

I’m not sure if Disney Parks gave up on that idea altogether or what. I loved it all. Sad it didn’t succeed the way they wanted.

Did you happen to see it? We never did, have no idea how good of an idea it was.

 

[zavandor]

Did you happen to see it? We never did, have no idea how good of an idea it was.

It was quite underwhelming. Fewer animals were out and you couldn't see much.

 

[Genie+]

Did you happen to see it? We never did, have no idea how good of an idea it was.

Yes we did get to do the night safari at least once becasue I still have vivid memory of it. The lions were very active roaming around and roaring. It was our best encounter there. I think that was 2017/2018.

We were also fortunate to catch the original production of Rivers of Light (week after Easter 2018). That was amazing! Tehy had performers in the stands, the original story and effects were just incredible. They had technical issues not long after, so I understand that aspect, but they also kept cutting and changing the show. So later performances when people were giving feedback that RoL wasn’t that good or whatever… it was no longer the same show. If they could’ve managed upkeeping its first form I’m pretty sure the feedback would’ve continued very positive.

 

[Genie+]

It was quite underwhelming. Fewer animals were out and you couldn't see much.

That’s true. Overall it wasn’t quite as good as an average day visit. It was unique though… in the ‘moonlight’ and some experiences you wouldn’t really get in the day, like the lions being highly active and vocal.

 

[DisTravels]

The sunset safari Yep, that was a thing! They installed yellow lighting. Lasted only about a year or so. It was all part of expanding AK into a nighttime park. They added Rivers of Light and Pandora which also lent itself well to a night experience.

I’m not sure if Disney Parks gave up on that idea altogether or what. I loved it all. Sad it didn’t succeed the way they wanted.

We did Jungle Cruise at night - I know at a different park - but it was a different experience at night.

I wonder if the Safari is harder to run at night (individual vehicles with a driver, not self-propelled, animals roaming freely). During the day we were once "paused" mid-Safari for ~10 minutes while waiting for an animal to move off of the roadway. I enjoyed the time with nature, but kids were eager to move along.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

I would love to do the night time safari but I'm not optimistic about it returning-- now you have to experience it as a separate upsell and my younger one doesn't meet any of the age cutoffs.

Ironically, it sounds like the night safari is somewhat closer to the real safari experience (fewer animals, more patience and luck required) which may not be what the average AK guest wants, but I think it could still be fun if expectations are set appropriately.

Does anybody know if there's a way to find out what time Kilimanjaro safaris will close (ideally a week in advance before I have to make decisions about LL purchases and overall trip itinerary)? Is there a hard rule like 1h before sunset? We're arriving for the next MM and the last couple days of Food & Wine, and I want to know the latest time I can arrive at AK without missing the option to do the safari.

 

[CarolynFH]

I wonder if the Safari is harder to run at night (individual vehicles with a driver, not self-propelled, animals roaming freely).

What do you mean? The daytime safari vehicles are not self-propelled, and the animals are always roaming freely. We've often had to wait while an animal blocked the road. You mean was it harder for the drivers at night to see where they were going and to avoid hitting animals?

I think we only got to do the nighttime safari once, but it was pretty underwhelming. All I remember is one area that had a sort of yellowish glow in the corner that was supposed to be the sunset - I think - and that we really couldn't see anything in the dark.

 

[DisTravels]

What do you mean? The daytime safari vehicles are not self-propelled, and the animals are always roaming freely. We've often had to wait while an animal blocked the road. You mean was it harder for the drivers at night to see where they were going and to avoid hitting animals?

Yes, that is what I mean, because they are not self-propelled and some animals are roaming freely, it might be harder to navigate/manage.

I believe Busch Gardens runs the Serengeti Railway (also has animals roaming freely) at night (or at least at dusk), and expect a train on a track is easier to manage than the truck driven on the Kilimanjaro Safaris

 

[DisTravels]

Does anybody know if there's a way to find out what time Kilimanjaro safaris will close (ideally a week in advance before I have to make decisions about LL purchases and overall trip itinerary)?

The Kilimanjaro Safaris website shows the hours

Thursday, November 21, 2024
8:00 AM to 4:45 PM

Tuesday, December 10, 2024
8:00 AM to 4:45 PM

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

The Kilimanjaro Safaris website shows the hours

Thursday, November 21, 2024
8:00 AM to 4:45 PM

Tuesday, December 10, 2024
8:00 AM to 4:45 PM

Thank you SO much. Honestly not the answer I was hoping for but now I know I’m going to need to be at the front gate by 4. Does anyone know if they close the line much before 4:45?

 

[jo-jo]

As someone planning to go to the one in December, thank you for these tips. We went to one at HS about 18 months ago, and felt totally lost.

We were planning on that day to have a late breakfast at boma, hang around AKL for a few hours and then go to AK about 1 ish. Is there anywhere in the park to get wristband? Or just the front gate?

I know we will be using a ticket day for a matter of a few hours. But in order to see the shows, we need to do it this way. My goal for the extra time, is seeing the park at night with a few less people. The only ride we can do at night is maybe Navi. If lines are really short, I would like FOP, DH can’t handle it anymore.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

As someone planning to go to the one in December, thank you for these tips. We went to one at HS about 18 months ago, and felt totally lost.

We were planning on that day to have a late breakfast at boma, hang around AKL for a few hours and then go to AK about 1 ish. Is there anywhere in the park to get wristband? Or just the front gate?

I know we will be using a ticket day for a matter of a few hours. But in order to see the shows, we need to do it this way. My goal for the extra time, is seeing the park at night with a few less people. The only ride we can do at night is maybe Navi. If lines are really short, I would like FOP, DH can’t handle it anymore.

I’m not certain for AK but for our first MM at Epcot there was a place to check in and get wristbands and vouchers inside the park and I would be very surprised if they made you walk all the way out to get them.
Have you considered going to the park earlier, catching a few shows, and then having lunch at Sanaa? We don’t really do the shows at AK, but I would expect a lot of DVC members will hop between 1-3pm and it will get more crowded in the afternoon.

 

[jo-jo]

I’m not certain for AK but for our first MM at Epcot there was a place to check in and get wristbands and vouchers inside the park and I would be very surprised if they made you walk all the way out to get them.
Have you considered going to the park earlier, catching a few shows, and then having lunch at Sanaa? We don’t really do the shows at AK, but I would expect a lot of DVC members will hop between 1-3pm and it will get more crowded in the afternoon.

We are really set on boma breakfast.

I’m hoping times line up with see Nemo, bird show, safari, lion king then party starts. ( Still have to check times of shows, might have to do lion first and finish with Nemo. ) Then Navi, and maybe FOP. And 27 ice cream bars.

 

[DisTravels]

Is there anywhere in the park to get wristband? Or just the front gate?

In prior MM's they handed out bands at Upper Bradley Falls.

Prior events:
Those who plan to enjoy the parks before the after-hours party begins may find the in-park check-in location at Upper Bradley Falls from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

if you happen to be enjoying Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park earlier that day and would like to check in inside the park, you may do so from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Upper Bradley Falls (look for event signage).