Best Animal Kingdom Guide - Best Tips, tricks, Must do's, Please Contribute!!!

[IMwink]

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[OB1]

Great list for a great park. I have not seen anyone list Tough to be a Bug. Beware this attraction with young kids. I can not remember a single visit that I did not hear terrified kids start screaming, then leaving during the film. It is a scary subject for young kids.

 

[pixie2416]

Check the times guide when you get there. There are acrobats that perform right next to the Kusafiri Bakery (near Kilamanjaro Safari) that are terrific. There is covered seating. So you can grab a snack and enjoy the show.

 

[DaveStroem]

It looks like you have a lot of it covered. One thing we noticed at the turnstiles on the far right side is one marked for CMs & CMs with guests. This is open to anyone and there was a much shorter line then the other turnstiles.

Here was what we did in late March.

Yes, it was a lot of walking and was based on the show times for that week. But it was a wonderful day. We did this RD till about 5 and added a couple of character meet & greets too. We did end up skipping FOW and rode EE there before the parade.

 

[Shelton123]

One of my Dsister's favorite rides was Dinosaur, when she was 7. It's probably the scariest in WDW, though it's not a coaster.

 

[IMwink]

In March I took my DDs to Bush Gardens and Universal.

DD(6) was fine on everything. She wasn't big enough to get on the Big kid Roller coasters but Busch Gardens had one that Both DDs could go on and it went upside down. DD(6) was wimpering the whole ride, and I think DD(4) was just to scared to make a sound. We sat in the very front. I'm a mean daddy. After the ride, they said that it scared them, but 1 hour later they were wanting to go back on it.

DD(4) got scared on the Jurasic park, Spiderman and the Terminator rides. Terminator and Spiderman were just too real for her. But it was mainly the 3-D effects and the loud noises. once she took the glasses off she was OK on the Spiderman, but Terminator was definitly too much. I talk to my kids, yes even at 4yrs about violence. I don't think violent shows are bad if you just talk to them about it and don't take them on rides like the terminator. That was a mistake.

I can't see Disney make It's a Bugs Life that bad? What is it about the show that scares little kids? Is it the 3-D?

 

[karly05]

The main scare factor of "Tough to be a Bug" involves Hopper turning up to complain about how humans treat bugs, and turning the tables on the audience, with various scary/menacing effects. As an adult and big Bug's Life fan, I love this attraction, but I probably would have been freaked out as a youngster.

Do try to go see the tigers (Maharajah Jungle Trek). In '99, we went at the end of the day (like 4:30 or so), and the tigers were right up by the glass viewing area. They are gorgeous!

 

[OB1]

Do try to go see the tigers (Maharajah Jungle Trek). In '99, we went at the end of the day (like 4:30 or so), and the tigers were right up by the glass viewing area. They are gorgeous!

YES YES YES
Our last trip, we went 3 times, and they were snoozing every time. The time before, I watched a trainer throw hamburger over the fence to them, and they were very active. Seen them play with a ball in the water also. Amazing creatures.

 

[Disney4nonah]

Great tips, Thanks for the thread!

 

[IMwink]

Disney4nonah

Thanks - I'm trying to get all the info I can, and share it with others at the same time. Gotta help the Newbies, because I am one of them.

I would like to here some negatives about food places or things to skip.

I think I will add that in the main post so I can get some responses.

If you want I've made up a list of all the Restaurants menus on a powerpoint, and I've annotated the Snacks that have been confirmed by other DISers. Only for the parks though, no resorts.

Let me knoe if you want it.

Enjoy your trip

 

[kclyn]

Consider your DD's tolerance of scary things when deciding to ride Dinosaur. My DS was 5 when he first rode it and it terrified him.

I'm 24 and Dinosaur scares me!

 

[g-dad66]

Things to skip?

Everyone's list would be different I'm sure, but we have always skipped Primeval Whirl, because spinning makes us sick -- and it appears that this one definitely fits in the spinning category. So we don't want to risk it.

I don't find Dinosaur scary (cause I believe it's only make-believe ), but the loudness of it and the very, very rough ride are not make-believe. Anyone who hates being jostled around or hates loud noises might want to skip this ride.

We did the Nemo show once, and that was enough for us. But I'm glad we experienced it once. Otherwise, we would always wonder what we had missed.

 

[kkyle60]

My favorite is an order of eggrolls from the Yak and Yeti counter service location. My wife usually avoids eggrolls but she devoured one of these and asked if we could go back for more.

 

[Korileigh]

I am surpirsed some have said to skip the parade. We were there in December for the first time and LOVED the parade. Our girls (5 and 7) also loved the face painting there - it was beautiful - much better than your average face painting. We only saw about half the park but it was one of our favorite days there and we cannot wait to go back in September!!!! We ate at Tusker House and LOVED it (and I am super picky). It was one of our favorite meals. The monkeys were a lot of fun to watch - i think they were on the way to EE. It is a fabulous park!

 

[IMwink]

g-dad66

welcome to the thread

I have some of your posts too and they were very helpful, so if something sounds familiar, then it probably is.

Things to Skip started because I have heard really bad stuff about attractions at HS - like Drew Carey and Prince Caspian. But I will post negative things about an attraction under the tips for rides or shows. It's still info (or opinion) that someone can take into consideration. Does that help?

I think Conservation Station may be more for the younger crowd, where as adults and teens may want to focus other areas. But I've never been so I won't post that unless other DISers say that.

I'm trying to wait for two or more like opinions, including the ones I've read elsewhere befoe I add it to my main post

Your suggestions are always welcome

Keep the info coming

Thanks

 

[IMwink]

Has any one had good experiences with the Discovery Clubs?

Is it like epcot where they are always set-up?

 

[nicoleakr]

We did what tomu suggested for two trips but tried a different way this past time. I was always grumpy trying to get around to things in AK in the heat and so this time we tried a different approach (and I felt like we did less walk/running for FP, etc.)

We started out in Dinoland! Dd was 7 so we got on Triceratop Spin first and stayed on three times in a row without getting off. She loved it! Then onto Dinosaur with no wait. Leisurely walk to TH where we had 10:30 ressies--when are yours? We really enjoyed the food and characters here and got to sample breakfast and lunch because they were late seating us even though we were 30 min. early.

While dd and I were waiting to be called at TH, I sent dh for FP for the safari. The time was up just as we finished eating and I felt like we saw just as many animals at noon as we had previously in the morning. Then we got EE FP, went on the Tiger trail, rode EE, saw Lion King and called it a day. Finally it was a relaxing day at AK!! You may want to work Nemo into your plan since your little ones haven't seen it yet. It's worth seeing once.

Now I realize we didn't see everything that day, but some we already had, and others we'll save for the next trip. Just take your time here and enjoy the beauty and the fun shows like the African drummers/dancers outside Tusker House.

Have a great time!

I like this plan. I too get aggervatied at this park. It get so hot. I think I am going to do your plan the same way for us. Thanks.

 

[Danauk]

When I am in AK I like to spend time walking through the smaller paths, especially if it is crowded (and hot). Some of the smaller paths around the park have more vegetation on either side of them which is great in the hot summer months (or on a very hot day in December as we found out on our last visit there!) Plus this way you get to see way more of the animals. Also if the keepers are out they are very willing to chat to you about the animals.

 

[eeyorepixie]

Thanks for the info

I do plan on doing a modified commando style. We take breaks often and get into some air conditioned attractions or restaurants to rejuvinate the girls. And I am not the guy that forces the park, I go with the flow and enjoy. I don't have a detailed list by times that I want to do things, but I have a prioritzed list with downtime at the top of it.

I planned on a 10-day ticket, but I decided to save some $$$ and I went with the FREE 5-day that they give to Service members and the discounted tickets for their families.

I had to modify for that. I was planning on going back to the Resort everyday, and hitting each park twice, but not now. Only MK twice.

But I am taking that $$$ and putting it towards the top of the line BBB experience for my two DD'sand the Chef's Table for me and DW.

You will not regret doing BBB my girls were over the moon, we brought our gowns to save $$$ this was in their to favorite 3 things at Disney.

On our 2nd day at Kali, made my DD's wear bathingsuits and had them strip before Kali

On our first day my middle DD was miserable when she was wet afterwards, we went to lunch at RFC and they were freezing becuase they were damp.

Here is another tip, you can find clearance stuff in RFC souvie shop and give gifts when you get back. I bought 4 dry shirts for us and it cost $24.00 not too bad, condsidering it is hard to find a bargain in Disney

 

[SRUAlmn]

If you want to make your 'tea' recommendation more specific, the place is the Anandapur Tea Company and they have the BEST frozen chai ever!!!

KCLYN: I'm 31 and it scares me too!!! Every photo of me from the ride camera is always of me hovering over to hide my eyes. I've only ridden twice, so I still forget when the dinosaur pops out and it gets me every time

For restaurants I would say definitely do Donald's Safari Breakfast - yummy FRUNCH juice (they call it something else, but it's the same stuff.)