Best time to ride Safari?

[ChloeChipper]

ive heard early mornings are the best time to ide safari - but then others say sunset. Which do you prefer?

 

[uccats97]

Mornings. I'm not a fan of the evening safari. It is too dark to see anything.

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

We just did both this past Tuesday (never did the sunset before). Many more animals during the morning, the only place with animals at sunset was the grass lands because they were feeding. We will probably only do mornings from now on.

 

[Trap]

we have done both in the past the most animals we have seen was about 30 to 45 minutes before sunset. most animal movement in the wild is one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset

 

[Disneylover99]

For me the best time is anytime you have a Fp.
We've seen lots of animals in the morning and in the afternoon. Don't go at night. You won't see anything.

 

[Ambehnke]

We have done both and definitely mornings.

 

[Elle23]

We did right after rope drop and then around 4:30. The later one was definitely better for us as far the animals being out and active.

 

[Klayfish]

ive heard early mornings are the best time to ide safari - but then others say sunset. Which do you prefer?

From what perspective are you asking? Are you asking about the best time to see animals or the best time for crowds, etc...

For crowds, the best time is either right at park open, or right before park close. We have gone on it in midday, but it's hot in the summer, so not my favorite. Sunset is very pretty, we really like it.

From the perspective of seeing animals, there is no "best time". They're wild animals, there's no way to predict or know what you're going to see. A person could get on at 10:10am and have a very, very different experience from someone who gets on at 10:15am.

 

[CAS239]

There's no best time. However if you want to see the lions out and active, then your best shot is around 5pm

Here's a couple pics I took last week around 4:30pm

 

[ChloeChipper]

Perfect. I have a morning fastpass 10am and was just able to grab another for another day at 7pm (sunset is at 8pm). So I think we'll do both.

 

[KathyTX]

Our best animal viewing has been first thing in the morning, or when it's overcast and drizzly!

 

[AngiTN]

I've done them at all times of the day for the exact purpose of comparing animal movement and visibility.
My conclusion is it makes no difference at all.
Disney feeds the animals to promote their movement and visibility using strategically placed but hidden feeders. What you see depends on how close you are to one of the trucks dropping off food.
In talking with the handlers on various tours I've learned they also call the animals in and out at various times.
So there are a lot of variables that will control the animals you see but time of day is just not one of them.
I will say that we do not like the dark/night safari's. I do not feel they have done a very good job with lighting on the tour

 

[Accident]

They are animals and they are going to act how they want, when they want. like humans, afternoons in high heat, humidity and sun is probably a good chance of being less active and lounging. I liked the mornings prior to nigh safari but it's a very very very narrow window to do the night safari and still your luck of the draw if you can see anything and they are active when your truck passes them.

in other words, go when it fits your schedule.

 

[disneyseniors]

We also went on safari both am and at dusk. On our February AM ride, first thing after opening, we saw an amazing amount of animals. Even the elusive Lion was up and active. In all our trips we have never seen the lion much (except it's backside, but this time he was on the highest rock and got up and jumped down on another and moved again! It was awesome. After that ride, the CM said that the dusk time is the best, as the animals are active.
Well, we went at dusk, about 4:30ish, and there were No animals. Okay, there were a few, but a very few. No lions at all, only one elephant at a distance, but we did see 3 CM's working in the savannah. We were actually excited to see anything........LOL. I know they are animals and show up when they want to, and they certainly didn't act according to the dusk script that time I guess you just have to take your chances, because with wild animals, nothing is set in stone