How do you tour Animal Kingdom?

[MCharpie]

We'll be taking our 3 and 4 year olds for their first visit to Animal Kingdom on our February Trip (last trip we did only MK and Epcot). I haven't been in many years, yet remember it to be a very large park. I'm reaching out for suggestions on how to best tour Animal Kingdom - as well as dining suggestions. Info that may help:

1. We are early risers - last trip we did a combination of midday rests and 3/4 days
2. Will be taking the bus from Poly
3. Kids HATE fireworks (not sure if the new evening entertainment includes fireworks)
4. AK will be on our last day

Thank you in advance for your strategies - I'm at a loss how to plan for AK

 

[Accident]

It's large as far as an annoying loop with no way to cut through the middle to get out quickly but overall it's not that large. What is there can take some time. It is also a very hot park with mostly shade and fans to help cool you off and minimal places with A/C to hide from. It's a park I absolutely love when the weather doesnt feel like your walking around the moon and a lot of my strategy is to try to avoid the peak sun.. Recently it started doing evenings so it's made it a lot easy to do it all in 1 day.. Also a portion is live animals and they dont' really like the sun either so it goes hand in hand..

Since your an early riser, it's an excellent park to do morning extra magic hours to get even more time before lunch while the sun isnt' fully up in the sky yet. I would recommend concentrating on the live animal options at first like the trail and safari to round out that corner since you have children. I'm not sure if they would be tall enough for kali or everest but they would probably love the nemo show and there is carnival like games around dinoland including a dig for dinosaur bones and some younger attractions similar to dumbo at MK. I would skip dinosaur with that age if they can ride it as it's a rather scary ride with dinosaurs chasing you. Bugs life is going to be similar and while it's a show, it is the scary parts of the bugs life movie with large grasshoppers and similar so just be aware it may not be that young child show..

Now to add to it, they have the wilderness explorers stuff that will engage them a little more and give another activity that is park wide as your going around.. Don't overlook that as it will engage them a little more than just walking attraction to attraction with you..

At night, if it's the jungle book show still I personally don't know anyone that likes it.. There is no fireworks in it so if your kids like music and dancing (Indian inspired) with some bright lights and things, it might be a good night show for them. The safari does run at night and if you can time it at dusk it's a completely different ride with different animals being very active. If it gets too dark you can barely see where the animals are so it's just a bumpy truck ride for 30-40 minutes with maybe the occasional spotting that looks like an outline.

 

[ArielSRL]

I'd do rope drop, midday break, and back late afternoon to experience the nighttime stuff. If you want to do the safari at night, try for actual sunset or dusk time. Not sure what nighttime show will be there at that time. We skipped Jungle Book to do the safari and EE (in the dark) but EE may not be a priority for you. In February, because it gets dark early, you shouldn't have to stay very late to experience it at night, I would think.

No fireworks at AK.

 

[BrianL]

They will never have fireworks at AK because it can scare the animals. The Jungle Book show supposedly isn't that good, but I am stil looking forward to Rivers of Light as I think it will be better.

I like to start AK with a pre--park-open breakfast at Tusker House, tehn right to the Safari. After thant EE until I can't stand it anymore, then just whatever. I haven't been there since the later hours started. I usually hop out around 3 to 4 PM.

 

[brooke789]

We just returned earlier this month. We have 2 5 year olds and a 2 year old. We're very similar to you in either doing 3/4 days straight through or taking a mid-day break and staying later. We were also at EMH each morning.

Here's what we did on our first EMH at AK.
AK - 8 AM
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Everest (lld)
Everest (llm)
Primeval Whirl (LM)
Triceratop Spin (LDO X 3)
Dinosaur (lld)
Boneyard
M&G Pluto Goofy
M&G Pocahontas
Tough to be a bug
M&G Minnie/Mickey
Left by 1pm and had FP starting at 3:55 at HS.

Here's another AK EMH morning
AK - 8 AM
Kilimanjaro
Everest
M&G Russel Dug
M&G Tarzan
Lion King show
lunch - harambe market (This was great. The kids got corn dogs and we all absolutely loved our food)
Nemo Musical
M&G Safari Donald
Probably left around 1 or a little after for a break

Here is an afternoon/evening. Approved probably 3ish.
MG Flik
Rafiki planet watch
MG chip and dale
MG rafiki
Kali - 5:05 PM (lld)
Kali - (llm)
starts pouring and everything is closed except two rides below!
Kilimanjaro in the rain
Dinosaur (llm)
Left approxiately 6:30-7ish

Also, even though AK feels so spread out it was always our least walking days. We walked 7, 6 & 8 miles those days including going to our 2nd parks each day.

 

[Shock13]

AK is my favorite park and my advice is to do the animal trails. They are so great. The trails are uniquely designed and there are CM's around to answer any questions about the animals. It's nice to just relax and go at your own pace. The safari ride and seeing the shows Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo are excellent.

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

We always do the safari first if we only have one day for AK. Then we typically do the walking trails with animals. We skip Bugs Life movie for scary aspects and also skip the Dinoland almost completely. We always do Finding Nemo Show and alternate every other year with FOTLK. We also make sure to see the Flights of Wonder show, its fantastic!

 

[joannamet]

Don't skip Conservation Station. People always leave this out but its great for kids. They'll like the train ride and the petting area. It does take some time, however, so plan accordingly.

 

[MCharpie]

Thank you for all of the suggestions! Would you recommend seeing both Nemo and Lion King? If I can only pick one, do you all have a preference?

 

[jlee003]

interested in lion king vs nemo as well. this will be our first trip to AK, and we are staying at AKL

 

[samsteele]

Thank you for all of the suggestions! Would you recommend seeing both Nemo and Lion King? If I can only pick one, do you all have a preference?

I like both but if push comes to shove my vote is for Lion King. No FP+ necessary for Lion King so easy to slot in during the day. Air con is wonderful during the afternoon but the stand-by line can get warm (pack water for the line). Lion King is also more spectacular with more of a wow factor IMO. With Nemo, I have used both FP+ and stand-by. The best seats in the house are def with FP+ so you can be close to the stage for better view and also be seated in the area close to the catwalks to see the performers do their walk-throughs. Hope that helps.

 

[ArielSRL]

We prefer Lion Ling to Nemo...but I think they are both good. In Lion King, there's a bit more audience participation, which kept my littles entertained.

 

[Disneymom1126]

We usually work around in a circle starting in Africa and then heading clockwise around the park. I agree with the ideas other people have mentioned including getting there at rope drop. One thing to add is that I think the character interaction there is really great. My DD loved King Louie and Balou and Dug was so funny with her as well. It's also our fav place to meet Minnie and Mickey, but do that early in the day or get a FP+ cause the wait is not air conditioned and rather boring in standby...and gets long as the day goes on!

 

[aleksandr]

How do you tour Animal Kingdom?

By deciding to go to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or Hollywood Studios on that day instead

Seriously though, we haven't been in years and likely won't go back until Avatarland opens. Just not enough to see here that you can't see at your local big city zoo.