Is AK still considered a half-day park?

[Moliphino]

I was about to say the same thing. I've never spent an entire day in any park and I've been going since Epcot had just opened so there were only two parks to hop between.

Having said that, I usually do spend longer at AK before I hop. Even with the 2pm hopping rules I tend to leave the other parks around 12 or so and go back to the resort and go to the pool for awhile. I'm not ride centric so AK is perfect for me. I love taking my time and walking along all the trails, and by all I mean even the one around the Tree of Life and the little side trails. I love stopping and actually watching the animals and talking to the CMs posted there. I do ride rides but they aren't the most important thing for me. I have been known to stand for 1/2 hour and just watch the silly monkeys playing. Nomad Lounge is a must do for me as well, I love that place. I enjoy stopping and watching the performers with a cold drink. It's a great park for slowing down and taking in the details.

We took a trip in October 2020 when park hopping had not come back yet. Not a fan. I get bored in any park if I'm there the whole day. I can spend 6 half days in Epcot over a 9 day period with no issues, but one full day in Epcot gets boring.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

No. It's never been a half day park and never will be. It's operating hours are already short enough. I wouldn't take even more time away

 

[Mrs.AMC]

We were there 2 weeks ago and for us it's a 1/2 day park but also because there are some things we choose to skip and EE was closed for refurbishment.

One thing to note if you decide to do only afternoon and evening is that Kilimanjaro Safari is not open until park close. Unfortunately we missed the last safari on a night when the park closed at 7PM because we arrived at 5:22 to find out the last safari left at 5:15. It was still light until almost 7PM so it wasn't about darkness, they just don't always run safaris until park close.

I didn't think they ever ran the safari till close, even when they had the night safaris.

 

[DisneyGras CM]

I will say that when we went this last time, it was our first trip during the Holiday Season. Realistically, I loved the holiday decorations and really enjoyed the music overlay. I even asked a CM if it was available as a CD or Downloadable. I would place the decorations with that of World Showcase in EPCOT IMO. The shows are always great, but I feel the repeatability is not there. Once you've seen it, you're done for that trip.

I believe someone else mentioned it earlier in the thread. This is one park that if we had only 5-7 days, this is usually a one and done.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Less than that for us. TSMM and we're ready to leave.

Ummmm.... at AK?

 

[Mrs.AMC]

They've always claimed they do that because of the animals, and the safari is built around the animals. I'm sure they get into evening feedings and offer the opportunity for animals to return to the barns, if they choose. But it is absolutely something to keep in mind from a timing standpoint. The same with the walking trails - they'll often close by 5/6pm or so.

It takes them quite a long time to get them all in the barn so yeah, I can see that's why they close it early. When many of the animals are gone, there isn't much reason to do the safari.

 

[jpkkld]

So... on one hand, sure, 1/2 day park, yeah... you scootch on out of here so I can enjoy my favorite park!

AK is a 1.5 day park for us. It's meant to be savored - you're supposed to simmer in it. Not like cooking in the summer heat! Just soaking in all the elements and being one with park. Pandora, as much as I love it, really added to the park crowds. I'm not a fan of that. We've been known to do Everest 2, 3 times in a row. Super fun to try to walk straight after that! But low crowds and 15 minute waits are a thing of the past.

If you run from ride to ride to ride and power walk through all the walking trails... AK is not your park. But if 30 minutes watching the monkeys in Asia sounds delightful and pausing for 20 minutes in the oasis to watch birds sounds like just the thing your family likes to do... AK may be for you. Don't forget to wander down to the farthest patio at Flame Tree. It's an oasis with the amusing element of Everest rider screams echoing across the water. And if you can schedule a late ADR and leave through Discovery Island after dark, with your leftover dinner wine in hand and colorful lanterns lighting your way, you will never, ever want to leave. Oh - and if you like to dabble in landscape photography... add a few hours to your day!

The rides are fun, and great diversions among all the naturish elements. The animals are great - and Rafiki is awesome if you engage with the CMs out there. Lion King is phenomenal - really - not to be missed.

My goal this trip is to spend more than 10 minutes in Nomad Lounge. Last trip it was either Nomad or our FP for FoP... so Nomad is on my MUST DO this time around! And we have a full day planned. Of course.

 

[peabody58]

As we now 'old' and tend to sleep in almost everyday, all the parks are 1/2 day for us!

DW likes to chill at the resort after an early supper. Me, I will return to a park to close it down. I could make AK a full-day, but with limited shows, it's at best a 3/4 day park

 

[stinkpickle]

It depends if you like rides.

 

[susustudios]

Whoa, cutbacks have really increased wait times. I wouldn't go now with it being like that. Wasn't like that December '19 when I was last there. Fastpass worked a lot better than Genie is going apparently. Anyway, every time I've gone there, several times between '17 and '19 I've spent the whole day

 

[susustudios]

I don't consider it a full day.

1. Not enough rides. And the animals get boring after a while - tween kids. DH and I hate FoP, makes us queasy.
2. It turns into an inferno in the afternoons.
3. There's only one show.....

We usually leave around 1 when everybody is hot, mad and bored.

Edit: And if we're doing a quick long weekend, it's the park we're most likely to skip.

Has the finding nemo show ended? Was frustrating last time with having to miss it due to all showtimes being cancelled due to technical difficulties

 

[DisneyFive]

So... on one hand, sure, 1/2 day park, yeah... you scootch on out of here so I can enjoy my favorite park!

AK is a 1.5 day park for us. It's meant to be savored - you're supposed to simmer in it. Not like cooking in the summer heat! Just soaking in all the elements and being one with park.

I wish our touring style allowed for simmering and savoring AK. We did some of that last summer because there were just so few attractions/shows. I did enjoy all the trails, etc... but that stuff doesn't have a repeat factor for us... at least not back to back years. It's still a 1/2 day park for us. I wish it wasn't honestly.

Dan

 

[snikki]

Has the finding nemo show ended? Was frustrating last time with having to miss it due to all showtimes being cancelled due to technical difficulties

They redid it with a new name and show. It reopens this spring I believe.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Has the finding nemo show ended? Was frustrating last time with having to miss it due to all showtimes being cancelled due to technical difficulties

I don't think the new show is up and running yet.

 

[jimmymc]

It's usually a half day for me. I ride Everest, the Safari, Dinosaur, and Flight of Passage, and maybe I'll watch Festival of the Lion King. All this, plus time to watch the animals, is usually done by 2 pm.

 

[JenSop]

Do you do all the walk-through trails? Because they are awesome, and definitely add some time. I especially love hanging out in the gorilla area of the Gorilla Falls Trail. (Perhaps I'm forgetting the exact name, but you know what I mean.) The bird show is SO good, too!
AK is such a gorgeous park - I love to walk all around it, AND do the rides. Last trip it sucked that they had just closed Everest for refurb (because I can easily ride that a few times!) but we got in the Safari, Dinosaur, Flight of Passage, food at Satuli Canteen, my chai latte at Creature Comforts (Starbucks), some shopping in the stores closer to the entrance.
It's never been a half day park for me. I just love it!

Edited to add that this past January, I easily spent over half an hour in the Gorilla area, because the baby was very active. I couldn't get enough! And the silverbacks were active as usual, too! I don't just walk through and look really quick. I love animals, and really spend time there. Like I said, half hour just in the gorilla area. I also spent a lot of time with the bird section in the walk-through. Gorgeous exotic birds running around by your feet! I never get tired of that!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Without any night time show there is no compelling reason to stay after you've done all the attractions...

I say when the Finding Nemo the Musical reopens, and if they make a compelling night time spectacular then Animal Kingdom can be a full time park...it also needs maybe another ride or two to really cement it.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Do you do all the walk-through trails? Because they are awesome, and definitely add some time. I especially love hanging out in the gorilla area of the Gorilla Falls Trail. (Perhaps I'm forgetting the exact name, but you know what I mean.) The bird show is SO good, too!
AK is such a gorgeous park - I love to walk all around it, AND do the rides. Last trip it sucked that they had just closed Everest for refurb (because I can easily ride that a few times!) but we got in the Safari, Dinosaur, Flight of Passage, food at Satuli Canteen, my chai latte at Creature Comforts (Starbucks), some shopping in the stores closer to the entrance.
It's never been a half day park for me. I just love it!

Edited to add that this past January, I easily spent over half an hour in the Gorilla area, because the baby was very active. I couldn't get enough! And the silverbacks were active as usual, too! I don't just walk through and look really quick. I love animals, and really spend time there. Like I said, half hour just in the gorilla area. I also spent a lot of time with the bird section in the walk-through. Gorgeous exotic birds running around by your feet! I never get tired of that!

We did Gorilla Falls for the first time last year! We also always stop and watch the otters.

 

[Bullseye]

We usually last until late afternoon knowing we wont be back at night. The few occasions I have been there at night have been fun too. Usually by late afternoon we have rode all the rides we want to and hit shows and paths and whatever, so we are gone by 4pm.

 

[MainMom]

We usually do 2 half days. My DD now likes to go to Rafikis Planet Watch and do the drawing class so that takes up a good chunk of time. This park is my least favorite, but my DH and DD love it so I do the 2 half days for them.