Is AK worth our time?

[crzy4mk]

My wife and I will be taking our 4 daughters to WDW for the first time in February (the week of President's Day!). None of us have ever been to AK, and I wonder if it is worth spending a 1/2 day or a full day there. My kids are 3, 6, 7, & 9. Also, will the weather in February affect the behavior of the animals (how long they stay out, feedings, etc.) Any advice from someone who has taken small children would be much appreciated!

 

[disneysteve]

Absolutely go to AK! It is a wonderful park with plenty to see and do, especially for the young ones. There are several terrific shows - Lion King, Pocahontas, Bird show in Asia, Tarzan Rocks.

There is a whole dinosaur themed play area that most parents have to drag their kids out of so leave plenty of time for that. The safari is a lot of fun and in the cooler weather the animals are more active so you are likely to get some good viewing.

Don't miss Rafiki's Planet Watch (formerly Conservation Station). There is a nice train ride to get there and a whole area devoted to how they care for the animals, a petting zoo, and some other stuff.

Dinosaur may be too intense for the little ones (and they're possibly too small anyway). Primeval Whirl is a relatively mild coaster that the 3 oldest should enjoy. It's Tough To Be A Bug could go either way - its a 3-D movie with stuff happening around you as welll. Could scare the more sensitive little folks.

Definitely a full-day park. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Have a great trip.

Steve

 

[KSgirl]

Wow...your kids are about the same ages of mine! Right now they are 10, 8, 7, and 3, but were obviously a bit younger when we took them to Disney for the first time last November. I have a boy, boy, girl, boy. We spent about 1/2 a day there. We did the Safari (fun for all), It's Tough to be a Bug (one point scared the littlest), Dinosaur (only one of the oldest would go back and ride it with me for the baby swap), Triceritop Spin, Primeval Whirl (older three), and the Bone Yard (all loved it). We left early (around lunch time) as it was near the end of our trip and all were exhausted. It was also a very warm day and all were hot.

I have a LOT of advice and tips I would be happy share with you concerning a trip with your four little ones, based on our experiences last November. Just PM me if you are interested! By the way, where are you staying?

 

[CindyAnn]

KSgirl and disneysteve are absolutely right! There's a ton to do at AK for young children and for us there's not even enough time in one full day to do it all. My two first enjoyed it when they were 4 & 7, and loved just about everything. They still love everything three years later and it's one of the highlights of our trip. In fact, AK has always been DS's (now 10) favourite Disney park. Our only hold-out is that DD (now 7) has no interest on going on Dinosaur. Kali River Rapids is one of their favourites, and we always ride it multiple times during the last half hour the park is open, when you can generally go several times without getting off. Beware however that you will get soaked, so a change of clothes is a necessity unless you plan on sprinting straight back to your hotel.

If you're interested in going to a fun nearby restaurant, you can head to Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge (AKL) for a buffet dinner featuring African and American foods. AKL is an attraction in its own right, with great animal viewing, beautiful architecture and an interesting gift shop. That's our perfect end to an AK day.

Hope you and your family have a wonderful trip!

 

[travelbug]

Regarding the animal behavior, time of day supposedly makes a bigger difference than season. We always head to the safari first when we arrive at AK, and the animals are close and easy to see. I was there in Dec., Jan., and Feb., and it was the same all three times in those months.

I'll be back down in Feb. too! (18th to 23rd) Can't wait!

Have fun planning this first time trip for your family! You'll have a wonderful time!

 

[abitjaded]

If the weather is lousy, go on the Safari several times. First thing, then a FP for later, you will see different things each time. The animals love the cooler weather and go wacky when it rains. We always go to this park a couple of times, even if we only have a few days. The park is beautiful just to stroll. Be sure and catch The Asian tigers and the African gorillas. These walks are worth doing at different times of the day, too. Grab some lunch at Tusker's and sit outside and enjoy the music, grab a glass of wine at the outside bar if the adults are so inclined. We always take family radios and split up so the kids can spend time at what they like best. The Dino dig is a great place for the little ones (and the adults) to chill while the older ones do any thrill stuff. All the shows are great. If you try to do each thing in the park, you probably can't do it in one day.

Carla

 

[SimbaNoodle]

We like animal kingdom. Although it is the hottest theme park.
Donald's Breakfastasaurus is great.

Have a great Disney day.

 

[lenshanem]

I don't understand why thsi park isn't more popular. It is beautiful and quite fun I think. Plus, it can easily be doen in a day at a nice pace.
I took my preanst last trip and this was thier favorite part of the trip. My littel ones always have fun there, too.
See the Trazan Rocks show. It is amazing...

 

[Blueberry]

I used to be one of those who thought AK was just a Zoo...We spent more time there this trip, and really found it to be an excellent park, differnt than the rest but very unique..

It is the hottest park for some reason, but in cooler season that will not make much differnce...go and enjoy!!!

 

[Dolphin_Girl008]

I love AK! My sis and I were there last Wednesday. We saw most of the shows (I agree with lenshanem... Tarzan Rocks is amazing!) I loved the bird show (Flights of Wonder) too.

 

[gshoemate]

And don't forget the Festival of the Lion King show! In my opinion this is the best show Disney has. Tarzan ranks right up there to. They are both very energetic shows. I have an 18 month old and a 5 year old and they love the shows. And by far this is our favorite park. We just can't get enough of it.