Is KS now opening later than the AK itself

[Lovetherodent]

This was prompted by the poster who had a FP time changed. I checked the Disney Website. The page describing the attraction has the attraction's hours. For the next couple of weeks, AK is open 8am-8:30pm, but the Safari hours are listed as 9am-8:30pm. Any tried to RD KS at 8:00 and found it not open?

 

[HomerHog]

We were affected by this. Park opening was originally 9:00. The March park hours were updated to include mostly 8:00 openings for AK. I think they simply cannot keep the Safari open that long on a regular basis. They have to get the animals off stage and do maintenance on the landscape. Prior to AK becoming a night time park, KS often closed by 6:00 even if the park was open until 8:00 or 8:30. I think the twilight and after dark rides are coming at the expense of the early morning rides. Having FoP and NRJ open to absorb the crowds probably allows them to do this.

 

[AngiTN]

We were affected by this. Park opening was originally 9:00. The March park hours were updated to include mostly 8:00 openings for AK. I think they simply cannot keep the Safari open that long on a regular basis. They have to get the animals off stage and do maintenance on the landscape. Prior to AK becoming a night time park, KS often closed by 6:00 even if the park was open until 8:00 or 8:30. I think the twilight and after dark rides are coming at the expense of the early morning rides. Having FoP and NRJ open to absorb the crowds probably allows them to do this.

We've done a tour and they explain how they do this and keep the hours. This was last summer after Pandora opened when they were open even longer than they are now. They have different groups of animals they rotate in and out of exhibit.
For instance, every giraffe they have it not out at all times. Some are in their pens. Then they rotate them. Where in the past, when they closed early, they were all out.

 

[Pdollar88]

I’m curious about this. I considered RD-ing KS to avoid some of the mad dash to Pandora, then making my way to Navi and our 8-9 FOP FP.

I guess I’ll just RD Navi, FP FOP, and move up to KS.

 

[Gentry2004]

Hmm. We are going the week before Easter during an 8am opening and I was planning to RD KS. Is there anyway to find out for sure a day or two before?

 

[DisneyChris2016]

Seems to depend on the day. Safaris is still listed as opening at 8:00 on March 7 and my early FP+ hasn't been affected (yet, anyway). But the opening is listed at 9:00 on some of the other days that week, when the park has 8:00AM open. Just one more way Disney likes to keep us guessing...

 

[HomerHog]

Seems to depend on the day. Safaris is still listed as opening at 8:00 on March 7 and my early FP+ hasn't been affected (yet, anyway). But the opening is listed at 9:00 on some of the other days that week, when the park has 8:00AM open. Just one more way Disney likes to keep us guessing...

This is interesting. March 7 seems to be an outlier.

For the entire month of March, park opening is 8:00 with KS opening 9:00. Morning EMH are every Saturday and Monday at 7:00 with KS opening at 8:00.
Wednesday, March 7 is the only day the entire month with 8:00 park opening and 8:00 KS opening.

 

[DisneyChris2016]

This is interesting. March 7 seems to be an outlier.

For the entire month of March, park opening is 8:00 with KS opening 9:00. Morning EMH are every Saturday and Monday at 7:00 with KS opening at 8:00.
Wednesday, March 7 is the only day the entire month with 8:00 park opening and 8:00 KS opening.

Guess they kept it open that morning just for me.

 

[Gentry2004]

I just grabbed a FP+ for KS on 3/25 because I was planning to head there at 8:00. Now we will head elsewhere in the park.

There were plenty of times left that day.

 

[Pdollar88]

Seems to depend on the day. Safaris is still listed as opening at 8:00 on March 7 and my early FP+ hasn't been affected (yet, anyway). But the opening is listed at 9:00 on some of the other days that week, when the park has 8:00AM open. Just one more way Disney likes to keep us guessing...

That’s my AK day as well! Guess I’ll find out. KS has been having a wait time posted before official park opening for quite a while. I’ll probably just plan to RD Pandora with everyone else.

 

[Lesley Wake]

I’m glad I saw this thread! I’m heading there March 3-a saturday with 7-8 am EMH. I had originally planned on doing KS first during EMH, but now I’ll modify my route to end at KS so I can get on at 8am.

 

[Lovetherodent]

I readjusted my touring plans. Will RD Everest, probably ride a few times, but no way to swap my EE FP for a KS at 9. Nothing available before 3:25! My AK day is Mar 6.

 

[twoolle]

I’m glad I saw this thread! I’m heading there March 3-a saturday with 7-8 am EMH. I had originally planned on doing KS first during EMH, but now I’ll modify my route to end at KS so I can get on at 8am.

Do you mind if I PM you after to see how it went? We are going Mar 5 for EMH but our TP now has us getting to KS at 8:30 after doing Navi, Dinosaur, EE, LET then KS.

 

[twoolle]

Anyone know what time KS opened today with 7am emh?

 

[anicholson75]

good question, I have a 7am EMH coming up too and need to know

 

[twoolle]

good question, I have a 7am EMH coming up too and need to know

We are going March 5 so if your date is after that you can PM me and I can let you know what happened on Mar 5!

 

[germandisneymom]

Haven't been to Disney for a while.
How can I see opening hours for a certain attraction?

 

[Lesley Wake]

Info from this morning at Animal Kingdom (3/3). It was an 8am park open with 7am EMH. App showed KS with a 5 min wait so I hoped they actually did open it, but when I got there the CMs were standing out front letting people know it doesn’t open until 8. I got back around 7:55 and they had started filling up the queue with a 15 min posted wait. They didn’t start running it until 8am. I had an 8:05 FP and they let me in the FP queue at 7:57.

Actual safari was good. It was a bit chilly this morning and some animals weren’t out. But others were pretty active-wild dogs and cheetahs running around (I think they had just been let into their enclosures). Lion sitting proudly on the edge of the rock-pretty much as close as he could get to the Safari Truck! At first I was worried no giraffes would be out as there weren’t any on the Savannah, but turns out they were all eating in a group near their entrance to the enclosure, so it was cool to get to see a whole Tower!

Gorilla falls also doesn’t open until 8, and Maharajah doesn’t open until 9.

 

[twoolle]

Info from this morning at Animal Kingdom (3/3). It was an 8am park open with 7am EMH. App showed KS with a 5 min wait so I hoped they actually did open it, but when I got there the CMs were standing out front letting people know it doesn’t open until 8. I got back around 7:55 and they had started filling up the queue with a 15 min posted wait. They didn’t start running it until 8am. I had an 8:05 FP and they let me in the FP queue at 7:57.

Actual safari was good. It was a bit chilly this morning and some animals weren’t out. But others were pretty active-wild dogs and cheetahs running around (I think they had just been let into their enclosures). Lion sitting proudly on the edge of the rock-pretty much as close as he could get to the Safari Truck! At first I was worried no giraffes would be out as there weren’t any on the Savannah, but turns out they were all eating in a group near their entrance to the enclosure, so it was cool to get to see a whole Tower!

Gorilla falls also doesn’t open until 8, and Maharajah doesn’t open until 9.

Thank you for this update! Any idea how quickly the line built? We will do Navi, dinosaur, EE, then get to KS around 830.

 

[Allison]

When I was there recently and AK was opening at 8 am, the Times Guide noted the Safari opened at 9 am on Thursdays and Fridays.