Meeting Rafiki at Planet Watch??

[jenhelgren]

Does Rafiki always meet at the same time everyday out by the Conservation station? How much time should I allow to ride the train, meet Rafiki, and ride back? We have been to the petting zoo and Conservation Station in the past but we weren't on any time schedule. I am trying to squeeze meeting Rafiki in before our Tusker House ADR-would 1 hour be enough time for the roundtrip train, walking, and Rafiki's line?

 

[hiroMYhero]

Does Rafiki always meet at the same time everyday out by the Conservation station? How much time should I allow to ride the train, meet Rafiki, and ride back? We have been to the petting zoo and Conservation Station in the past but we weren't on any time schedule. I am trying to squeeze meeting Rafiki in before our Tusker House ADR-would 1 hour be enough time for the roundtrip train, walking, and Rafiki's line?

Rafiki begins meeting at 10:15 for 40 minutes and then has a 1/2 hour break. He returns for another set and then another break - this continues until 3:00. His schedule is in MDE in the Character section.

He may not have too long of a line. Doc McS also has a meet there and she seldom has a line.

 

[Kellykins1218]

If you take the 1st train over, there's a very good chance you will ride with Rafiki & Chip and Dale. Rafiki was the best character interaction we've ever had. He sat & played with my son on the train and was a hoot to watch.

 

[jenhelgren]

If you take the 1st train over, there's a very good chance you will ride with Rafiki & Chip and Dale. Rafiki was the best character interaction we've ever had. He sat & played with my son on the train and was a hoot to watch.

My daughter would love that! She will be wearing her Lion King outfit and "needs" to meet Rafiki in it so we have to squeeze the meet into that day
I thought I read that the first train is at 9:30--that seems like a long span until Rafiki begins meeting. If the day we are there is a morning EMH from 8-9 with park open at 9-what time would we need to be there to catch the 1st train over? We will have a safari FP from 9-10 and have a Tusker House ADR at 10:20. It might be cutting it too close to get over to Planet Watch and back between the two??

 

[ktlm]

We will have a safari FP from 9-10 and have a Tusker House ADR at 10:20. It might be cutting it too close to get over to Planet Watch and back between the two??

Rafiki's planet watch/Conservation station usually does not open when the park opens unless something has changed. The hours for it and the train showing up on the WDW website are 10: a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Seems like it was opening at 9:30 at some point, so I don't know if that has changed- or if in practice it opens earlier than the posted hours).

Even if it opened earlier, I would not risk it right before an ADR. You likely would not meet Rafiki, as his first meet and greet does not start until 10:15. There is no way you could meet him and get to your ADR, even if you were first in line. It is about and 8 minute train ride to and from Planet Watch, not counting the walking (actually, I think the ride back might be slightly shorter).

Also, I probably wouldn't try going over there between Safari and your ADR in general. Safari is a 20 minute ride (unless a giraffe decides to lengthen your ride by standing in the road and block the path- which we have had happen). Then you have to walk to the Planet Watch train (not that far), wait for the train, and then it is an 8 minute train ride over. The biggest concern I would have is getting back. Your only way back is the train, there is no walking path. You have to wait for the train and then you have an 8 minute ride back, barring any issues. We were at Planet Watch once and they had an issue with the train, and shut them down to fix it. We basically were trapped there until they got it fixed, so we wound up waiting over half an hour. There were lots of people behind us too, so not everyone got on the first train, as the crowd wanting to go back had grown while the train was down. Actually, it seems like we did not make the cut off for the first train and had to wait about 10 minutes for the next one (they run 2), so it may have been closer to an hour. I remember being irritated that we were basically trapped and stuck there losing park time. Probably doesn't happen often, but it does happen, so I wouldn't risk the Tusker House ADR.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I'm not exactly sure what time it opens. We went straight to the Safari & then were told that the 1st train was coming if we wanted to ride it. We hadn't even planned on it but were so happy we did. We got a bunch of pictures with the characters while the train was still at the station & then Rafiki got on & sat next to my son.

 

[WDWRook]

Jumping on instead of starting a new post.

We have never been to the Planet Watch, Rafiki, Conservation, etc, but we plan to this trip. We will also be there for an EMH day opening at 8am. Our plan is to Rope Drop NRJ, poke around a bit, then go to the Safari at around 9am, then to the Planet Watch and Rafiki meet stuff. How long does it take to get through the attractions there? Is an hour adequate or not enough time? Our next stops are the Lion King at either 11am or 12am, followed by Lunch at Flame Tree (walking through the Discovery Island Trails that were not open last time).
It would be nice if they open before the stated 10am. Also, my kids will be 7 and 11. Is that too old for that area?

 

[ghtx]

Jumping on instead of starting a new post.

We have never been to the Planet Watch, Rafiki, Conservation, etc, but we plan to this trip. We will also be there for an EMH day opening at 8am. Our plan is to Rope Drop NRJ, poke around a bit, then go to the Safari at around 9am, then to the Planet Watch and Rafiki meet stuff. How long does it take to get through the attractions there? Is an hour adequate or not enough time? Our next stops are the Lion King at either 11am or 12am, followed by Lunch at Flame Tree (walking through the Discovery Island Trails that were not open last time).
It would be nice if they open before the stated 10am. Also, my kids will be 7 and 11. Is that too old for that area?

I think that an hour should be enough. There are a few wildlife/veterinary exhibits to look through, plus meeting the characters if you want to do that or visiting the petting zoo if you want to do that. I think that your kids might be on the older end (especially the 11-year-old) of the target audience, but they still should like it.