Reluctantly joining the "I hate Animal Kingdom" club...

[ChrisFL]

My family and I were there last week (during Spring Break) and I originally planned to go early Thursday morning. While having dinner at Boma's on Wednesday night, my daughter suggested that we head over to Animal Kingdom since we were so close. I originally resisted (since we wouldn't arrive at the park until 6:30ish), but finally thought "what the heck"....

That works, IF it is open past 5PM which most times it is not.

 

[lecach]

My inlaws who are coming with us just to see DS experience his first trip have refused to go to AK with us. I haven't had the best of experience there but I do want to ride Everest and I think DS will like Bug and the Safari. We don't have a ton planned that day. We do have hoppers so if it's too miserable we can leave.

 

[catne]

Have to side with those who like AK...been there in the past (before EE) and liked it then, too. In May, we were there at rope drop, followed the touring advice of the UG, and did everything we wanted by 12:30...ate lunch, saw FOTLK, and left. Did not have any trouble with the crowds (and yes, there were huge crowds on the path exiting FOTLK ahead of our entry...but when you have a sea of humanity heading at you from an attraction exit, step aside for 15-20 seconds, and they're gone...really, there will still be plenty of seats while you wait cuz all those people are leaving, you know!) I guess if you're pushing a stoller & trying to keep track of multiple rugrats, it might be more difficult, but as a group of adults/teens we sure didn't have the problems other posters are talking about. It was getting crowded & hot as we left, but our experience is that every theme park gets hot & crowded by 1:00 or so...that's why we follow the advice of the UG and get outta there by early afternoon for a rest & swim. We are going to try the EMH evening hours at AK this year...hear very good things about it.

 

[centurythree]

I kinda like AK. But I'm usually there when there are low crowds and it's fairly cool. I'm nervous about going this September when it will be hot and humid everywhere, much less at AK.

 

[funhouse8]

I have to agree. We love AK but the walkways have to be fixed. It seems Everypath you take you wind up back at the tree along with the rest of the guests. They should really look into fixing this problem before it gets worse.

 

[ILVPOOH]

I'm another member of the "I Hate Animal Kingdom Club". I'm glad actually, because it gives me more time to spend in the other parks. We don't waste time at AK anymore.

 

[luvmylittleboy2003]

Hmmm....we love AK and don't care much for MGM (yes I called it MGM ), but, my brother and his family didn't like AK at all - I guess its one of those 'to each their own' deals .

 

[ellenmiele]

I used to feel this way. In fact, we had many trips to WDW where we skipped AK. But over the past few years it has grown on me. We stayed at AKL once and ever since that I feel differently about AK. I think it's because on that trip we learned alot about what Disney has done there for wildlife and conservation. And the kids discovered KRR! That said, EPCOT and MK are our #1 and #2 faves, but if we have to pick a #3, it's AK. If we have to skip a park, we'll skip DHS.

 

[Karnak]

... All the other parks could be designed specifically for crowd flow and ease of getting from one place to the other ...

I must respectfully disagree with the above part of your post. True, the Animal Kingdom is difficult to negotiate, probably because they let too many people in and also because the pathways are way too narrow; but I do not agree that the Studios might be designed for crowd flow. That park is a mess in terms of layout, with dead ends, and a park map that is worse than useless. And, unlike the Animal Kingdom where there might be an excuse for the layout, there is no such excuse for the Studios.

Karnak

 

[eliza61]

...if there is such a club?

By lunch time that day I was near tears, I was so frazzled. We left a short time later, and I swore that I would never go back.

Last year I had done enough research here and at TGM that I felt like I had a better handle on how do do AK, so I decided we'd give it another try. It was a better day, but still frustrating and exhausting for all of us.

This year, I debated and debated about just skipping it all together. I mean we do LOVE Everest and the Safari. So, we decided to go this past Wednesday. Within an hour, I was regretting that decision.


I was pushed and shoved and nearly lost my kids trying to get into see FotLK and the Cast members were doing a piss-poor job of directing people to the seats. Getting into that area before the show was horrible as the entire pathway into Camp minnie-mickie was turned into a one way sea of people trying to get out after the last show. Really, where are the cast members directing traffic?

This park is WAY worse than any others for people just stopping dead in their tracks in the middle of the path to check their maps. I ran into so many people it wasn't even funny. I know its because it is so damn confusing to get around...but still, why can't people at least try to get over to the side of the road before coming to a complete standstill?

:

Ok, I'm dissenting here. You were in near tears over a park? I agree the pathways into AK are very narrow and leave a lot to be desired but when they get too congested, I stand to the side and wait for the crowds to pass.
Same thing with the festival of the lion King. I never stand in the crowd but generally hang back a bit to let the first wave pass. The seating is great no matter where you sit so no need to be the front person. The only time I really hate is when the parade starts. Not that confusing to get around, find the big tree of life and go in a circle. I absolutely agree about the heat though, I think the vegatation just makes it 30 degree hotter in that park.
Unfortunately people letting their kids piss and rudeness are every where. I went to Philadelphia last weekend and this women was letting her son take a leak up against Constitution center.

 

[abcboys]

We are going for our first trip next month. Animal kingdom was going to be our first day but I'm starting to wonder if we should skip in and just do Blizzard Beach that day? There are a few things I want to do at AK but it wouldn't bother me to miss them. I've never been to animal kingdom before. Would I really miss it if I didn't go? We have reservations at Rainforest cafe in the afternnon so I would have to go there anyway. Is AK really that "bad"? You all are scaring me. My boys ages are 9,6,2

 

[luvmylittleboy2003]

We are going for our first trip next month. Animal kingdom was going to be our first day but I'm starting to wonder if we should skip in and just do Blizzard Beach that day? There are a few things I want to do at AK but it wouldn't bother me to miss them. I've never been to animal kingdom before. Would I really miss it if I didn't go? We have reservations at Rainforest cafe in the afternnon so I would have to go there anyway. Is AK really that "bad"? You all are scaring me. My boys ages are 9,6,2

I don't think its 'bad' at all, my ds was 4 when we went last year and he loved it, better than Hollywood Studios (or MGM as I still call it)!! I can't compare it to Blizzard Beach because we didn't do that, so, maybe someone else can help you there.

 

[#1 Pocahontas]

I love Animal Kingdom! I do however, HATE, HATE, HATE how the parade seems to trap you. You can get to certain spots where you are traped with no way out and you have to wait until the parade ends and then you are stuck in a sea of people doing the penguin walk just trying to move anywhere.

 

[photobob]

We are going for our first trip next month. Animal kingdom was going to be our first day but I'm starting to wonder if we should skip in and just do Blizzard Beach that day? There are a few things I want to do at AK but it wouldn't bother me to miss them. I've never been to animal kingdom before. Would I really miss it if I didn't go? We have reservations at Rainforest cafe in the afternnon so I would have to go there anyway. Is AK really that "bad"? You all are scaring me. My boys ages are 9,6,2

Go to Animal Kingdom and have a great time. People who don't care for things are always far more vocal than those that do. AK is like any of the other parks, you need to go with a plan. We try not to miss any of the parks on our trips and AK is no exception. I usually don't spend as much time at AK as I do Epcot or MK but I still don't want to miss it..

 

[PoohsFan1]

We have only been to AK once back in 2005 when we went with my DSis and her family, they have gone before many times, but this was our first. We only went for half day and saw the Dinoland USA and then went over to ride the safari. The only reason why I was dissappointed was not because of AK, but because my DSis and her family kept rushing us therefore we were unable to really see and do everything. However, I did tell DH that I do want to return to AK the next time we return to Disney so we can really enjoy the park, minus my DSis and family .

 

[beattyfamily]

I don't hate it but it is my least favorite park and we have skipped it on a couple of trips but now that they added EE, we get there for at least a couple of hours. We love EE and the Lion King show.

 

[GuardMusic]

I completely agree. I've been to AK twice and I'm done with it.

This park doesn't "feel" like it was designed by anyone even remotely related to the other parks. It is the largest park by land, but feels incredibly small.

The path to actually get into the park and up to the Tree of Life is too long, boring, winding, & hilly, especially when I have an elderly parent with me.

The Safari is literally back-jarring and nearly impossible to capture pictures. Last time we made the mistake of going to Rafiki's Planet Watch. After a ridiculously long & slow train ride, we arrived at something barely more than a petting zoo.

The only ride at AK I even remotely like I Primevil Whirl, which I swear I will never ride again. We did like Festival of the Lion King, but it's not enough to get us to go back. It's far too difficult to get around this park and I find the food offerings unattractive. I also have no desire to ride Expedition Everest. I'm glad other people like it, so they stay out of the other parks. Finally, there are no signature evening events at this park. I guess I'm just a Disney traditionalist.

We're headed back to WDW in Dec. We'd like to see the new Nemo show, but that's not enough to take that long trip out to AK. Our plan for the week is set and there isn't even a hint of AK on it. As far we're concerned AK doesn't even exist.

Gayle

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

We have been to AK twice and we really only like the Lion King show. So, we are going to see it the first day there and get it over with, then we will concentrate our efforts on the other 3 parks. We just don't like AK, its not for us, we like MK and DHS better, much more stuff for our girls.

 

[hart6066]

we were AK this past Jan--think it was Jan 3--it was the day that the HIGH in Orlando was 35 degrees!! I have to tell you that we nearly FROZE to death there that day!! We are from MA, and even with our jackets, knit hats and gloves my daughter cried her eyes out saying her toes were frozen at rope drop!! I had to go in and buy several of the Mickey athletic socks and try to cram them in her little shoes (she just turned 3)--my husband even tried to put his heavy gloves over her feet but she kept crying saying that gloves were for hands and not for feet!!

We now do a day split between AK and AKL--we go to AK at rope drop, stay for lunch--it was WAY too cold to do Flame Tree this year, and we were VERY pleasantly surprised by Pizzafari (though I would suggest you get one of the hot sandwiches instead of pizza). Then we head over to AKL and walk around, do some of the activities, and sometimes stay for dinner at Boma. I think the problem is that you can't go to AK thinking about rides--it's sort of like EPCOT WS--some rides, but more soak up the flavor and hang out. It's not a whole day, but as long as I was at Disney for about 4 days, I wouldn't miss it!

 

[EltonJohn]

I saw one family send their little boy into the bushes near everest to pee! Seriously, we have BATHROOMS in the country....USE THEM! I'm not joking, this really happened!

Why didn't you inform a CM then?