Which AK plan would you do?

[SFMommy]

A am debating between these two plans for our AK day:

1. Sleep-in after IllumiNations night. AK from approximately 11-6. Dinner at Sanaa in AKL. (I'm worried about being sweaty and gross at dinner after walking around AK all day.)

2. Rope drop AK. AK from approximately 9-3. Back to resort for swimming, rest, change, dinner near our resort that night. Go to dinner at Sanaa another night, probably after our KSC or HS day, going back to our resort to clean up before dinner.

Thanks!

 

[minnie mum]

Neither.

I'd RD AK and stay till you're done. It's easy to knock off the headliners in the morning, then see the shows and do the inside attractions in the heat of the afternoon. Go back to the resort ( you don't mention whether you are onsite or off, or if you will have a car) and then go to AKL for dinner. If you have a car, then drive to dinner.

 

[Hootch]

Is Illuminations at 9:00 the previous night?

I would do two if at all possible. I think you will enjoy your dinner more.

 

[SFMommy]

We will have a car. And if we RD AK we will not do it after a late night...we would choose a different day. Thanks!

 

[kollerbear]

I think 2-- I think that if you do 1 you might end up being stuck in AK during some of the hottest part of the day but feel obligated to hang around even if you're not feeling it anymore just because your ADR is coming up. I LOVE AK, so I think there is plenty to do there, I just know that the burn out there can happen kind of suddenly.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I would say it depends on how you feel about rope drop.

Our last trip we did several sleep in mornings and it was wonderful (we did a few rope drops also)

On our AK day we did your #1, except we ate at Boma. It was wonderful, the park really clears out in the afternoon as the rope drop crowd thins out. We were hot and sweaty as you fear, but we used the restrooms at AKL to wash up a bit and were good to go.

 

[DisneyCAL]

If you were worried about sleep then do #1, roll up a fresh shirt in a ziploc with deodorant and maybe some body spray and freshen up in a bathroom before dinner.
If you aren't worried about sleep from the night before then do #2 especially since thunderstorms like to roll in in the afternoon. Maybe do a late lunch at Sanaa instead then head back to hotel to rest. A lot of reviews say that menus aren't that much different there btw lunch and dinner and depending on the time of year it may get dark during your dinner then the view isn't much.
We plan on doing a RD at AK until 1pm, lunch at sanaa then hotel to swim/rest/shower up before dinner in Epcot. But I think either plan would work for you, just have to think about how to make whichever way you choose work well.

 

[SFMommy]

I think 2-- I think that if you do 1 you might end up being stuck in AK during some of the hottest part of the day but feel obligated to hang around even if you're not feeling it anymore just because your ADR is coming up. I LOVE AK, so I think there is plenty to do there, I just know that the burn out there can happen kind of suddenly.

This is what I am worried about. It is 4:00 p.m. and we are hot, tired and DONE. But we have a 6:00 ADR so we feel "stuck" there. It's so hard to know how we are going to feel at 4:00 p.m. on a day in May 2016!!! Aack!

 

[Accident]

A am debating between these two plans for our AK day!

The animals are more active in the morning and that park is really hot with nowhere to escape when the noon sun comes out. Unless we didn't feel like waking up, we always go and leave early.

 

[kollerbear]

This is what I am worried about. It is 4:00 p.m. and we are hot, tired and DONE. But we have a 6:00 ADR so we feel "stuck" there. It's so hard to know how we are going to feel at 4:00 p.m. on a day in May 2016!!! Aack!

Yeah, I mean, worst case scenario, if that DOES happen, just leave and go to AKL early. There are some nice places in Kidani Village to just go and hang out, watch the animals, get some air conditioning. The shops there are neat too (the one at Jambo House is better, though). At 5, when Sanaa opens (I think it's 5?) ask if you can be seated early.

The park is less crowded first thing in the morning and towards the end of the day. If you think you could fit in what you want to do, you could even arrive later than 11. Or, go at opening, then take a break in your hotel after a couple of hours, and return at the end of the day--maybe around 2:30 or 3. Then head over to Sanaa afterwards.

 

[Fizban]

A am debating between these two plans for our AK day:

1. Sleep-in after IllumiNations night. AK from approximately 11-6. Dinner at Sanaa in AKL. (I'm worried about being sweaty and gross at dinner after walking around AK all day.)

2. Rope drop AK. AK from approximately 9-3. Back to resort for swimming, rest, change, dinner near our resort that night. Go to dinner at Sanaa another night, probably after our KSC or HS day, going back to our resort to clean up before dinner.

Thanks!

If you're worried about sweaty and gross hit the showers first. You should do rope drop as AK closes early.

 

[Boo Bear]

Plan #2 for sure!