I've had better luck with viewing animals in the morning than in the evening. I was excited about seeing the Painted Dogs that they introduced when they extended the Safari operating hours into the evening, but they were in the den sleeping when we went in the evening, during the day they had been running around. Apparently they didn't get the memo that they were evening entertainers. I still had fun, it is worth doing any time of day. I would however recommend arriving a bit earlier if this is the only day you have at AK. Check the show times online for your dates, specifically for Finding Nemo the Musical, and Festival of the Lion King both are indoors and the last show was at 5PM and 6 PM respectively in February. The Maharajah and Gorilla Trails closed at 7pm. The Gorilla's that we're very active at park opening we're no were to be seen at 5Pm, but each day is a different story. The trails around the Tree of Life are open until park close. My kids enjoyed finding and identifying the animals carved into the tree. The Winged Encounters last showing is at 3:30 in front of the Tree. It doesn't last long but it is impressive if you don't have a bird phobia. A large group of parrots fly freely around the tree then swoop over the crowd and come to roost on a nearby perch. Up a Bird Adventure last showing was 5PM but that is outdoor bleachers. You are wise to recognize the importance of down time. I would select the items that would fit your families interests, but bear in mind that Disney gives the animals a big area to roam and rest away from the crowds, so sometimes the animal experiences are unbelievable and other times they're a bust. My family just cracks a joke and moves on it's all about togetherness and managing expectations and I'm not one that has the luxury of going often, so I make the best of the hand that is dealt.