AK Itinerary Help

[Haley R]

I know this is a lot to look through, but if anyone has any thoughts please let me know! We haven't been to AK since the addition of Pandora. Last time we went (2 years ago) we were done by 12-1 in the afternoon. I'm worried my plan might have too much backtracking and not enough time for a break in the evening.

*park hours: 9 am-8 pm
Animal Kingdom Schedule

• Get to bus stop by 6:40-6:50 am
• Check in for breakfast as early as possible (ADR 8:30 am-hopefully check in by 8)
• Go to Africa and ride Kilimanjaro Safaris (Africa)
• Expedition Everest (Asia)
• It’s Tough to Be a Bug (Discovery Island)
  
• Flight of Passage (Pandora) FP-10:50 am
• Meet characters or gorilla trail
• Festival of the Lion King (starts at 12 pm, get in line around 11:40)
• Kali River Rapids-Asia (bring ponchos/flip flops) FP 1:05-2:05
• Take short break/get lunch
• Got to Dinosaurland to ride Primeval Whirl
• DINOSAUR
• Finding Nemo the Musical-Dinosaurland FP 2:30 pm (show goes from 3-3:40)
• Meet characters or do rafiki
• Dinner at Flame Tree Barbecue-Discovery Island (quick service)
• Rivers of Light-7:15 pm (show up 60 minutes early)
  
• Ride Navi in pandora

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I know this is a lot to look through, but if anyone has any thoughts please let me know! We haven't been to AK since the addition of Pandora. Last time we went (2 years ago) we were done by 12-1 in the afternoon. I'm worried my plan might have too much backtracking and not enough time for a break in the evening.

*park hours: 9 am-8 pm
Animal Kingdom Schedule

• Get to bus stop by 6:40-6:50 am
• Check in for breakfast as early as possible (ADR 8:30 am)
• Go to Pandora and ride Na'vi River Journey
• Kilimanjaro Safaris (Africa)
• Expedition Everest (Asia)
• Flight of Passage (Pandora) FP-10:50 am
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch (Africa)
• Festival of the Lion King (starts at 12 pm, get in line earlier)
• Kali River Rapids-Asia (bring ponchos/flip flops) FP 1:05-2:05
• Got to Dinosaurland to ride Primeval Whirl
• DINOSAUR
• Finding Nemo the Musical-Dinosaurland FP 2:30 pm (show starts at 3pm)
• Go to Discovery Island for It’s Tough to Be a Bug
• Go back to hotel for break?
• Dinner at Flame Tree Barbecue-Discovery Island (quick service)
• Rivers of Light-7:15 pm (show up early)

Are you staying at AKL? That's really tight to return to your resort for a break. May as well stay at that point. Are you really set on Nemo? It's a take it or leave it for me, I'd rather use the FP for Dinosaur or the Safari.

 

[ChristineOH]

Is your ADR at Tusker House? It will hinder riding Na'vi at rope drop. You will have a hard time getting out in time, and unless they've changed the procedure, you have to walk around to where all the rope drop people are, and you'll be behind everyone. If you were able to get seated at 8:00, you might be fine to ride Na'vi at 9:00, just know you'll be dealing with the crowds.

I'd say you won't have time for Rafiki's and you won't have time for a break. Nemo is 40 minutes. If you really want a break, maybe go after Dinosaur. Also, you won't need a FP for Nemo unless it's really busy, so you may want to make that for Dinosaur or PW. You can change that day of as needed.

 

[rteetz]

Have you thought about the rivers of light dining package? Saves you time on having to show up for the show early and really doesn’t add on any cost if you’re eating at Tusker house already.

 

[twoolle]

I also don' think there' s time for Rafikis. And maybe trade the Nemo FP for Lion King?

 

[FCDub]

That breakfast is not going to do you any favors in terms of getting to Pandora. It's going to put you at a disadvantage, really.

 

[Haley R]

Are you staying at AKL? That's really tight to return to your resort for a break. May as well stay at that point. Are you really set on Nemo? It's a take it or leave it for me, I'd rather use the FP for Dinosaur or the Safari.

No we are staying at Pop. I’m not set on Nemo but I originally had dinosaur and someone told me to switch to Nemo. I didn’t think we would need a FP the Safari since we will be doing it in the morning.

 

[Haley R]

Is your ADR at Tusker House? It will hinder riding Na'vi at rope drop. You will have a hard time getting out in time, and unless they've changed the procedure, you have to walk around to where all the rope drop people are, and you'll be behind everyone. If you were able to get seated at 8:00, you might be fine to ride Na'vi at 9:00, just know you'll be dealing with the crowds.

I'd say you won't have time for Rafiki's and you won't have time for a break. Nemo is 40 minutes. If you really want a break, maybe go after Dinosaur. Also, you won't need a FP for Nemo unless it's really busy, so you may want to make that for Dinosaur or PW. You can change that day of as needed.

Yes it’s at tusker house. I was told we could check in and be seated as early as 8 with an 8:30 adr. I’m hoping this is true.

I’ve never actually done rafikis. I just kind of threw it in if we have time and my niece wants to do it. It’s definitely not on my list of must dos.

 

[Haley R]

Have you thought about the rivers of light dining package? Saves you time on having to show up for the show early and really doesn’t add on any cost if you’re eating at Tusker house already.

I originally had the ROL package at 10:35 but was able to move my FP for fop up from 5:40 to 10:50. I’d much rather have that early of a FP than my ROL package. I’ve been looking but all I could get was a normal adr at th. I’ve been trying to move my fop a little later but haven’t had any luck.

 

[Haley R]

That breakfast is not going to do you any favors in terms of getting to Pandora. It's going to put you at a disadvantage, really.

I didn’t book the breakfast in hopes of getting to Pandora. We already have a FP for fop and Navi doesn’t interest me that much. We might just ride Navi after ROL. Should we go straight to the Safari after our breakfast then instead?

 

[ChristineOH]

I didn’t book the breakfast in hopes of getting to Pandora. We already have a FP for fop and Navi doesn’t interest me that much. We might just ride Navi after ROL. Should we go straight to the Safari after our breakfast then instead?

That's sounds like a better idea! You might have time for Rafiki's then? (I've never done it either.)

 

[ChristineOH]

Also, after you've used your FP, and you're 4th if you're interested in that, look for RoL FP. With some refreshing, you can scoop them up one by one as people cancel them. It's pretty easy since you don't have to worry about getting overlapping windows or anything like that. They're all the same.

 

[Haley R]

That's sounds like a better idea! You might have time for Rafiki's then? (I've never done it either.)

Okay I think we will do the Safari after breakfast then go to ee. Thanks!

 

[Haley R]

I went back and edited my plans so hopefully they look somewhat better. I think I will keep the Nemo FP for now.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

You may have a good bit of time after EE before your FoP FP start time and be able to fit in It's Tough to Be A Bug or character meet in between.

Also, it takes some time to get to Rafiki's Planet Watch, it's not so likely to get there, spend time with the animals, get back and over to the Lion King theater early for the 12p show.

 

[g-dad66]

Safari to Everest and back to Flight of Passage is a whole lot of walking. Also, the wait time for Everest could be fairly long by the time you get there.

Here's a possible alternative plan if you can switch out your Nemo FP (which isn't really necessary) for an Everest FP:

9:30 Finish breakfast and try to do Navi (possibly a 30-minute wait or so)
10:15 Safari
10:50 Flight of Passage FP
11:20 No way to fit Rafikis in, but might do the Gorilla Trail (also gives some breathing room if Navi/Safari/FoP take longer than expected)
11:40 Arrive for Lion King show
12:00 Lion King
12:45 Everest FP (if you can switch out the Nemo FP for a 12:00-1:00 Everest FP)

Then you would have to try to fit in the rest (Kali, Primeval Whirl, Dinosaur, Tough to Be a Bug) around the 2:30 Nemo show time (probably need to arrive there by 2:10). and I'm not sure where lunch fits into this scheme of things. Think you'll definitely have to cut some things out to be able to take a break.

You might want to reconsider the idea of taking a break. Even if you leave right after Nemo at 3:00, you probably need to be back by 6:00 for dinner and early arrival to Rivers of Light. We find that travel time for an afternoon break usually eats up about an hour each way, so your rest time might not be much more than an hour long.

 

[Haley R]

You may have a good bit of time after EE before your FoP FP start time and be able to fit in It's Tough to Be A Bug or character meet in between.

Also, it takes some time to get to Rafiki's Planet Watch, it's not so likely to get there, spend time with the animals, get back and over to the Lion King theater early for the 12p show.

Do you think a 9 yo will even like rafikis?

 

[Haley R]

Safari to Everest and back to Flight of Passage is a whole lot of walking. Also, the wait time for Everest could be fairly long by the time you get there.

Here's a possible alternative plan if you can switch out your Nemo FP (which isn't really necessary) for an Everest FP:

9:30 Finish breakfast and try to do Navi (possibly a 30-minute wait or so)
10:15 Safari
10:50 Flight of Passage FP
11:20 No way to fit Rafikis in, but might do the Gorilla Trail (also gives some breathing room if Navi/Safari/FoP take longer than expected)
11:40 Arrive for Lion King show
12:00 Lion King
12:45 Everest FP (if you can switch out the Nemo FP for a 12:00-1:00 Everest FP)

Then you would have to try to fit in the rest (Kali, Primeval Whirl, Dinosaur, Tough to Be a Bug) around the 2:30 Nemo show time (probably need to arrive there by 2:10). and I'm not sure where lunch fits into this scheme of things. Think you'll definitely have to cut some things out to be able to take a break.

You might want to reconsider the idea of taking a break. Even if you leave right after Nemo at 3:00, you probably need to be back by 6:00 for dinner and early arrival to Rivers of Light. We find that travel time for an afternoon break usually eats up about an hour each way, so your rest time might not be much more than an hour long.

The FP for Nemo is at 2:30 but the show isn’t actually until 3:00-3:40. So we wouldn’t be done with that until 3:40.

I completely forgot about lunch. I think we were planning on just bringing some granola bars and using our snack credits so we can save our qs for dinner.

I think we will save Navi for after ROL since we will have time for that. It seems easier to go to the Safari since it’s right by th. We are pretty used to walking all over so not too worried about going from safari to ee to fop.
Thanks!

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Do you think a 9 yo will even like rafikis?

My son is 6yo and loves it, my nieces were 7 and 8 when we went last year and also really enjoyed it.

 

[Haley R]

My son is 6yo and loves it, my nieces were 7 and 8 when we went last year and also really enjoyed it.

What all is there to do there?