Friend hasn't been to WDW since 1999: AK or DHS?

GBBTomorrow

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 6, 2009
Hi! I have the great opportunity to take a friend to WDW for three days this fall. She has only been to WDW once, and she was in grade school at the time. We're going to Not-So-Scary and Food & Wine. Those were no-brainers (especially MNSSHP, since Halloween is her favorite thing). The question is Day Three. First I thought DHS to see Galaxy's Edge, but the more I think about it I am coming to believe that Animal Kingdom would be a better choice.

Here are my reasons:
  • AK might be better because it is "finished." (I know...Walt said the parks would never be finished, but you know what I mean.)
  • AK has a great, easy vibe that would be less likely to overwhelm a newbie: it's not such a commando with a plan park; you can stroll and take things at your leisure.
  • While I'm dying to see Galaxy's Edge, do I really want to subject someone who has only been one time many years ago to the chaos of standing in crazy lines?
  • Right now, with so much still developing at DHS, AK is massively better themed and a much more immersive experience.
  • At AK, you don't have to pay extra for the cool things, like it sounds like will be the case in Galaxy's Edge.
  • Even though the thrill rides at DHS are actually amazing, AK really does hold its own in this regard. I LOVE FOP and Everest, and even Dinosaur is good fun.
  • There's baby Grace, the world's most adorable gorilla....maybe that's enough reason right there.
What do you think? Why?

Thanks!
 
I agree wholeheartedly.
AK is a close second behind MK for me. Okay, nothing will ever take MK from first... too many millions of memories 🥰
AK: It’s a fun park with yummy eats ( Yak n Yeti) , great rides, great theater.. lion king!!! Ohhh and the Animals and trail., love this park!
Enjoy whatever you choose!!
 


If you ever want to go to Disney world with her again, then I’d suggest AK.

I’m thinking the crowds are going to be overwhelming in SWGE, in fact we are preparing to not even go to DHS at all in October. We’re worried about the whole park feeling swamped and over crowded. We’ll know more when it opens in August!
 
I say AK as well! I just went on a trip with my friend who hadn't been since early 2000s when she was a teenager and she was so impressed with AK this time! She was skeptical because she remembers not liking it as a teenager, but it's definitely a great change of pace from the other parks. And definitely stop in at Nomad Lounge for drinks!!
 
Animal Kingdom, hands down. I agree with pretty much all of your reasoning that you listed. Make sure to be there in the evening for her to see the tree of life and pandora. It has such a cool energy, from drummers and dancing, to the laid back vibe. Now that HS has changed the Tiers to the rides, I think it makes it less appealing. I think you would be waiting in a lot of lines, which would be a buzz kill for a newbie. I think you would get to have more experiences at AK.
 


Animal Kingdom without a doubt! You have FOP, delicious food, quiet places to get away from the crowds! It's honestly my fave though to be fair I haven't seen galaxy's edge yet.
 
If you ever want to go to Disney world with her again, then I’d suggest AK.

I’m thinking the crowds are going to be overwhelming in SWGE, in fact we are preparing to not even go to DHS at all in October. We’re worried about the whole park feeling swamped and over crowded. We’ll know more when it opens in August!

I was thinking the same thing. DHS is going to be a madhouse.
 
I agree: AK. Although I could ride ToT and RnRC the whole day and I like the shows at DHS more, AK is as a whole the much better park.
 
Just came back. We spent an hour in HS and then bolted. The crowds were insane and the lines were long at 8am. I can't imagine how bad they will be after GE.

LOVE AK!
 
AK - even on crowded days it’s still a relaxing atmosphere. Shade with all the trees is so nice, where as at HS, though I love it there as well, I always feel exhausted by the sun pretty quickly.
 
Agreed-AK. HS Fast passes have been almost impossible to get (good ones at least) for my trip this month and that’s just during passholder previews.
 
Another vote for AK. I went to DHS recently for the first time and was not impressed at all. I did like the Beauty and the Beast show, though. The actor who played Gaston was great!!!
 
AK! And this coming from a guy who has visited SWGE on the west coast, and whose favorite ride is ToT. DHS is not going to do well with the crowds. And AK is so wonderful. It was the main thing we missed about WDW while visiting DLR this past June.
 
I think between the attractions and after hours shows, I feel that HS has the sum of the better rides even though AK has probably the best ride in Flight of Passage.

HS: TOT, RnRC, TSM, ST, SDR
AK: FOP, EE, Safari

But AK has the better restaurants.

If I could do a park hopper and get FOP, EE & Safari done by lunch time, have lunch in AK, I would then go over to HS and bang out the park and watch the Star Wars or Fantasmic.
 

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