We went to Animal Kingdom today and it was fairly busy. It was an Extra Magic Morning for resort guests (which we were not) and we were held at the entrance until about 5 minutes before opening. But because we are strategic on our Animal Kingdom days, the crowds didn’t get in our way. Here is how we were able to ride all major attractions in Animal Kingdom by 11:30 and some we even did twice!
Get to the parks before opening – That is the key tip here. You can’t ride all the major attractions if you don’t get to the park early. We got to the park at 8:20 but were let in the gates at 8:55 AM because we were not resort guests.
Head straight to Expedition Everest – Kilimanjaro Safari is the main crowd drawer at opening. Instead, head straight to Expedition Everest. If your kids are older than 7, consider jumping in the single rider line. You won’t sit by each other but you are usually in the vicinity of one another. Jason and Emily didn’t need to use it today and were able to ride it twice in 15 minutes.
Your next stop is Primeval Whirl – Take a spin or two on this carnival style rollercoaster. We were able to ride it twice within a 15 minute time span because the crowds were still at Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Jump in line for Triceratop Spin – If you have little ones, this is a must do! You can usually find it with no wait if you visit in the first hour.
Head to DINOSAUR – Test your luck on if you’ll be able to bring a dinosaur back from the Crustaceous period on this fast moving dark ride. We had this one finished by 10 AM
Kali River Rapids – I recommend you book a Fastpass for this attraction for 9:30 – 10:30 AM. The line was also 5 minutes long when we got there at 10:05 AM. It was still faster for us to go through the Fastpass lane.
Kilimanjaro Safaris – Finally head to Africa for your ride through the savanna. I recommend you book a Fastpass for 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM. This is where we found the crowds and it had a posted wait time of 60 minutes!
Once you finish all the headliners, that leaves the rest of your day free for dining, shows and exploring the trails. Or, consider heading to Pandora – World of Avatar next. I suggest following these morning plans and having an afternoon Fastpass+ for Avatar- Flight of Passage waiting for you once the park gets busier during the afternoon.
This is a tactic that we have used for a few years and it works great! I hope it helps you too. Wave at us if you see our family.
Learn more about planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Plus overwhelmed with all the planning? Destinations in Florida can help you plan your perfect trip.
