Guess on touring time--Animal Kingdom with no kids About This Page:

[Courtney892]

We are going to Animal Kingdom and Epcot on Feb 1 with no children which we have never done before. The original reason for doing this is that Everest was not open on our last trip. As we've been going through the PP, we are realizing how many things we have missed by planning our AK days around kiddie interests. Our plan to run into AK real quick is growing to ridiculous proportions.

Right now it looks something like this: Get there early for the Adventure Begins show, Everest first, Safari, River Rapids, Bug's Life, Dinosaur, and Primeval Whirl are the top choices and all have fastpass. We also want to see the Finding Nemo show and the Parade if we don't have to go our of our way to view it.

Because the things we want to do are so spread out and because I have never found the AK passports (though I have heard rumors of their existence for years. Does the Oasis shop have them??) I figure hitting Camp Minnie Mickey will give us photo opportunties and something to do in that area of the park to get my passport stamp. If there is time, hubby has never been to Planet Watch or the Exploration Trail. We will be several energetic adults on this trip, so someone can run over and get everyone fast passes while the rest do bathroom breaks, wait in other lines, etc.

The only reason it really matters how long we are in AK is because I want to make ADRs for lunch. I was planning to get them at Coral Reef @ Epcot since we haven't eaten there yet, and we want to be sure to do the Living Seas since it was closed the last time hubby was there. (I go about twice as often as he does because I help my mom take the grandkids down for various trips in between our trips.) When he is there we try to concentrate on things he may not have seen yet or has not done at all.

Since we are only there one day and it is going to be commando day, we aren't planning a lot of meals. I couldn't get ADRs at Le Cellier for dinner which is our first choice ALWAYS, so we are thinking of munching around the world at dinner time. Meal planning right now is coffee/Pastries @ Kusafiri cart in AK (Africa) which should work since the Safari is our second choice of activity, Lunch at Coral Reef around 1:30-2, dinner as we are hungry, and dessert and margaritas @ the Cantina in Mexico for Illuminations. Night EMH for Epcot should make all our ride preferences realistic.

Suggestions on the do-ability of this plan before I try to get ADRs at Coral Reef? If it wasn't usually a quiet time at Disney, I probably wouldn't try this, but we did something similar at the F&W festival in 05 touring the MK first, and it worked out very well.

[TinkerBelts]

Given that it's just adults and a lower crowd season, with a late lunch, I think it is probably possible. I always find that we tend to tour AK rather quickly. Good luck!

[chezp]

I would say if you're going to hit all those attractions and the Finding Nemo show, that will take much of your day up. They advise lining up for Finding Nemo about 45 minutes beforehand and we could see why, as there were big crowds when we saw it - and that was one of the quieter weeks in December. You probably need to allow at least an hour and a quarter just for that show for lining up beforehand and seeing it.

[Courtney892]

Yikes! I don't think there are any shows that I want to see that badly! I guess that is one thing we can mark out if the crowd levels are similar to what you experienced. Thanks for the info.

[Sue M.]

I can spend the entire day at AK or at least until 3 or 4:00. Aren't you seeing Lion King? Also, the forest trails are worth exploring & flights of wonder. I would say, make dinner ADR's at Epcot as it's open late for EMH. And do counter service for lunch at AK. We like Flame Tree & I read good reviews on Yak & Yeti counter service.
Good luck!

[Courtney892]

We've seen Lion King about 4 or 5 times with the kids. We all agreed that we like it a lot, but don't really need to do it again. Tarzan Rocks was still there last time I was at AK, so we wanted to see the new Nemo show that took it's place. My mom just took my nephew for his turn to go alone in early Decemeber, and she saw the new show so unless she thought it was the most fabulous show ever I am not going to spend 1 1/2 hours on it (or force her to). We'll definitely be back with the kids at some point and they will want to see it, so I'm willing to wait. Also, the entire Living Seas including the Turtle Talk show was closed when hubby was there last, so he wants to see that one. One Nemo show per visit is ok with me

Same things with the forest trails I have seen them all pretty thoroughly with the kids. Hubby somehow missed the gorilla one, so we are going to try to see it this time. Lunch ressies at Epcot are at 2pm, so I guess we'll just see all we can see until then. I am not sure if I have been to Planet Watch, our family was pretty much bored to death at Conservation Station, but it sounds like it has been improved. If I can find the passport, I am sure we'll need to run out there at least for a stamp.

I like you idea of staying at AK and having dinner at Epcot I tried to do that, but we are only doing one sit down meal because of the busy day and we couldn't get what we wanted in ADRs at Epcot for dinner.

Epcot is the favorite park for all of us, and when we have the kids AK is always one of the parks of choice. We were supposed to only be running into AK for an hour or so to do the rides the kids can't (like Everest and Dinosaur), but like many of you, we think there is alot to see or see again at AK if there is a chance. My mom however, was just at AK a couple weeks ago, so she doesn't really want to go to AK at all. Unless she hops on over to Epcot early, which she won't do unless my sister joins her, we may have to cut the day down further.

[cherylf]

If you're going to move fast, you can probably do most of your list in 4 or 5 hours, but the shows do take quite a bit of time. Also, when we were just there, the parade was at 3, so you'll have to miss that.

[Courtney892]

the parade was at 3, so you'll have to miss that.

Why do I always forget that Disney does that? I expect all parades to be around noon for some reason.

[Sue M.]

Finding Nemo was great. we saw it in Aug as well as turtle Talk! My DD's (17 &22) we all loved it, my dd's even wanted to see it again on our other Epcot day. Our fav parks are MK & AK. But for some reason we always miss the AK parade!! Maybe this time?!
We'll be there in 3 wks & just going to AK & MK for a quick side trip while in Fla for the week, arriving late sunday night, so will only have time for 2 parks, Mon & Tues before we have to return to Ft. Laud Wed. This trip it's only my dd, 22yrs.
Hope you have a great trip!

[Dale_Loves_Mickey]

I agree. with all you want to fit in it would need to be an all day thing. I would say talk w/ DH and figure one main attraction per hour and go from there. That's if crowds are down. DH and I did AK in one day (out by 5) and saw a lot, but no shows or parade. Prioritise and pare the list down. If there are Early EHM, you might do about 1/2 what you want to and make it to EPCOT for your lunch time, but realistically, I don't see you doing 1/2 of the things on your list before noon. (and with travel time it will be around noon when you will need to leave to make your ressies.)

[Courtney892]

"with travel time it will be around noon when you will need to leave to make your ressies"

This statement really shocked me! I can't remember if I posted our ADR time once I received it. I know I said we plan to eat around 1:30-2 (I went with 2), and I have never had it take close to 1.5-2 hours to change parks. I may be way off on timing because the only time we ever did a touring plan like this one was MK/Epcot which are clearly much closer than AK/Epcot, but we hop between all the parks (My sister once hopped 5 times!!) every trip and in my wildest imaginings, I can't imagine it wasting that much of a day.

I appreciate the suggestions. I have made up the prioritized itinerary, and I 'm sure that whatever we'll be able to do will make us very happy. After all, it all started to only be about Everest, and I know we can get that done We are very quick tourers in general and after pouring over the maps, I still think we'll be able to get most of our list accomplished. Course it all depends on the crowd levels being similar to last January, as by going during low season and utilizing fast passes, I can't remember the last time I waited in a long ride line. (Course long character greeting lines are a different thing ) Every year it does seem like more ppl travel during the "slow season", though, and when my family went in early December they were shocked at the crowd levels compared to other years. We'll see how it goes I guess.

[Joy J]

If you're only going to see one of the Nemo oriented shows, then I heartily recommend the new one at Animal Kingdom. It is of Broadway caliber - in fact, it is very reminiscent in style and tone to the Broadway version of Lion King. If you go to the first show of the day, you can get away with lining up for it about a half hour before show time. This is what we did and had no problems getting in. The Nemo ride and Turtle Talk show at Epcot are adorable but are definitely much more child oriented that the Nemo show at AK which has a much broader spectrum of appeal.

I doubt if you'll be able to complete your whole list of AK attractions in the limited time you have but if you're content with doing your faves and then hopping, I'm sure you'll still have a wonderful time.

Joy

[PatV]

1) Have you considered a Behind The Scenes Tour of AK? We just returned and had to skip this as the mininum age requirement is 14.
2)I think the Safari ride is alittle lacking. Not because it's live animals, plenty of those to see but because the car nevers stops and rarely slows down.
3)The Nemo show is good, most definitely do not skip Lion King. But wait to see Pocahontas when you have small kids with you. The "walking tour" areas are basically a zoo attraction - unless you've never seen a tiger sleeping... Bug's Life hasn't changed since opening but worth it. Because it's at the front gate, tends to be busier. Although we were there New Year's Day with zero wait, for that or anything until after 12:00 noon.
4)Everest has a Single Rider Line so consider that before FastPass.
5)AK was the only park the Pooh characters were at the Character Meeting Spots.

Have fun....