Animal Kingdom's rep as being a half-day park

[1stStarIC2nite]

We used to spend just a half day there, but these last 2 trips we've seem to be different. Each time we find new things and end up staying longer.

I totally agree. Each time I've been there has been something I've seen or experienced that I've never done before, and it just makes it that much more magical. I love spending full days at Animal Kingdom, and then going over to the lodge for a delicious dinner. It's definately my favorite park right now, so imagine how I will feel after Everest :lol:

 

[Stitch_Kingdom]

I think its pretty easy to hit AK for a whole day. Maybe when it gets dark and ready to close thats when im heading to MK or the Studios. I have been to AK twice now and still havent been to Rafiki's PlanetWatch on the train and still go through all the trails and attraction. Its a really cool park!

 

[Heatherbell]

The park always seems to get hotter than the others. If we get there first thing in the morning, we are gone by early afternoon. With early closing hours, there is no going back. *shrug*

Anyone else feel the heat at DAK?

Oh my god! Thank you so much for saying that. I always tell my husband that AK feels like ten times hotter then all of the other parks. I can't quite figure out why as there is a lot of shade but, it is HOT there.

Thanks, I thought it was just me...

 

[Stitch_Kingdom]

The hottest place in WDW is standing in line for Splash Mountain for 70 minutes, on the 7th April, my god!!! It'll be the same this April as well y'know!!

 

[Safari Giraffe]

Each trip we take to WDW (usually 6-7 days) we spend atleast 2 days at the AK. We both love this park and its attractions. We usually go on Kilamanjaro Safari in the morning and before we leave in the afternoon (and sometimes more depending on how busy the attraction is). We also really like the Jungle Trek because of the tigers. We usually stay away from Kali River Rapids because you just get too wet and it takes forever to dry!!! And of course we never miss Tarzan Rocks and Festival of the Lion King.

We think it is just a beautiful park even if it is hot. All the stores help to combat the heat. We hope to go later this year to experience Expedition Everest and meet the Yeti.

 

[Fran98765]

I put other, since I can easily spend more then a day at AK, but my DH isn't much for animals, so he rushes me through the park. This last trip we got to AK just about lunch time and we stayed til about 7pm (EMH night) and we had to skip a ton of things that we wanted to do. We never even got near Dinoland.

 

[Laura]

The park always seems to get hotter than the others. If we get there first thing in the morning, we are gone by early afternoon. With early closing hours, there is no going back. *shrug*

Anyone else feel the heat at DAK?

I thought it was just me! AK always feels WAY hotter than the other parks. Why is that?

But yeah, I have never been able to complete AK in a single day before. Actually I've tried covering AK over 2 different days and still missed a lot. I think it's about a 12 hour park, but it's only open 8 hours most of the time. One of these days I'd like to go on an extra magic hour night and try to actually complete the park.

 

[m star]

For me, I always leave mid-afternoon and go to someplace like Epcot--but I go there for 2 half-days like that. So, in my opinion, there is enough stuff for a full day, but the evenings in AK are worthless...maybe Everest would change that.

 

[peter11435]

I thought it was just me! AK always feels WAY hotter than the other parks. Why is that?

It feels hotter because of the lush landscaping and lack of open areas. There is little to no breeze. It has nothing to do with the park being built in a bowl. The park is built like the other three. The land has been built up and elevated and some areas are surrounded by a small berm. It is the dense lanscaping that makes it so much hotter.

 

[brertigger]

Luckily, AK has been adding lots of misting fans (the large industrial kind) throughout the park. I remember being at the park within a month or two of its opening. There were very few navigation signs and no fans anywhere. Everyone was getting lost (requiring CMs every 20 feet) and getting hot. Luckily, they have solved these problems quite nicely.

Usually, I spend the morning and part of the afternoon on one day, and return for another morning. A few times, I would wait for the parade, but we ran out of things we wanted to do about 1-2PM. The parade is not until 4 or 4:30PM. Watching the parade is the only reason that I have stayed all day, so far. EE may change this.

 

[col]

i didnt vote coz i dont go to AK with anyone i go by myself. on my last vacation if i was to add the days up it would equal that i spent a week at AK i love that park. i go by myself coz its a very relaxing park taking the sights and sounds in and looking at the good detail of things like the floors in each area coz they represent what it is like back in that country plus there are loads more interesting stuff about the park.

i hate animals back home but there evrything is different.

i could easily go to AK and MK and not bother going to any of the other 2 parks for my whole vacation.

but i do absolutley love AK, its the first park i visit. its completely different from all the others in so many ways.

i am really gonna miss tarzan rocks!!!!!!!

 

[Anomalied]

If we're staying for three days or so, we usually only spend about 3-4 hours in the Animal Kingdom. Then again, we don't eat there and only hit the major attractions. It's Tough to be a Bug, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris. In that order.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I'll agree and say I am one of the 7 Attractions people. I am not much of a zoo person, so that cuts back several of the attractions (walk throughs specifically). I do think that there is enough for a day if you do everything it offers. However, that might be the reason it feels like a half-day park. Unlike MK and Epcot, it really is possible to do everything at DAK in a single day (provided the crowds aren't ridiculous or that the park's hours aren't really limited). I think MGM falls into this as well, but it at least had the advantage of longer attractions in the form of shows.

So, yes, I think DAK is a half-day park, but I think it has a lot of room to grow into much more.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

I have never made it for more than three or four hours at AK...although I do pop in at each trip. This is from the view of an adult with no kids. My reasons:

1) I AM a zoo person, but I have been to much better zoos around the world. This one rates a one-time look at each attraction, but doesn't warrant a return trip.

2) The major attractions can all be completed by two adults in less than three hours. Once you have seen Bug, done the trail, they do not warrant a return trip. Dinosaur! The safari! Primevil whirl, now Expedition Everest, and most adults are pretty much done.

3) By early afternoon - this park much moreso than any of the other parks - just becomes a wild stroller kingdom. Many of us without kids just can't tolerate that after a few hours. The kiddie melt-downs seem to occur much earlier at this park. By two o'clock I am itching to get back to adult attractions at Epcot...

4) Of all the Disney parks, this one feels like it is the most crowded (I know it is not), the dirtiest (I know it is not) and crowded with the most souvenir stands (which might be). After awhile, its like wandering around a big shopping mall with the air conditioning turned off.

 

[peter11435]

the dirtiest (I know it is not)

Wow. I always find it to be cleanest of the four by far.

 

[Connor002]

1) I AM a zoo person

But it's Natazu! :lookaroun

 

[tink rules]

I haven't make a full day yet.

My first try a couple of years ago ended up being a very hot day (gee, seems to be a theme here...) and we left and went back to our hotel early.

This past year, although it was alot cooler we only spent part of the day there.

I get very disoriented at the AK.... It's not easy to navigate like the MK or Epcot is. There's lots of signs and such, but because it's so lush and all, I get lost easily.

I like the Safari and the Gorillas... this time, Legend of the Lion King was down for technical difficulties. It just doesn't seem like I accomplish alot when I'm there.

 

[thejohn]

It can and can't If u rush it will be a half day but if u take youre time and look at he animal and disney magic its a full day.

 

[Fantasmic!329]

The park always seems to get hotter than the others. If we get there first thing in the morning, we are gone by early afternoon. With early closing hours, there is no going back. *shrug*

Anyone else feel the heat at DAK?

I thought I was that I was the only one that noticed that! If the other parks are hot, DAK is unbearable. If the other parks are warm, DAK is hot.

EDIT: Just read some of the other posts, I guess I'm not the only one that noticed. :lol:

 

[hcswingfield]

The last time we were there, we intended to stay a full day but ended up going back to the resort to swim in the early afternoon. When we are there in cooler times of the year we usually make it an all day park. The parade during the holiday season is well worth staying for (haven't seen the parade when it's not the holiday season, so I can't comment on that.)