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Sure, rope drop is great, but have you ever considered ending your day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Here are 4 benefits to waiting til later to head to Animal Kingdom!
Touring Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Many people consider Disney’s Animal Kingdom a half-day park, particularly for short trips. It is certainly possible to squeeze in plenty of priority attractions, entertainment, and experiences if you plan carefully and get the timing right.
Many people try to achieve this with touring strategies that involve arriving prior to rope drop. Certainly there are several fantastic strategies, particularly if you can utilize Early Park Entry.
However, it might behoove you to consider ending your Day at Animal Kingdom instead of starting there. Here are 4 benefits to an afternoon and evening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that you may not have considered.
If you do utilize this strategy, be sure to check schedules and arrive in time to catch a show, head to Conservation Station, see the animals, and meet characters if those things are on your to-do list. However, generally arriving around park-hopping time will ensure you have plenty of time to enjoy your priority experiences, especially if rides are on your wish list.
1. Delightful Dinner Options
If you want to enjoy an amazing dinner during your visit to Walt Disney World, Animal Kingdom is the place to be. It offers some of Walt Disney World’s best quick-service options. For example, you cannot go wrong with dinner at Satu’li Canteen in Pandora. With rice, potatoes hash, or noodle bowls, salads, and cheeseburger pods on the menu, there is something for everyone!
Flame Tree BBQ is another fan favorite. It serves generous portions of its popular dishes. You could share if you prefer to save room for dessert. And you will find plenty of options for a sweet treat in Animal Kingdom as well.
If character dining is what you are after, look no further than Tusker House. Dinner has fare for both the adventurous and picky eaters in your life. You can sample African-inspired cuisine to your heart’s content. Plus, the characters are beyond delightful! Stop by to meet Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy!
Finally, if you prefer a Table Service option with a traditional a la carte menu, you will find unique and exotic flavors at Yak & Yeti. Better yet, if you are a Landry’s member, you can dine here with no reservation!
And finally, consider Tiffins for a signature dining experience. It is an art gallery and a restaurant all in one, and it provides Guests with a special and unique meal in a setting that is essentially a love letter to the park.
If you would prefer to enjoy a lounge, one of Disney’s BEST experiences is nearby. Nomad Lounge provides amazing eats and alcoholic drinks for Guests to unwind with. Read a review HERE.
It is almost unfair how many good options there are in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The hardest part will be deciding which ones to miss out on.
2. Short Wait Times
If you arrive at Animal Kingdom in the afternoon, you will find that crowds really begin to dissipate from everywhere except for Pandora by about 4:00 PM. In fact, many attractions will drop significantly in their wait times.
It can be an amazing time to experience the rides in the park. However, it is very important to pay attention to your timing as you will want to experience attractions before they close for the evening. The closing times can vary greatly from attraction to attraction, so plan your priorities and get to them.
Later in the day, you will likely see a 20-minute (or less) posted wait time for Killamanjaro Safaris. When you do, there is a pretty good chance that the only wait is the time it takes you to walk on! You should prioritize this attraction because it does close early. Check the schedule to find out when the last jeep will depart.
And, as a bonus, the animals are often more active later in the day, closer to evening. Their most active time tends to be first thing in the morning, but the end of the day is a close second!
Late afternoon and early evening are also an excellent time to ride Expedition Everest. In fact, if you have your heart set on riding it multiple times in a row, you will probably get your wish! Wait times will be much lower than they were in the heat of the day. Besides, it is an amazing experience to ride it at night! It is a great coaster during the day, but something about riding it in the dark makes it scarier and more intense!
Over in DinoLand USA, you will also find that there is virtually no wait for Dinosaur or TriceraTops Spin. The midway does close, so if you want to play games, be sure to prioritize it before it shuts down for the day.
Experience everything BUT Pandora first. Then, give yourself time to head over during the last part of the evening. If you would like to ride Na’vi River Journey, go ahead and head over in the last 90 min or so of park operation, and you should be able to enjoy it and exit with plenty of time to head to Flight of Passage.
Finally, if you want to enjoy Avatar: Flight of Passage with a significantly reduced wait time, save it for your last attraction of the evening. Simply hop in line a few minutes prior to the park’s closing time. Every Guest who is in the queue prior to closing will be able to ride, even if it means remaining in the park past its posted hours.
Just be certain that you do not arrive after closing because the queue closes to additional riders promptly. This wait is typically no more than 30-45 minutes at the end of the evening despite what the posted wait time indicates.
3. Pandora After Dark
If you think Pandora is beautiful during the day, you should see it as the sun sets and then have another look once night falls. Pandora is truly beautiful at night, and seeing it is a special experience. The land that is alive comes alive in a brand new way as the sun descends for the evening.
The skies and walkways and even some of the plants glow. The colors shift as day gives into the night. It is quite a sight to behold. Everything the light and darkness touches is beautiful. And the beauty changes with every moment. You will not regret devoting a bit of time to enjoying the details of the land.
And while you are there, don’t forget to check out some unique PhotoPass experiences that are only available at night. If you head to the waterfall, there is a Magic Shot that lets you hold a Wood Sprite in your hands!
Best of all, you can enjoy Pandora AFTER the park’s official closing time. Though you will not be able to ride anymore attractions beyond the park’s official close, you can wander Pandora. You can also shop in Windtraders, Pandora’s gift shop, after closing. It typically stays open for about 30 minutes beyond the park’s closing time.
4. Discovery Island After Closing Time
Another part of the park that comes to life in a whole new way is Discover Island. First of all, the Tree of Life is beautifully illuminated. You can enjoy seeing it in a whole new light.
Next, the shops remain open after the park’s official closing time. It is a great time to pop into Island Merchantile or Discovery Trading Company to find unique gifts and treasures to bring home.
Who Should Not Use A Second Half of the Day Strategy
If you want to enjoy all Animal Kingdom has to offer, it is best to give yourself a full day here. There are so many shows and self-guided experiences that it is easy to get lost there all day. It will be better to arrive early if you want to see all of the shows and walk all the trails and visit Rafiki’s Planet Watch. You can still END your day here and enjoy all the benefits of an Animal Kingdom evening.
Also, if you have children who want to become Wilderness Explorers, this is also not a great strategy. You will need longer to complete the tasks.
Finally, if you want to enjoy a nighttime spectacular, you are going to want to end your day in one of Walt Disney World’s other theme parks. Animal Kingdom has no fireworks since it would frighten the animal residents. And there currently is no nighttime spectacular.
Of course, depending on the time of year, it is highly possible that you can enjoy an afternoon and evening in Animal Kingdom and park hop to Magic Kingdom in time for the fireworks. However, this will require some very careful timing and transportation considerations.
Overall, the most important part of utilizing an afternoon/evening strategy is to keep an eye on closing times. If you prioritize getting to shows, characters, and attractions before they stop accepting guests for the day, you will be able to enjoy a wonderful end to your Disney day.
Do you know someone who would enjoy staying in Disney’s Animal Kingdom until closing? Be sure to share this with them. Have you ever ended your Disney day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? What did you love about it? Let us know in the comments.
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