How to Schedule a Day at Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom opened in 1998 to become the fourth Disney park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The first Disney park themed entirely around animal conservation, Animal Kingdom offers a wide variety of rides, attractions and exhibits. In order to make the most of your day when visiting, it is best to do some research and planning beforehand so you can be sure to not miss anything!

Instructions

1. Check out the Walt Disney World website and see all that Animal Kingdom has to offer you in the way of attractions, entertainment and dining - this will allow you to have a good idea of what are your "must see and do" items for the day. Another good resource to use when doing this preliminary research is the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, which provides detailed reviews of every aspect of each of the Disney parks in Orlando, Florida.

2. If you are staying at a Disney resort during your visit, look into when Animal Kingdom makes use of the Extra Magic Hours. Each day, Disney resort guests are invited to visit one of the four parks either one hour earlier, or up to three hours after it closes to the public. Check with your resort staff for a schedule to learn which day Animal Kingdom is either open early or late, and be sure to take advantage of visiting during these Extra Magic Hours when the parks are less crowded.

3. Try to get to the park as early as you can. Head to the back end of the park and work your way forward. Many people stop and do the first attractions they hit (which, in Animal Kingdom's case, is the 3D It's Tough To Be A Bug show inside of the Tree of Life), so it is best to head to other attractions that are further into the park first, such as Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest or Kilamanjaro Safari.

4. Be sure to check the entertainment schedule for times and locations of Animal Kingdom's afternoon parade. You can choose to either attend the parade or take advantage of the fact that many guests will be doing so at a scheduled time and hit up some of the rides that might be slightly less populated during parade time.

5. If you encounter some rain when you are planning to visit, fear not! Rain scares away many visitors, and those willing to put on a poncho and walk around the park anyway benefit with shorter lines and smaller crowds. Many rides and shows will continue to run in the rain; only severe thunder and lightening close most attractions.

Tips & Warnings

• Arrive as early as you can

• Wear comfortable shoes

• Apply sunblock often

• Bring a poncho for use during unexpected Florida rainstorms (or on Kali River Rapids!)