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When to Go Itineraries for the Rest of the Year Basic December Itinerary
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You begin and end the day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and are off late morning and early afternoon to nap and play in the pool.
Your goal this morning is to see one of the two most popular rides in the Animal Kingdom—the other you will see on later this week– and just a few other things.
This afternoon you will return in time for the parade and are able to, as a Walt Disney World resort guest, stay as late as 10 or 11 pm
FIRST THINGS
Get up early and have breakfast in your room
Be at your hotels’ bus stop by 7:20 am, and catch the bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom
AT THE PARK: MORNING
- Arrive at the park by 8am
- Get in line and await the opening
- At opening, pick up a guide map and “Times Guide” (a show schedule), follow the crowd heading left to Africa, and ride Kilimanjaro Safaris
- When you get off, check your show schedule. If Festival of the Lion King is starting within the next half an hour (but more than 10 minutes from now) head to Camp Minnie Mickey and see it. Otherwise, plan to see the next showing of Lion King and in the meantime explore the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail right by the Safari exit; if you still have a lot of time until the next “Lion King,” see It’s A Bug’s Life next
- If you have not yet done the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, do it now; if you haven’t done “Bug’s Life” yet, you can see it tonight–get a fastpass for it on the way out if the fastpass return is 3:30 or later
- Head back to your hotel the way you came for lunch at its counter service (counter credit), a nap, and/or a swim
AT THE PARK: EVENING
- Pack spare clothes, as you will get soaked on Kali River Rapids!
- Be back at your hotel bus stop by 2:35p, bringing with you your Times Guide and guide map from this morning
- At the park, rent a locker for your spare clothes, and then find a spot on the Asia side of the parade route to watch the 3:45p parade
- While waiting for the parade, check the times guide for the schedule for Finding Nemo. You will need to be in line for this at least 45 minutes before show time, and ideally 60 minutes, and work around your 6:15 dinner at the Rainforest Café (table credit) at the park entrance. Pick your show time based on this
- Work in around and after dinner and “Nemo,” Kali River Rapids, the show Flights of Wonder, if possible (see it Thursday otherwise), and It’s a Bugs Life, if you missed it this morning.
- The lines likely will be too long at the other rides you have not seen to be worth your while—this is why you return on later this week. Explore the arcades in Dinoland, and head back to your bus stop for your hotel!
Note: Bring The Comprehensive Guide to Rides and Rides that Might be Skipped in case your day gets to be too intense!
LINKS TO DAYS IN THIS ITINERARY
GENERAL ITINERARY LINKS
- For itinerary design goals and the basic December Itinerary, see this
- For shorter and longer itineraries targeted at the same December week, see this
- For itineraries covering all the other parts of the year, see this
- To design your own itinerary, see this
- For rides that might be skipped, see this
- For a comprehensive guide to rides and attractions, see this
LINKS FOR WHEN TO GO
- For when to go, see this
- For next best dates, see this
- For best and worst times to visit, see this
- For 2009 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For 2010 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For the 2010 Week Picker App, see this
- For 2011 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
- For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
- For 2009 price seasons, see this
- For 2010 price seasons, see this
- For projected 2011 price seasons, see this
- For weather at Walt Disney World, see this