By the co-author of The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2020, the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook series ever.

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Animal Kingdom Day 1 Disney World Lower Crowd Itinerary



By Dave Shute

ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 1: FIRST SUNDAY AGENDA

Today you begin and end your day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which you will return to next Sunday morning. You should have dinner booked at Tusker House as the Rivers of Light Dining Package.

You should have FastPass+ for Na’vi River Journey, Finding Nemo, and Kali River Rapids. Bring spare socks and shoes to change into after Kali River Rapids.

(Note: this is from the Disney World Lower Crowd Itinerary.)

MORNING PLAN

  • Arrive at the turnstiles 45 minutes before open
  • At open, head to and ride Kilimanjaro Safaris
  • See Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
  • See Na’vi River Journey (FastPass+)
  • Explore Pandora
  • Have an early lunch
  • See the noon Finding Nemo: The Musical (FastPass+)
  • See the Maharajah Jungle Trek
  • See Kali River Rapids (FastPass+)
  • See the 1.30p Flights of Wonder
  • See it’s Tough to Be a Bug
  • Head back to your hotel for a nap and dinner

EVENING PLAN

  • Be back in the park in time for your Tusker House Rivers of Light Dining Package dinner.
  • See Rivers of Light (FastPass+)—be in the FastPass+ line 30 minutes before show start
  • Explore Tree of Life Awakenings and Pandora: World of Avatar after dark
  • Ride, if you wish, Expedition Everest and/or Kilimanjaro Safaris after dark
  • Head back to your hotel

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you have the morning off, then begin your visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

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4 comments

1 Jennifer Martin { 01.27.18 at 6:38 pm }

I am wondering what your suggestions on an itinerary might be for only 5 days in the parks from May 6-10, 2018? We will be arriving on May 5th and departing on May 11th but will only have park passes for 5 days from May 6-10. It’s our youngest 1st trip (she’s 7) and our oldest 2nd trip (she’ll be turning 11 while we are there – her bday is May 10th).

Any advice, tips and itinerary planning help are much appreciated. We’ve only been once before almost 7 years ago and I am way behind on my planning and scheduling since we recently booked the trip. We’ll be staying at the Contemporary.

Many Thanks in Advance!

~Jennifer

2 Dave { 01.28.18 at 11:03 am }

Hi Jennifer!
May 6 avoid MK and HS
5/7 avoid MK
5/8 avoid Epcot
5/9 avoid AK
5/10 avoid Epcot
5/11 avoid MK

I don’t have daily plans on this site for such a short trip, but you can find one and two day park plans in my book.

3 Stephanie { 04.16.18 at 1:02 am }

Just wondering why you said to avoid the Cretan parks in 5/7 and 5/8-is it because those parks have magic hours those days? We will be there 4-9and I was planning on using each days magic hours-and now I am nervous. Thanks!!!!!

4 Dave { 04.16.18 at 10:58 am }

Hi Stephanie, morning EMH is one of several reasons that parks get crowded. See this. You can certainly make EMH days work, if you have an early night the day before, arrive well before they start, and have a good plan for the day!

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