While Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park is typically open from 8 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m., the hours of specific attractions are often different.
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Animal Kingdom After Hours (Not Currently Offered)When it occurs, After Hours allows ticketed guests access to the park from 7PM to 3 hours after park close. You do not need regular park admission to access After Hours, you just won't be allowed into the park until 7PM.
Disney After Hours is a specially ticketed event (meaning it's a ticket that is purchased separate from regular park tickets) that allows people to enter Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom at 7 p.m. and stay until midnight or 1 a.m. (ending time varies by date).
Nature Glows in the DarkSee the park come alive like never before—when it stays open for 3 extra hours for Guests with special event tickets to attend Disney After Hours. Journey into a bioluminescent rainforest and embark on exciting attractions. Ice Cream, Popcorn & Select Beverages Included!
Of all the Walt Disney World parks to visit at night, I would highly recommend taking the time to spend a few hours at Animal Kingdom after dark. This park is a totally different place at night, and has such a different feel than during the day. It's definitely worth exploring after dark!
While Disney has found ways to extend the fun into the afternoon and evening hours, most of the animals viewed here are far more active, and therefore visible, in the morning. I strongly recommend you arrive at the park at opening time, or as soon afterwards as possible, to maximize your visit.
Objectively, the best days to visit Animal Kingdom are weekdays. Across the board, average daily wait times are lower Monday through Friday than they are Saturday or Sunday.
Because live animals are such a large focus of so many of the attractions at this park, visiting in the morning is crucial. While Disney has found ways to extend the fun into the afternoon and evening hours, most of the animals viewed here are far more active, and therefore visible, in the morning.
Animal KingdomThe longest wait there (on average) was Flight of Passage at 102 minutes. Na'vi River Journey followed with 64 minutes, and Kilimanjaro Safaris was next at 58 minutes.
Like all of Disney's parks (and most theme parks), just because Magic Kingdom closes at some time doesn't mean you have to be out of the park by that time. The closing time is the when guests will stop being allowed to line up for rides.
It'll likely stay at 7:00 pm for most nights and extend to 8:00 pm on the busier days for the foreseeable future. Another reason for the earlier closing time is the animals. Certainly, the animals found at the park need some time to be cared for and taken care of by the Animal Kingdom staff and keepers.
Fireworks show: There is not a fireworks show at Animal Kingdom. Rivers of Light show: FP+ This nighttime show on the Discovery River is held each night (weather permitting) and during busy times may be shown twice. Guests view the show from stands located near Expedition Everest.
Walking around Animal Kingdom can cost you a lot of steps, since all of the attractions are quite spread out, as well as it's almost 2 miles to walk completely around the park. The two most popular places guests head once entering Animal Kingdom are Pandora and Expedition Everest in Asia.
While Disney has found ways to extend the fun into the afternoon and evening hours, most of the animals viewed here are far more active, and therefore visible, in the morning. I strongly recommend you arrive at the park at opening time, or as soon afterwards as possible, to maximize your visit.
If you are going to Animal Kingdom or EpcotWhile we really, really think Genie+ is worth it at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, we feel just as strongly as to it not being as necessary at Animal Kingdom and Epcot. But, while it isn't necessary, it can definitely make touring those 2 parks a lot, lot easier.
The answer is the MagicBand! Your resort reservations are linked to your MagicBands through your My Disney Experience account, and, during Extra Magic Hours, you must scan your MagicBand to enter the park early. Or, during evening Extra Magic Hours, you must scan your MagicBand at any rides or attractions.