Hello, We are final planning for our trip in October. Right now, we are scheduled to go to AK one day. We plan to use early entry and hope to get most of the park done. We’ll grab lunch and snacks on the go. We have dinner reservations at Tiffins at 5:20. AK closes at 7pm. I’ve read lots of trip accounts where folks were able to do everything they wanted at AK by early afternoon. I’m wondering if we should maybe hop over to Epcot after 2pm and get dinner instead? They close at 9pm. We’ve never eaten at Tiffins-but thinking we won’t get to do too much after dinner given park closing time. We are parents and 2 girls 9 & 13. Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated!
For me, AK is at least an all-day park, but it’s my favorite place in the World.
There are people who suggest they can experience everything they hope to by afternoon, but I wouldn’t agree it could be done by “early” afternoon (which to me is 2ish). Late afternoon perhaps, if you’re aiming for most of the shows and rides/attractions. I think the timing of your Tiffins dinner is just about right, actually. And I would expect that a signature dining location would have you there until just about close. This would be perfect for a near empty park exit, if that sort of thing is appealing.
It might be helpful to know what’s on your list of experiences you’d like to have. It could be that your list is quite short, and then in that case it might make sense to hop to Epcot for the evening, with dinner there.
4 Likes
Have you entered into a touring plan all the attractions, shows, experiences you want to do yet?
Really depends on what you want to achieve during your day. I would still spend the whole day in AK. Here is what we did yesterday with G+ :
We entered the park at 7:30:
2 times Everest standby walk on
Dinosaur standby walk on
2 times tricératops standby walk on
Snack/breakfast
Kilimandjaro safari LL
Gorilla Trail (for Wilderness explorer badges)
Navi river journey LL
Flight of passage ILL
Up close with Rhinos
Lunch at flame tree barbecue
Kali river rapids LL
It is tough to be a bug, standby 5min
Nemo LL
Feathered friends LL
Maharadja trail for wilderness badges
Lion king LL
We left the park at around 5:40
5 Likes
This is a packed day, but does hit most of the attractions and ends near OP’s dinner time reservation. This backs up my thinking that early afternoon is not likely enough time to get to most things 
This also does not include (if it’s of interest to OP) the train to and from Rafiki with the animation experience and animal exhibits there. But the Up Close with Rhinos might account for that…
5 Likes
Yes, and it also depends on the crowds and use of G+.
We have another day planned for Rafiki’s, the rest of the Wilderness badges and re-rides our favorites 
2 Likes
I have everything on your list except for gorilla trail and up close with Rhinos…I’m thinking we keep our Tiffins reservation and just enjoy AK for the day…my girls love animals so I think they will want to just experience the place as well.
3 Likes
That’s a good point! I think we may want to Rafiki as well.
3 Likes
Not yet…will do now!
3 Likes
If you only have 1 day at AK I would just stay there and take time to enjoy all it has to offer. Seeing all the shows, walking all the trails, and riding most rides can easily fill the day. Add in a trip to Rafiki’s and a long meal at Tiffins and you’ve definitely got a full day.
6 Likes
I HIGHLY recommend Tiffins; it was hands down the best meal I had on a recent 8 day trip, and one of the best meals I’ve ever had at WDW.
2 Likes
I always find a way to fit tiffins into my AK day. I love tiffins. I usually do lunch.
2 Likes