We will be visiting Walt Disney World Jan.23-27. Our main focus is Pandora. I have planned visiting Animal Kingdom on Tues. Jan23rd for our first day. We do not have FP to anything in Pandora, so I plan to get to AK early and head straight over for FOP and NRJ. According to the crowd planner, I should wait and do those rides later in the afternoon for less of a wait. Does anyone have an opinion on this? The other main focus is the safari and the rest of the animals. I have two daughters with chronic Lyme disease, so I am hoping to get a DAP to help ease their symptoms while traveling through the park. If I can get the DAP, should I adjust our plans and do the safari first?
Also, I plan to go back to AK either Friday or Saturday. Friday has a crowd level of 4, Saturday 6/7 for all parks. Either Friday/Saturday we will return to MK or AK. Saturday is magic morning hours for AK, but I’m not do not think my girls will get up for that as they will be exhausted by day 5. Which park is better to do on Saturday when crowd is 6/7? This is our first trip, so I am a bit overwhelmed with planning, plus we need slower days or possibly 1/2 days do to my girls chronic illness.
Do not listen to the crowd planner in this case. Arrive to tapstiles 1-1.5 hours ahead of rope drop (yes, that might be hella early!) and go directly to FOP - you will ride with little to no wait. After riding, go to NRJ and ride, also with little to no wait. Then, go about your day! Look for FPP drop as the day goes on for a 2nd FOP ride.
FWIW, NRJ is awfully beautiful, but I personally would never wait more than 15-20 minutes for it.
To answer the second part of your question, AK feels more crowded more easily than the other parks. If I could, I would go on a lower crowd level day.
Early EMH at AK will also result in a better shot of an easy FOP. But then arriving 1-1.5hrs ahead of early EMH rope drop is super hella early. You know your group best. For us, it was worth it to get there and tour til noon-ish, go back to resort to rest and play, and return to AK in the evening hours.
We are staying at Disney Pop Century. We will be taking the shuttle to AK. Is it close by? I think it would be great to go back to the hotel to swim and rest and then go back in the evening. What time would you go back? Is it easier to get on the rides in the evening?
How long does one spend in Pandora? I heard there is a lot to see.
My 12yr old is an Avatar fan, so Pandora is important to her. My 15yr old is an animal lover, so the safari and nature animal trails are for her, plus the Everest ride.
Could we accomplish these areas in the morning and then return to the hotel around 12-1, go back in the evening and finish up what we missed or are we better to try to stay the day?
Pop to AK is pretty short - they are both on the same end of property. It would be worth your while, especially if you do the early RD thing (and arrive ahead) go go back midday for a break. I think we left around 12:30 (or maybe it was 1, after FotLK) and we went back to AK for about 5pm.
Pandora itself is a very small “land” and aside from the two rides, restaurant, and gift shop there isn’t much there. But it is very pretty and the music and other sounds are nice to immerse yourself in for a while. An hour would probably be plenty.