Unless Disney extends AK operating hours (and they might) for our AK evening, we have a Yak and Yeti reservation at 6:45 for a 7:00 closure time.
We plan to do a few things, but once dark, focus on Pandora at night.
So here is my question…once the park closes, does Disney keep running Tree of Life Awakenings and/or keep “the lights on” in Pandora? I am wondering what me might still catch on the way out.
We are also wondering if we should drive to AK or take the bus considering this timing. I am figuring maybe a 5:00 pm arrival time, roughly.
In the past they would not let us use the bathrooms in Pandora when we got off FOP after closing. We had to immediately leave and they did not allow guests into the area.
I don’t think we will know what they will allow until the end of the month ?
They block off the path towards Africa and make you walk towards the exit after Yak. Then they separately block the Pandora bridge so you can’t get that either.
Okay, thanks. Makes sense they would keep you from heading into Pandora. So when we come out of Yak and Yeti, we will probably be exiting that side being pretty much empty. Wasn’t sure if there would be anything special left to see on our way out. (Although, I am half expecting to see them extend the hours to 8:00 based on recent changes to park hours, so we might not even get to experience leaving from a mostly empty park!)
We were there tonight. Wife and son rode navi again at 6:44 after we rushed out of Rainforest Cafe. I split off with my rider swap for FOP (wife rode at 7:30a). I was done at 7:11. We were able to go on the backside of the TOL but didnt feel like we were allowed. We were alone and just enjoying the lights. Plenty of time for cool photos. I so wish they kept AK open an hour longer.
There was no special lighting on TOL tonight. Boooo.
Also AK is definitely a full day park. We got there at 7:10 this morning and could have stayed longer.
Hey. My son (who works in AK) pressured me into cancelling a 9:00 Topolino’s Terrace ADR so we can really linger in AK after closing. He says the Tree of Life is beautiful even after Awakenings is over. I’ll be bummed if they don’t have the lights on when I’m there, but I’ll comfort myself with Spaceship Earth, I reckon.
Seriously, he has been assigned Pandora male restrooms twice recently, but he also got off “early,” like, 7:30 or so. He wouldn’t even be in the park to slip you into the restroom if it’s after closing. Fun fact – he says those Pandora restrooms are the slowest in the whole park.
FYI, the restrooms in Harambe are the busiest and the most prone to plumbing problems. A couple of weeks ago, he was assigned to stand guard outside the ladies’ room when a major backup required serious attention. People tried to physically push past him, trying to get inside. It was the first time he encountered really unhappy guests who were ready to do battle. He said he yelled, “It’s a health hazard!” That was the only thing that made people stop pushing.
I know that @PrincipalTinker had an issue with using the bathroom after closing, but we have hopped in line for FOP at the end of night multiple times and have never had an issue with using the bathroom afterwards. So hopefully you won’t have to bribe anyone just to pee.
Fun fact – he says those Pandora restrooms are the slowest in the whole park.