The time of year you visit Disney's Animal Kingdom can affect your experience. While the park is busiest during the summer season, the animals are often harder to spot because most avoid the summer sun. The park also gets very hot during the summer--the combination of seasonal Florida heat and the park layout contribute to the sweltering experience. Consider visiting the Animal Kingdom in the spring or fall as the weather will be cooler, crowds will be smaller and the animals will be easier to spot, even in the hottest part of the day.
Disney's Animal Kingdom is open for Extra Magic Hours that is a perk for guests staying at a Disney resort, and allows entry into the park an hour early. Guests taking advantage of Extra Magic Hours can ride select attractions without waiting. If you are not staying on-site, however, you should skip Animal Kingdom on Extra Magic Hour days, since many visitors will be in the waiting line for rides before you are even admitted to the park. As of June 2011, Extra Magic Hours were held on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays and are typically the most crowded days of the week.
Arrive at Animal Kingdom when it opens to be one of the first in line for some of the park's most popular attractions. Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safari both fill up rapidly and lines will grow considerably as the morning progresses. Note that the park closes at dusk, so plan on spending the morning or afternoon there.
If you adore the Animal Kingdom theme park, consider staying at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge resort. The Lodge is adjacent to the theme park and offers plenty of the amenities that make Disney resorts famous. The Lodge has a private savanna; some rooms overlook ostrich, giraffe and zebra enclosures and offer full time animal viewing. Animal keepers and experts are on hand by the poolside viewing stations to tell you more about the creatures housed on property, and free animal-themed kid's games, crafts and activities are available daily by the pool.
