Animal Kingdom - EE, Photography

[dcwesley]

My sister and I will be visiting WDW at the end of February for very few days so every minute is precious. We have only been there once before with our kids and will likey not return for several years to come. Therefore we are highly motivated to cram every minute full. The additional catch is I am there on business.

My convention at Coronado Springs begins at 9:00 am. Friday morning we want to grab a few minutes in Animal Kingdom with Early Entry. The posted opening for Feb 28 is 9:00 am. With Early Entry that would make opening at 8:00 am.

1) What time would you be at the park? 8:00? Earlier? Do the gates sometimes open a bit ealier to allow entry to the Oasis?

2) What would you do given 45 minutes?

3) We would like to eat breakfast someplace before arriving at the park; we were disappointed to read Rainforest doesn't begin serving until 8:00. Any suggestions of where to have breakfast and still be at the park in time not to miss a minute?

4) My sister will stay at Animal Kingom for several more hours until it is time for her to join my parents at Epcot. She is a decent photographer - suggestions on the best place to stake out for some memorable animal photos?

(In the evening after work I will join my sister and parents at Epcot. A disjointed way to tour - but when you get only a few hours every few years you make the most of them.)

I would like to thank everybody so VERY much fr all of your help. Your ansers to our questions have been very useful.

Debbie

 

[Jillpie]

Debbie, I hate to give you this news, but you may get to AK by 8:00 am, but not be able to see much at all before having to get all the way back to the buses to return to CS. There is so much walking to do just to get into the park, to get to an attraction and then return all the way back to the buses. Does everyone agree? I suggest going to your meetings and then meet later at Epcot. Perhaps make AK another day or plan it for when you have more time. BUT, make sure to tell your sister to see Festival of the Lion King!! Its a fantastic show, not to be missed. As far as photography, there's the tigers and gorillas that stand out in my mind. She will have a very tough time taking shots on the safari, the bus moves way too much to hold the camera. Have a great time!

 

[sunking]

you can usually make a ps for donalds breakfastsaurus prior to park opening...you show up at the gate and check in with the people taking names for donalds...when they have gathered a few of you up, they will escort you back to the restraunt...we have done this several times and have been able to eat breakfast and ride dinosaur and primeval whirl prior to the park actually opening to guests...donalds is a favorite of ours and offers a great buffet breakfast with the characters...you just can't go wrong here....
good luck!!!!
sunking

 

[cindyfan]

sunking.....but with scheduled opening of 9am, Donald's won't take PS until 8:10. You can double check that, but that is the earliest I think she could get.

Debbie, I have to agree 45 minutes is not enough time to get in, do a ride and get back to CSR for the 9am meeting.
Unless you will have your own car, I wouldn't try it. If you do have a car.....and you are a really fast walker.....you might do it.
But you would have to be at AK by 7:45, be the first into the park, and be right up front for the rope drop. Run, don't walk to the attraction of your choice (don't attempt the safari...that is a 35 minute ride). But I don't think Dinoland or the Dinosaur rides are included in EE. You may only be able to do Bugs.

If you are depending on the bus...you need to allow yourself 20 - 30 minutes to get back to your meeting......
Yes, it is possible to catch the bus and get back .....but you can't rely on the bus schedule.

If being a little late is not an issue....and you have a car....go for it and you can try the safari. But you will be a little late for your meeting.

 

[Hagred]

Personally, I wouldn't recommend ANY park visits before meetings. The whole point to your being there is to go to the convention. I doubt the person footing your hotel bill wanted you to make a junket out of this.

I know a person at work who would find out when his management training seminars would be, then he'd start booking sport events and nights out on the town with friends in the area. He'd wind up staying out until 4:00am, sleep a few hours and arrive for the day's class disheveled and sleepy. It only took a few times for him using these training event as junkets and he was crossed off the list of candidates because he was abusing the intention of the company.

(They were paying for his flight, hotel AND cost of the seminars so he could learn and bring back the info for use at the company. They weren't financing his "paid vacations" so he could hit every blues joint in the city of Chicago)

Not that I'm saying this is what you're doing, dcwesley. I'm just saying that the early morning visits to the park could make you late for the events you're supposed to be attending. It might be best if you concentrate on the reason you are down there instead of figuring out how to make the most of that hour before the convention event starts.

If it were me, I'd be planning on the evenings and weekend at WDW. Touring is much more fun when you're not counting minutes and flying from here to there in order to meet appointment times.

 

[dcwesley]

I appriciate the advice to this point.

I will have my own car so I am hoping it will minimize travel time.

I agree that I want to make the most of my business time. I have important objectives to accomplish and will do so. I am high energy and fast moving and can succesfully burn the candle at both ends for several days when needed. (Perhaps the result of having three highly involved teen-agers.)

Perhaps we will use the time just to explore the Oasis.

 

[Melynny]

I would think that the whole reason conventions are scheduled in the orlando/Disneyworld area is to make the most of the extracurrcular activities and to give attendees a break, meaning the most convetions-training that I have been to are boring and there's nothing to do but wait until the next day. I don't mean getting completely smashed in the evening, But just like your job.. when you leave it's your time.. not the company's. JMHO

 

[cindyfan]

Hagred, no need to be so preachy.
She was simply asking for advise on the timeframes and what might be the best course of action in order to fill her time.

Debbie, the Oasis is AWESOME!!! lots of exotic birds and make sure you check out the anteater......DD and DH love him..

If you have your own car, I think you would have plenty of time to just check out the Oasis.
Have fun.

 

[Hagred]

Originally posted by cindyfan
Hagred, no need to be so preachy.
She was simply asking for advise on the timeframes and what might be the best course of action in order to fill her time.

My apologies. I spent a year of listening to this guy (he was a supervisor...talk about a bad example) plan his hockey, baseball, football and basketball games, not to mention all the blues clubs, concerts, etc that were going to be happening in the city where he was attending seminars entitled "How to Use Motivational Recognition to Enhance Your Team's Efforts". I guess I'm a little jaded when hearing people talk about cutting corners and putting more effort into their off-time than in what they're there for in the first place.

Again, my apologies to the OP. I hope you have a wonderful time.

 

[DisneyMSF]

I just wanted to add that we have periodically been able to get some decent shots of the animals on the Safari ride. The vehicles do sometimes stop (for example to wait for an animal in the road to get out of the way, or to wait on another vehicle that has slowed). And there are parts where they are going very slow. Each ride is different, and a lot will depend on the driver (some slow/stop more than others for "photo-ops") but I would think your sister could get a few good shots from the Safari, especially if she rides multiple times.