We're going to be spending 7 days at WDW in April (our first trip there, we've been to DL a couple of times in the last few years). 2 of the days (our first two) will be at AK. According to the guidebooks you don't need 2 full days to experience AK, but animals are of particular interest to our kids, and we anticipate we may enjoy lingering over some things others might be satisfied rushing by.

My question I'm building toward is the importance or not of doing the "animal attractions" (the K. Safari, the P. Trail, and the M. Trek) right after park opening to experience the animals when they might be more active, rather than in the heat of the day. The touring plans (which we intend to use generally) are focused on efficiency, and don't appear to take into account the best time of day to experience these attractions in terms of seeing the animals "at their peak."

A second question about the order to see things is the Kali River Rapids. If you get as soaked as the guidebooks say you will, then this wouldn't seem like a great attraction in the first part of the morning - which is where some touring plans would slot it. Opinions on that?

I don't think I'd worry about animal activity on the trails - but it IS fun if you get to see the Tigers when they're feeding them. On the Safari, I think the 'best' activity is first thing in the morning.

I would NOT ride Kali first thing. I TRY to do it either when I'm really hot and don't care, or right before exiting the park (or both). If it's cool out, I usually won't do it, but I go often enough it's not a huge issue to skip something. If I am pretty sure I'm going to ride it, I make sure that's NOT the day I wear denim. And if your kids are young enough, bringing a change of shorts (and underwear) might not be a bad thing (or for you, either!).

My personal plan of attack would be to go to E:E first and get a FP, then go ride the Safari, and then 'do everything else'.

I don't know how interested you are in animal care, but the conservation station (that MIGHT be the old name and not the new name - the one that you ride the train to get to) often has vet care going on in an exam room that you can watch. That's something they usually do in the mornings.

What Drince said.

And, we have been known to hit AK before closing, wearing quick drying clothes, just to ride Kali.

If you like lingering over animals and enjoy live shows and have children who will eat up oodles of time in the Boneyard IMO this is a 2 day park. We had planned 1 day going on the guide book I'm guessing you've read and had to change later plans to get DS back there for a second day so he could do everything we missed out day 1.

I do kind of an odd opening routine for DAK, but it works really well for me. I want to hit the Safari and Everest early, but if I go on Safari first the lines are really long by the time I get to Everest. So I go first to Safari and pick up a FastPass (for about 25 minutes later), and then head over to Everest, where the opening gate crowd has now subsided. I can usually get 2 or 3 rides in with minimal wait before heading back to Safari and using my FP. It's a little more walking, but I save a ton of time waiting in line!