Extended operating hours for Disney's Animal Kingdom now available

Apr 20, 2016 in "Disney's Animal Kingdom"

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Posted: Wednesday April 20, 2016 4:38pm EDT by WDWMAGIC Staff

Following last night's announcement that Animal Kingdom's nighttime entertainment will begin on Memorial Day Weekend, Disney has updated the operating hour calendar to reflect the new extended night hours.

The Tree of Life Awakens

As expected the park will be open late, with 11pm closings every single day from May 27 through to July 2 2016.

Interestingly the hours have only been updated through to July 2, which correlates with some speculation that there is an internal goal at Disney to have Rivers of Light available in early July. Perhaps to keep options open, the hours for July and beyond will be released later.

Major additions starting on May 27 will include Kilimanjaro Safaris After Dark, Tree of Life Awakenings, and the 'The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic' nighttime show.

View the newly updated operating hours calendar.

Kilimanjaro Safaris After Dark

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cdeev8690May 10, 2016

According to the Disney Parks Blog, fastpass reservations should be available for the dates with the extended hours. Confirmed that on MDE for a few upcoming dates after MDW. Happy hunting!

Andrew CMay 09, 2016

I saw him a couple weeks ago. He was really good! Very different.

WDWtravelerMay 09, 2016

Photo update as of Monday, May 9. While nighttime hours are not yet in effect at Animal Kingdom, there is some new entertainment called "Discovery Island Sunset Serenatas" in the afternoons. Currently at the Viva Gaia Street Bandstand (yes, they are still playing, too), a new one-man act started about 3 weeks ago. His name or specific titled act is not on the Times Guide, but a senior cast member said he used to play with Yanni. He plays an electric harp like it was a rock guitar, with a serious drum/percussion machine (think disco/rock). Very upbeat and entertaining. Not sleepy time music at all.

Much-Pixie-DustApr 25, 2016

@TheMouseFan nothing for everest past 7:30 on the 10th. Good luck. Hopefully the later times will be released soon.

Much-Pixie-DustApr 25, 2016

I got an 8:30 for safari on the 10th. Thx for sharing @scv87!:cat:

TheMouseFanApr 25, 2016

I was just coming on here to let everyone know I was able to get a 9:30pm FP+ for Safari on June 9. Haven't been able to move Everest after 7:30pm yet, but I'll keep trying for that one.

scv87Apr 24, 2016

I was just now able to get an 8:40pm Fastpass for the safari on June 8th.

HauntedMansionFLAApr 23, 2016

Question: will they bring back the evening extra magic hours to DAK? Hopefully so

brb1006Apr 23, 2016

I noticed a few rare characters were also pretty common between 2007 and 2009.

Kman101Apr 23, 2016

They are still active and I've seen the Dapper Dans during the day. I always try to catch them. They have the trolley show (without the trolley right now) and they also have the fantastic opening show in the morning. I also think they still have the Royal Majesty Makers. I should have said "at night". There's just such a lack of entertainment at night. I just feel like there's not much to see at night in the Magic Kingdom. But AK will have all of this street entertainment at night. I think it's because entertainment acts/meet and greets fall under the same, which, IMO, it shouldn't. @asianway can probably answer that and probably has for me before. It's like cutting the Giggle Gang. Disneyland has so many different bands and acts as do the other parks. Magic Kingdom has as little as possible with very limited operating times. Oh, does Frontierland still have their hoedown with the Country Bears and other critter characters? You also used to be able to see more characters around, back in 2007/2008/2009 but so many of them have been cut (Hook, Smee, Pinocchio ...) because they need a zillion Mickeys in one place, etc.

brb1006Apr 23, 2016

Didn't MK used to have an active band and the Dapper Dans were more common years ago?

Kman101Apr 23, 2016

Magic Kingdom could really use more actual entertainment besides the annoying Move It, Shake It and meet and greets. It's very barebones (naturally) and there's actually really nothing entertainment wise at night besides the Castle projection show and Wishes! It's like they close up shop at 5 (many meet and greets that aren't inside don't seem to operate).