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Walt Disney World Vacation Tips

TIP #3. Arrive at the parks early.

By , About.com Guide

Animal Kingdom - giraffes - Photo ©  Teresa Plowright

At Animal Kingdom, the early bird catches the best sightings of the animals.

TIP #3. Arrive at the Theme Parks Early

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As explained in Tip #2, every day one Disney park opens one hour early for Extra Magic Hour, for guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort.

To visit park's that aren'thaving an Early Opening, arrive right at opening time. This is especially important for Animal Kingdom, as many of the animals sleep during the day: your best chance to see them active is early in the a.m., or right before closing time. (Animal Kingdom closes at 5 or 6 p.m.)

Make sure you also rise'n'shine early, if you're visiting the Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon waterparks: By 11 a.m., you'll spend a long time waiting for waterslides that had no line-ups at all, at 9:15!

For Magic Kingdom, arrive before the official opening: Main Street opens earlier, and people enter early to have breakfast at Crystal Palace and Cindarella's Royal Table.

During busy times of year, Disney sometimes opens parks early, without any formal policy or announcement. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World advises arriving at the park of your choice an hour early, during busy times: you'll probably be allowed to enter the park before the official opening hour.

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