Hi Jennifer,
I’m thrilled to hear you’re planning an adventure to “The Most Magical Place on Earth” for next summer AND you’re staying at one of my
favorite Disney Resort hotels,
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. You’re going to feel immersed in a gorgeous African setting and are going to LOVE all of the attention to detail! Be sure to ask for a recreation calendar when you arrive and enjoy all of the wonderful cultural and culinary events available!
You’ll find park hours,
Extra Magic Hours, and even times for parades and fireworks posted 180 days in advance, which is the same day that your window to make
dining reservations will open. Since you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you have the added
benefit of making dining reservations for the entire length of your stay, up to 10 days. Since you won’t be able to see park hours that far out, though, I have a tip to share with you. Touringplans.com lists park hours
190 days in advance and estimates them even further out than that. While Disney’s website is the official source and I cannot guarantee that any park hours posted elsewhere are accurate, in my personal experience, this is a great place to start. I’d recommend using this other site to plan out your itinerary, then making all of your dining reservations as soon as your window opens. I would keep an eye on the
official park hours both as they’re released and from time to time prior to your trip just because park hours can change at any point. The great news is that you can always modify your dining reservations if your plans change. I’m sending some pixie dust that you find the
perfect dining reservations for your trip!
Thanks so much for visiting us at the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Jennifer, and please feel free to come see us again if we can help with anything else as you’re planning your trip. I hope that you have a truly magical...and
delicious...vacation!
Missy