Hello there, Jennifer!
You are speaking my Disney planning language. There’s nothing I love more than rope-dropping my favorite Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, I love rope-dropping Avatar Flight of Passage and then riding it later with an
Individual Lightning Lane.
You’re in luck because Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels, such as
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, can take advantage of
30-minute early entry into Walt Disney World theme parks. On February 26, 2023, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park's
current park hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., but with Early Entry, you can enter the park as early as 7:30 a.m. I would check that the park hours are the same the day before your visit since this information is subject to change. I usually like to arrive at the theme park 30 minutes before the Early Entry opens (e.g., 7:00 a.m.) so that I’m one of the first people in line. Buses typically start leaving Disney’s Wilderness Lodge for theme parks an hour before the park opens and an hour after the park closes; therefore, I’ve taken a
Minnie Van Service or another ride service from my Resort at 6:45 a.m to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and arrived at 7:00 a.m.
As for potential runDisney road closures, it doesn’t look like the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Official
Digital Expo & Event Guide is available yet. When this becomes available, this will be your best source of information for road closures and other race weekend details. During my last Walt Disney World Resort vacation during marathon weekend, the Walt Disney World Resort website provided a warning about road closures at the top of the page. Typically, the drive from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park takes about 15 minutes. During a race weekend, I’d build in some extra time and imagine the drive will take about 30 minutes, leaving the Resort at 6:30 a.m. I’d ask a Cast Member at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge the night before your visit for the latest road closure information and their estimate for travel times.
During past race weekends, I’ve been amazed by how quickly Disney is able to move traffic. No matter when you leave Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, I know you’ll have an inspiring time at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, visiting
Pandora - The World of Avatar and seeing all of the conservation work.
May the magic be with you!Melanie