Hi Jennifer, and welcome to planDisney! Thanks for stopping by the panel with your question. I have to say, I’m already loving your plan to hop back and forth from Disney's Animal Kingdom Park to EPCOT. They are head-to-head my two favorite parks - and it’s mostly because of the amazing food options they offer! If you have time for a sit-down meal,
Yak & Yeti Restaurant at Animal Kingdom is always a winner. And I never miss an opportunity to grab a Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich from
Karamell-Kuche in the Germany Pavilion in EPCOT. YES…it’s as amazing as it sounds!!
We live in Alabama and typically drive down to Walt Disney World, so we usually have our car with us when we visit. And while we don’t always drive it from our resort to the Theme Parks — because I’m definitely that guy that likes to let Disney do the driving — choosing to do so can definitely require a little more planning. In your case, logistics matter since EPCOT typically closes at least an hour after the close of Animal Kingdom.
Disney Transportation officially runs an hour after Theme Park close, so you will have to be extra Disney-savvy to actually get back to Animal Kingdom at the end of your day at EPCOT. But Hakuna Matata — which means no worries! You have a few options that will ensure you can get back to your car (and most importantly, back to your bed) at the end of a long Theme Park day.
If I were you, I would consider driving your car from Animal Kingdom to EPCOT when you get ready to park hop. If you pay to park, your parking fee gets you entry into all of the Theme Park parking plazas for that day without paying again. It may add a little extra travel time during the day, but you will be able to take your time leaving EPCOT when it closes without worrying about getting back to your car. That leaves more time for snacking around the “World” and taking in
Harmonious, the nighttime spectacular without rushing back to Animal Kingdom.
I hope this helps, Jennifer! If you have more questions while planning your Disney Vacation,
stop back by and let me know!
You’ve got a friend in me,
PG