Jambo, Lauren! Welcome to planDisney, and thanks for stopping by with such a great planning question!
Woohoo! The countdown to your magical adventure at the Most Magical Place on Earth is ON! And since you plan on visiting
Animal Kingdom and your favorite Disney pals at
Chef Mickey's on the same magic-filled day, it sounds like your planning is off to a practically perfect start.
While Animal Kingdom is not to be missed, my family and I can usually complete our must-dos in one magical morning and head to our Resort for a midday pool break by early afternoon. So, I do think it's a feasible plan to enjoy an early breakfast at Chef Mickey's and then, once your belly is full and you're energized for the day, take the bus to Animal Kingdom for a roaring good time.
Since you won't have a full day in Animal Kingdom, I do recommend saving time waiting in line by purchasing a
Lightning Lane Multi Pass for up to three attractions and/or a Single Pass for Avatar Flight of Passage in advance. Then, as you tap into your Lightning Lanes, you can grab more available Lightning Lanes as you go. This will help to make sure you can squeeze all your must-dos into a shortened day at the park.
In my experience, the animals on Kilimanjaro Safari and around the exhibits are most active early in the morning, so you have a better chance of spotting some cool animal activity before the heat of the day sets in. So, just keep that and the fact that Animal Kingdom closes earlier than the other parks in mind. If you'd prefer to rope drop Animal Kingdom (arrive before park opening), Chef Mickey's also offers a fantastic dinner. No matter whether you enjoy breakfast or dinner with Mickey and pals, you are sure to have the BEST. DAY. EVER!
I hope this helps, Lauren, and I hope you have a wild time! Please feel free to stop by any time with any planning questions you may have.
Hakuna Matata,
Mandy