The Best Time to Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Hit Kilimanjaro Safaris at 4 PM, when the average wait drops to about 7 min. That is a steep drop from the 10 AM peak of about 46 min. These figures come from 897 real wait readings collected between June 9 and June 23, 2026.
The pattern here is unusual compared to most rides. Waits actually get shorter as the day goes on. The crowd rushes the safari first thing in the morning, which pushes waits to about 40 min by 9 AM and a high of about 46 min at 10 AM. By 1 PM the line has already fallen to about 24 min. From 2 PM onward, things get genuinely easy: about 12 min at 2 PM, about 8 min at 3 PM, about 7 min at 4 PM, and still just about 8 min and about 9 min at 6 PM and 5 PM respectively.
The afternoon light is also better for spotting animals, which is a practical bonus on top of the shorter line.
Tips
- If you arrive at rope drop, use Lightning Lane Multi Pass to book Kilimanjaro Safaris for later in the afternoon while you ride something else, so you get the shorter afternoon wait without sacrificing your morning.
- If your group has no height requirement concerns and you want maximum flexibility, simply walk up anytime between 3 PM and 6 PM, where every listed hour averages between about 7 min and about 9 min.
FAQ
What is the best time to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris? 4 PM, with an average wait of about 7 min across roughly two weeks of real readings.
How long is the wait? It depends heavily on the hour. The typical wait across all readings is 24 min, but it ranges from about 7 min at 4 PM to about 46 min at 10 AM.
Is there a height requirement? No height requirement is listed for this attraction.