Backstage safari tour at AK

[jacknsally02]

Has anyone done this? I was wondering how it is. Thanks for any info!

[MsMin]

I did it in Dec. 05 with my dd who was 20 at the time and a pre-vet student. I think it's a great tour and the spots do fill up fast so book early if you pick this one. It's very educational and you go back stage to see the Vet office. It was exciting b/c a baby elephant had been born that night and a giraffe a couple days before that so everyone was thrilled with the new additions and we learned how they really are a zoo ;)
You also go on a special safari ride with your guide who points out hidden Mickey's the feeding stations etc. and of course you get to break in the line.
I'm not a big fan of tours but I'm glad I did it. Only 2 of 4 of us went on the tour and it does take 1/2 the day. Not sure of the age restrictions.
I also did the behind the seeds tour which I found had about as much info without the fillers and a fraction of the price (great for little ones who can't get into other tours).
If you love animals like we do, IMO it's one of the best tours out there...
:simba:

[Duchess99]

Is this the tour that's only available to AKL Concierge guests?

[JPL]

A group of us did the tour in October and had a great time:thumbsup: We met up with our guide before park opening and talked a bit near the front of the park and we then travelled to the Safari for a special ride that moved slower and pointed out lots of the hidden secrets along the way. After the Safari we headed on the train to Rafiki's Planet Watch and went backstage. We got to meet Spike the Rhino and pet him for a while while the keeper talked about how they care for the animals and how Spike was being moved as part of the breeding program. After seeing Spike we went over to the Elephant area where they were introducing a new animal. Then off to the Kitchen where they prepare the food the animals. After the animal kitchen we took a break and had some snacks and were given another talk by a few animal keepers and they brought a bird in for us to see. Then off to the Vet area to learn more about animal care. It was a great experience I would highly recommend the tour. The age limit for is 16 & over. Definately worth the price of the tour :thumbsup: I am planning on taking the Wild by Design Tour this summer if I can fit in my schedule.

[DakotaDisney]

Is this the tour that's only available to AKL Concierge guests?

No. It is open to anyone.

I did it on my last trip and it was very good.

The only negative to me is that we didn't get to see any backstage things of rides or shows, just the animal places, which was interesting though.

[wilshade]

The Backstage Safari Tour is one of the more educational tours available. Lots of information on how all zoos do things as well as the Disney differences. Good info also on how Disney's AK works with other zoos as well as local wildlife that ends up in their care for one reason or another.

The CMs are very knowledgeable. Plus, you get to go on one of the safari ride vehicles with your guide doing the talking instead of the standard entertainment speil.

Like the other tours, the Backstage Safari Tour costs extra and you have to make reservations for it.

I think a previous poster was thinking about the "Sunrise" and "Sunset" Safair's which are something entirely different and, as was stated, are only open to AKL Concierge guests with unsold spaces made available to regular AKL guests.