Safari Celebration Grand Gathering

[Bob Parr]

Has anyone gone on the Safari Celebration Grand Gathering? We are signed up for it in Feb. and are wondering if it's worth it.

[ShanPooh]

We did this with 9 other families for a reunion last September.
The intro with everyone together in the Flights of Wonder stadium was a nice start and the private safari itself was wonderful!
The meal, however, was organized chaos!!!
There were three gentlemen in native African garb playing authentic music - I think. It was soooo loud that the only time I heard them was when I was walking directly by them on the way to the tables (which are set up long ways cafeteria style).
Apps were set in certain section of the table - if they weren't in front of us we had to go and ask for them from people sitting down the way.
Entree foods were two rooms away, through the crowds, and in a line going both directions - very confusing.
Desserts, though tasty, were set up like the apps. By then I was braver and was able to offer what was near us for what other people had near them.
There were some kiddos dancing, but it was where people were walking out as people were leaving.
Safari guides came out with a tortoise and another animal. My son (7) talked with the woman with the tortoise for a long while and didn't mind his silly questions - which was nice.
Since you leave after the park is officially closed, there are special buses to take people to their resorts. Ours had a raving lunatic and his witchy wife - but that's another post entirely.
Thankfully, we had the free dining plan in which we were able to include the Safari Celebration - I would have been very disappointed if we had paid for it.
The food is very similar to Boma's, but the atmosphere at Boma, although busy - is less claustrophobic and chaotic.
The safari did stop a little more for photos and didn't always follow the Big Red/Little Red script.