Backstage Safari

[flipadeeflop]

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to WDW and I was looking into going on a tour where we could interact with some animals. We are both currently animal caregivers at a sanctuary for farm animals and we are going to have a hard time being away from them for a whole week, so I thought the "Backstage Safari" might be the best way to get our fix of animal interaction. Any reviews of this tour? Is there much animal interaction or are you mostly just looking at them and listening to a CM on how they take care of them?:chicken::pig::chick::turkey::piglet:

[TiggeRia]

I've done this tour twice...it's interesting but there really isn't any animal interaction. You tour some facilities and view animals from a distance, and end with a private safari tour. Both times I took it they were very similar.

[Tick-Tock]

I've done this tour twice...it's interesting but there really isn't any animal interaction. You tour some facilities and view animals from a distance, and end with a private safari tour. Both times I took it they were very similar.

I agree with this description. We saw giraffes while standing on the other side and well away from their fence, and watched an elephant bath from at least 30 or more feet away on the other side of the fence. But it was really interesting to see how they run the operation.

You may want to consider visiting the petting area at Conservation Station to help with your animal fix.

[Stickey]

Our backstage safari tour was in 12/05. We visited the rhinos in their night building, and were able to touch the more laid-back rhino. At the time, the animal experience was variable.

[DakotaDisney]

I did the tour in '07 and it was a good tour. Very enjoyable, but there was no interaction with the animals. We did happen across the elephants and one keeper as they were being called back in for the night, so we got a closer look and time with the care giver that wasn't planned. There was also a baby elephant, that was coming in and we got a good look at and info about. But no touching or holding of animals any different, from what regular guests would see or do.

[ransam]

one thing you can do that i found awesome, is that you cna sometimes watch some operations on an animal in the early morning. it was jsut so interesting to me.

[DizneyRox]

If they do the Sunset Safari at AKL still, that might be your best bet. While I think Disney frowns on people touching the animals, we found the information about the facilities and the one on one (it was just my family and the guide) with the staff was fantastic! Had a great meal at Jiko as well.

It used to require being at Concierge level accomodations in order to book it, but we would do it again in a hearbeat!

[JPL]

I took the tour in October 2007 during the Intercot 10th Anniversary Celebration. The tour was very informative and it was cool being backstage there was very little animal interaction. We did spend some with Spike a Rhino and were able to pet him but this isn't really the norm. The best places for animal interaction in the area are Sea World or if you want to take the drive to Busch Gardens in Tampa. At Sea World you can feed the Dolphin, Sea Lion and Rays. Busch Gardens you can feed Wallabies, they have a Tger Tug-o-war, and if you take the safari(extra cost) you get to feed the Giraffe and a few other animals along the way.