Happy Thursday Main Streeters! I hope you all tuned in this past Monday to watch Michele and John (aka Panda) talk about some upcoming tours they got to preview during the Christmas in July media event. It seems tours are the hidden gems of Disney experiences, but here at The Main Street Mouse, we aim to give you all the greatest information to make your Disney trip memorable. Last week, I covered the Backstage Magic Tour, which goes on for a whopping 7 hours. This week, I’m going to clue you in on a shorter, but just as fantastic tour featuring some incredible creatures, and with all the hype surrounding the Tim Burton directed movie Dumbo, I figure this tour will be a big hit. Can you guess what tour I’m talking about?
To experience this magic, we have to visit Animal Kingdom which is home to some of the most beautiful and endangered species on the planet. The park focuses immensely on conservation efforts and protecting our beautiful Earth, this includes but is not limited to every creature, big or small. The tour I’m talking about is called Caring for Giants, and during this experience you’ll get to look at African elephants while learning all about how much goes into caring for these gentle giants.
There are some unbelievable pro’s to taking this tour. For starters, it’s only 60 minutes and you cannot beat the price of $30 per person. On tour, you will meet with the animal specialists who have been trained specifically to care for the herd of African elephants at Animal Kingdom. Participants get a peek at the responsibilities of day to day care all the while learning impressive facts on the elephants.
Because Animal Kingdom is all about the conservation effort and preserving the wild elephant population around the world, cultural representatives from Africa will also be on hand to talk about elephants in the wild. The best part about this experience is getting a much closer look at these majestic creatures. Elephants will be within an 80 to 100-foot reach from the tour.
On Disney’s website, it appears that the tours take off every 30 minutes, so you have plenty of opportunities to choose a time slot that works best around your fastpass and dining reservations.
Disney’s website also gives you some important Know Before You Go Tips, which I have included below for your convenience.
- You will be approximately 80 to 100 feet away from the elephants during this experience.
- Please keep in mind that this is an outdoor experience. Be sure to check the weather forecast and dress appropriately, including wearing comfortable shoes.
- No cameras, video equipment or cell phones may be used while backstage. However, photography is allowed and encouraged in non-backstage areas.
- Guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a participating adult (18 years of age or older).
- Guests must be 4 years of age or older to participate.
- Please check in 15 minutes prior to start of experience at the Curiosity Animal Tours kiosk, located across from the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction entrance. Late arrivals may not be able to join the experience.
- Itinerary, content, duration and availability are subject to change without notice.
- You will forfeit the entire price of this experience if you no-show or cancel within 2 days of your reservation.
- For information about service animal policies for this experience, please call the Guest Animal Experience team directly at (407) 938-1487.
- Non-transferrable wheelchair guests may remain in their wheelchair throughout this experience; however due to limited capacity onboard the backstage transport vehicle, all accommodation requests should be confirmed by calling (407) 938-1487.
- Guests using an ECV must leave their mobility device onstage where they will retrieve them upon conclusion of the experience. Guests must walk by themselves, or be assisted by a member(s) of their party in a courtesy wheelchair to participate in this experience.
- This experience visits outdoor areas containing common allergens such as dust and hay, as well as biting/stinging insects.
I anticipate that because the Dumbo movie is coming out, we will see a lot more demand for this tour, but since you’re in the know now, I would take advantage of scheduling this experience in advance during your next trip to Walt Disney World.
Please share with us Main Streeters, has anyone done this tour at Animal Kingdom? We love to hear from you guys!
See you next week!
Erika is excited to be on the TMSM team and where Disney Parks are concerned, you won’t catch her dead on It’s a Small World. If she asks to ride that, this is a clear indication that she is in danger and you must send help. You will, however, catch her performing Random Acts of Disney (R.A.D’s), park hopping with her amazing group of impressively talented and kind friends (usually in some themed attire), hanging out by The Haunted Mansion, and ugly crying during fireworks… then begging for a Mickey Premium Bar to eat her feelings…this is a judgment-free bio.
Otherwise, Erika works for the State of Florida and is actively involved in her community. Erika believes in empowering others and spreading kindness to people from all walks of life. Erika also makes custom designed Disney inspired ears, etched glass, gifts, and accessories. You can check out, like or follow her work on FB, which also links to my shop’s Instagram: www.facebook.com/imagineering.emporium. She looks forward to getting to know everyone and sharing the magic of Disney!
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