starlight safari disney review

Enchanting Extras Spotlight: Starlight Safari Review

Enchanting Extras Spotlights | 1 comment

Article by Storybook Traveler Holly Averette .

Experience the savannas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House and Kidani Village in a new and exciting way with this unique tour! During the one hour experience, guests will board an open air safari vehicle for a journey on the savannas.

Important Details:      

• The tour takes place two times each night at 8:30 and 10:00.
• Each tour is limited to 12 people and guests must be 8 years of age or older to participate.
• The current cost is $89+tax per person
• It is recommended that guests be in good health as the ride can get quite bumpy.
• Guests must leave any mobility devices behind (wheelchair, EVC, etc) and they will be able to retrieve them at the conclusion of the tour.
• Guests who are unable to transfer can participate but space is limited and the accommodation needs to be noted at the time of booking by calling to make a reservation.
• If you are traveling to Kidani from the Walt Disney World property, allow 90 minutes to arrive at the resort.
• Availability is extremely limited for this experience. Plan to book as far in advance as possible.

General Information and Check-in Experience:

Check in takes place under the porte-cochere at Disney’s Kidani Village. I chose the 8:30 time slot and my friend and I opted to dine prior to our tour at Sanaa, which is also located at Kidani Village. It was the perfect way to start our experience! We enjoyed a relaxing meal and explored the grounds of the resort prior to checking in. At about 8:15 we headed to the check in area. You do need a valid photo ID to check in for any tour so after presenting our IDs and signing a waiver, we had just a few minutes to wait until we boarded our safari vehicle. There are about 4 steps up into the vehicle but the steps were equipped with a handrail. The bench seating on the vehicle is shaped like a U around the sides and back of the vehicle.

Tour Experience:

Upon boarding, we found our night vision device waiting for us on the seat. We were given a brief lesson on how to use the device before setting off on our journey. We had two cast members accompanying us for the evening- one driving the vehicle and one narrating our tour. Both cast members were members of the animal care team who work directly with the animals at Disney. They were a wealth of knowledge! Our driver expertly navigated the terrain and was responsible for opening and shutting the gate systems in between the savannas. Throughout the tour, our guide gave lots of interesting information on the animals located around the savannas and how the caretakers care for the animals year round. We saw ostriches, zebras, giraffes, antelope, and more! We had a few up close experiences with the giraffe and zebras as they munched on some dinner nearby. I could have watched them for hours! The guides stopped frequently when we would encounter an animal and encouraged us to get up and take a good look. The hour seemed to fly by because we were having so much fun!

Agent Impressions:

This experience was a highlight for me and definitely makes my list of favorite things I’ve done at Disney! This is such a unique experience and the small group setting is really nice. You have plenty of time to view animals without it feeling crowded but you also have lots of opportunities to chat with the guide and ask any questions.I feel that the value of the experience versus the price paid is great. We were staying next door at Animal Kingdom Lodge and I would say this is a must if you are staying at Jambo House or Kidani! Even if you aren’t staying at one of the Animal Kingdom resorts, if you are an animal lover, this tour should be on your list! I enjoyed the tour so much, I would definitely consider doing it again in the future!

• Plan accordingly for the weather. We did this tour in late October and the weather was absolutely perfect, if not a little chilly with the nighttime breeze. The tour can also take place in light rain so be prepared for that. It can be canceled in case of severe, or otherwise inclement, weather.
• If you are staying on site, plan this experience for later in your trip to increase your chances of getting a reservation. It books up very quickly!
• I enjoyed the 8:30 slot. It seemed that the animals were still fairly active while eating their dinner, which made for some good viewing opportunities.
• Make a night of it! Plan a meal at Boma, Jiko, or Sanna prior to your tour. You might also consider stopping in one of the lounges for drinks and appetizers before or after your experience.
• Be aware that the seating and ride itself aren’t exactly comfy. You may also be twisting around to see the animals depending on where they are located.

Article by Storybook Traveler  Holly Averette .

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Starlight Safari - Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park

• United States    
• Florida (FL)    
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• Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Starlight Safari

This is a review only of the Starlight Safari, an immersive safari adventure reminiscent of a nighttime drive through an African game reserve. Thought it would be more encompassing of the animals but it really just goes around the lodging areas and shows you animals that hang out there. We saw giraffes and a zebra and a whole bunch of gazelle like animals. Nothing too exciting. You do get to use night vision scopes, which are really nice.

The set and motion theater at the new Avatar attraction is every bit as amazing as the movie. Entering the attraction set for Avatar makes you feel as though you have literally entered the world of Avatar. The flying motion theater experience with its breath taking scenery, special effects and incredible sound was a wonderful and never to be forgotten experience.

As a vigorous senior, my favorite ride is the Kilimanjaro Safari ride, about 20 minutes long. It is scenic and restful. Just walking around the park is interesting, especially the self-guided tours, where you can take your time and enjoy the luxuriant foliage and abundant wildlife. The new Avatar Ride is similar to a fanciful Soarin' ride, but wilder. Expect a minimum 200 minute wait, unless you arrive at the opening hour or get in line right at closing time. Each way, we cut the wait time down to about an hour. This is for a 4 minute ride. The Navi River Ride is, in my opinion, NOT worth the long wait. It's basically a shorter Pirates of the Caribbean with fanciful scenery. I would have liked it better if Cap. Jack Sparrow had been hiding somewhere in the bushes. Pizza place has decent food at (for Disney) reasonable prices. Drink lots of water, Smart Water is available at certain stores.

This is one of my favorite parks with Kilimanjaro safaris as my favorite ride here. I love to see animals though and this is a fun way to experience this. Great and unusual food from Africa and Asia, also entertainment from both regions. Animals and family fun are represented everywhere. Educational walks and Rafikis train ride is definitely not one to be missed for families with smaller kiddos. The teens and adults have Everest roller coaster and the jaw dropping Pandora land.

I’m glad to see they added a new attraction to the park if really wasn’t worth a one day admission before they put Pandora in, but they didn’t think it thru, it is so popular even almost a year later that the lines were 4 hours long, fast pass lines were about 45 minutes, they should have made more of the simulators to handle the crowds, bad move on their part... if you go be prepared for lines and pay for the fast pass otherwise you will not get to ride everything you want to ride before they close !! It’s unfortunate that you pay all that money and if you want to ride all the rides you have to pay more so you can get fast pass in order to do that... It’s getting so expensive that families cannot afford to go and have a magical day!!

It was ok. Not what I expected for Disney. Somehow I thought it would be more lifelike and spacious for the animals. Their enclosures were clean & easily observed but seemed so small. The lines were long, some even with the fast pass. Some of the employees seemed bothered by any questions you may have about the exhibits. A little disappointing.

The Starlight Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

11/22/2022   |   Blog , Walt Disney World

INCREDIBLE!! This is how I would describe my recent after-dark safari tour through the savannas at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was kind of like that old cowboy song, you know...." Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam, Where the deer and the antelope play ". Okay, it’s not exactly like that, but you get where I’m going. From a giraffe who practically stuck her head inside our open-air safari vehicle, to a few zebras who had no intention of moving off our path, and the giant Ankole cattle who's only concern was finishing his dinner. My family and I were amazed at the amount of wildlife we saw during our 1-hour tour.

The Starlight Safari is currently offered nightly, weather permitting, at 8:30 pm and 10:00 pm, and the cost is $75 - $89 per person, before tax. Reservations are required, and payment is due at time of booking. Check-in for the safari starts about 15 minutes prior to the start of the tour, near the valet area at Kidani Village. Valid ID is required and each guest over 18 must sign a waiver for themselves and any minors in their party under age 17. Please note that the minimum age to participate in the tour is 8 years old, and any guests under 17 years old must be accompanied by an adult. After completing the check-in process, my family climbed into the ride vehicle and were given a night-vision device which made seeing everything in the dark very clear. Each tour has 2 guides. A driver who works very hard to get your vehicle in and out of the savanna's multiple gate systems without any escapee's sneaking behind and the riding guide, who is inside the vehicle to explain everything you are seeing.

These guides work closely with the animal’s day in and day out and are extremely knowledgeable about each individual one. They know the names, personalities, and likes and dislikes of each one you encounter. They have funny stories, sad stories, and even birth stories! You name it, the guides can tell you about it! My son is very inquisitive and asked many questions and our guide was able to answer each one promptly. During our trek, we went through 3 different savannas’ and saw and learned something different each time.

Fun Fact : Did you know that giraffe eat up to 75 pounds of food per day, and to accomplish that, they must eat almost the whole time they are awake!

During the many times we would encounter wildlife, the guides would stop the vehicle and encourage everyone to get up and take a good look. With the night-vision devices, seeing the wildlife was not hard at all. This experience was definitely the highlight of our vacation and something we’d be more then willing to do again!

My family was lucky enough to be staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge during our visit to Walt Disney World, but reservations are open to everyone. Keep in mind, this tour has very limited availability with only about 25 spaces between both tours. If you think this is something you'd like to experience, reach out to your favorite Me and The Mouse Travel Specialist soon and tell them you want to go on a nighttime adventure through an African game reserve!

Tagged: activities , Animal Kingdom Lodge , Disney , Family , Favorite , Orlando , Planning , reservations , Starlight Safari , Travel , Vacation , Walt Disney World

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Starlight Safari at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney's Animal Kingdom Resort Area

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Age Interest

Tweens, Teens, Adults

Accessibility and Other Information - Opens Dialog

Accessibility

• Must Transfer from Wheelchair/ECV

Behind the Scenes, Animal Encounters

Set out on an immersive safari adventure reminiscent of a nighttime drive through an African game reserve!

As the Sun Sets, the Savanna Awakens

Climb aboard an open-sided safari vehicle and feel the rush of night air as you rumble through lush scenery, scanning the horizon for over 30 species of African wildlife!

The Nightlife of Wildlife To make the most of your animal-viewing extravaganza, Guests will be provided with a night vision device! You’ll be astounded by what you can see: zebras, giraffes, wildebeest and antelopes—plus ostriches and over 20 other exotic African species that freely roam across the savannas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge .

Reservations and Important Details Reservations can be made on this page or in the My Disney Experience app .

This nighttime tour lasts approximately one hour. It’s available exclusively to Guests 8 years of age or older. Guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a participating adult who is 18 years of age or older.

Know Before You Go

• Warning: This experience features a ride in a rugged safari vehicle over an open savanna. For your safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure; heart, back or neck problems; motion sickness or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not participate.
• Late arrivals after the start of the tour will not be accommodated.
• Check in at the porte-cochere at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village, and plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Valid photo ID will be required to check in.
• There is a 24-hour cancellation policy. Full price will be charged/forfeited if the Guest cancels within one day or fails to show up for the reservation.
• Guests must be at least 8 years of age to participate in Starlight Safari, and Guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
• Guests using an ECV must leave their mobility devices behind at the Resort. They will retrieve them upon conclusion of the tour. This experience requires Guests in ECVs to transfer into an available wheelchair in order to participate in the tour.
• Nontransferable wheelchair Guests may remain in their wheelchair throughout this experience, however due to limited capacity on board the safari vehicle, all accommodation requests must be confirmed by calling (407) 666-6400.
• While safari vehicles are equipped for rain and wet terrain, experiences may be cancelled due to inclement weather.
• All aspects of the tour are subject to change without notice.
• Starlight Safari is a night experience, and Guests are responsible for transportation to and from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village.
• Allow up to 1.5 hours to travel to your destination within Walt Disney World Resort.

Savor the Savanna

Take off on a private safari through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve and indulge in premium eats and drinks.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

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My son (13) did this tour with my Mom (65) during our stay at AKL. I didn’t go because there were only 2 spots left at our 60 day time. So book asap. Ben said he would recommend it and so did my Mom. So it’s great for a wide range of ages and is only 1 hour. And it’s all in a safari truck.

Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 12/31/2018

This tour was the highlight of the trip for my husband and myself. The night viewers are easy to use and it is really cool to see the animals interacting at night. Our tour guide was AJ and she did a fantastic job explaining the lives of the animals and answering questions. The driver was so great too but unfortunately I forgot her name. We went in December and unfortunately it was too cold for the giraffes to be out. So the tour guide arranged for us to go back stage in the giraffe barn!!! It was the coolest experience ever. They even had baby giraffes in there. It was a small group so we didn't feel over crowded. Everyone got a glue in the dark safari pin at the end as well. I cannot even begin to tell you how worth while this tour is.

Reviewed by billndawn Review Date: 09/29/2018

We had dinner at the Sanaa restaurant at 5:45 and walked around the Kidani lodge until our 8:15PM check-in at the Sanaa reservation desk. Our guide Kristi greeted us and we all headed to the open air truck to get our night vision devices and start the tour. Laura was the driver and she and Kristi worked very well together getting us so close to the giraffes the we could touch them, but of course we didn't because that's not advised. Watching the zebras, okapi and ostriches feed and just experiencing night in the savanna with animals roaming about was indescribable. These animals are active at night in the cool air and this whole experience was well worth the cost and time.

Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 09/25/2018

Great personalized evening safari. We were right up next to the giraffes..... almost could touch them. Wish it was longer

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• News / Resorts / Walt Disney World

Starlight Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Are Back!

by Melissa Roden · March 10, 2022

We’ve got some exciting news to share with fans of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge .  Their beloved Starlight Safaris evening tour is BACK!

This is one of the magical add-ons you can pick to make your stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge truly memorable. I mean what’s better then winding down your day with an after-dark tour of Disney’s African savannas and wildlife.  

During the one hour tour you’ll climb aboard an open-sides safari vehicle and feel the rush of night air as you travel past lush scenery looking for over 30 species of wildlife that call Animal Kingdom Lodge home! 

Worried you won’t be able to see? Don’t worry! Animal Kingdom Lodge has you covered. Guests will be provided with a night vision device.  You won’t believe everything you’re able to see including zebras, giraffes, wildebeests and antelopes!  

As you can see from the image taken from disneyworld.com , the experience is available to guests at $89.00 per person 

Right now it looks as if there will be two tours daily, one at 8:30 pm and another at 10 pm.  However, spaces are limited and spots fill up incredibly fast so making a reservation well in advance is essential! 

Credit: Disney

Aren’t staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge? No need to worry!  Guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort may also book. 

Here are a few additional details you’ll want to know: 

• Reservations can be made using the My Disney Experience app
• Guests must be 8 years or older and those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. 
• WARNING: The experience is a rugged safari ride over an open savanna.  Participants should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, back or neck problems, motion sickness or other conditions that might get aggravated. Expecting mothers should not participate. 
• Late arrivals will not be accommodated. 
• Check in is at the porte-cochere at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village and it is recommended you do so at least 15 minutes before the tour. 
• Valid photo ID is required at check in. 
• ECVs and other mobility devices must be left behind at the Resort. There will be a wheelchair available for guests to transfer into. 
• Guests are responsible for transportation to and from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. 

Readers are encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for further Walt Disney World news and updates!

Didn’t make it to Disney in 2021!? Well we’ve got some fantastic news- Disney Packages are currently available to book through the end of 2022! That gives you plenty of time to plan that magical getaway and I’m here to help. 

With new policies and procedures in place during the year ahead, there’s never been a better time to work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner who can help you navigate through Disney World’s new way of doing things!  I’ll be on hand to assist with everything from finding that perfect package and getting the best deals to organizing park passes, Disney Genie+ and dining reservations.  Best of all- my services are ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Just fill out my form  HERE  to get your FREE, no-obligation quote. Alternatively, feel free to reach out at  [email protected]  or follow along on  Facebook

Tags: Animal Kingdom Disney World Starlight Safaris Tours

Melissa Roden

As an agent with MickeyTravels and a Blogger with MickeyBlog I enjoy sharing, tips, tricks and advice to help readers and clients get the most out of your time with Disney. When I'm not helping clients plan their perfect holidays or nab those hard-to-get discounts you can find me enjoying a Dole Whip at Disney World with my daughter! Reach out for a FREE, no obligation quote at 1.800.801.4025 or find me on Facebook !

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Starlight Safari at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

As the sun sets, the savanna awakens.

Witness the wild as it comes to life on an after-dark safari tour of Disney’s African savannas and wildlife! This popular, nighttime expedition is open to all Guests at Walt Disney World Resort.

Climb aboard an open-sided safari vehicle and feel the rush of night air as you rumble through lush scenery, scanning the horizon for over 30 species of African wildlife!

The Nightlife of Wildlife To make the most of your animal-viewing extravaganza, Guests will be provided with a night vision device! You’ll be astounded by what you can see: zebras, giraffes, wildebeest and antelopes—plus ostriches and over 20 other exotic African species that freely roam across the savannas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge .

Reservations and Important Details Reservations can be made on this page or in the My Disney Experience app .

This nighttime tour lasts approximately one hour. It’s available exclusively to Guests 8 years of age or older. Guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a participating adult who is 18 years of age or older.

Know Before You Go

• Warning: This experience features a ride in a rugged safari vehicle over an open savanna. For your safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure; heart, back or neck problems; motion sickness or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not participate.
• Late arrivals after the start of the tour will not be accommodated.
• Check in at the porte-cochere at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village, and plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Valid photo ID will be required to check in.
• There is a 24-hour cancellation policy. Full price will be charged/forfeited if the Guest cancels within one day or fails to show up for the reservation.
• Guests must be at least 8 years of age to participate in Starlight Safari, and Guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
• Guests using an ECV must leave their mobility devices behind at the Resort. They will retrieve them upon conclusion of the tour. This experience requires Guests in ECVs to transfer into an available wheelchair in order to participate in the tour.
• Nontransferable wheelchair Guests may remain in their wheelchair throughout this experience, however due to limited capacity on board the safari vehicle, all accommodation requests must be confirmed by calling (407) 939-5277.
• While safari vehicles are equipped for rain and wet terrain, experiences may be cancelled due to inclement weather.
• All aspects of the tour are subject to change without notice.
• Starlight Safari is a night experience, and Guests are responsible for transportation to and from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village.
• Allow up to 1.5 hours to travel to your destination within Walt Disney World Resort.

Related Activities

Savor the savanna, safety, accessibility and guest policies, make a reservation, times for starlight safari at disney's animal kingdom lodge.

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REVIEW: One Of The Most Popular Nighttime Tours In Disney World Is…At A Hotel?

By Shelby Smith 1 Comment

As part of Disney World’s phased reopening, experiences are slowly returning to the parks and hotels (but some still haven’t quite yet!) .

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

You can once again hug your favorite Disney characters, dine at fan-favorite restaurants, and enjoy a FULL parade in Magic Kingdom. But, if you want to take your park visit to the next level you might be considering one of Disney World’s behind-the-scenes tours . Many of these remain suspended to this date , BUT, one of our FAVORITE tours is FINALLY back and we’re taking you along with us!

The Starlight Safari has returned to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and we couldn’t wait to head back out to the savanna and see if it was still worth the cost!

As a quick refresher, the Starlight Safari currently costs $89 per person and takes place two times each night with one tour at 8:30PM and another at 10PM . Disney recommends arriving at least 15 minutes before your tour, so we arrived a bit in advance at the porte-cochere in Animal Kingdom Lodge — Kidani Village to check in. Note that a valid photo ID is required and guests must be at least 8 years old participate.

It’s almost time!

Once everyone had arrived, it was time to load up into the safari vehicle! Before we hopped in, there was a short ribbon-cutting ceremony where the first guest that had checked in for the tour got to do the honors. Cast Members were equally excited to be giving tours once again!

Time to board the vehicle!

Now, what makes this tour so unique is that you get to see the animals at NIGHT when many of them are more active. And, there’s no need to worry about being able to see all the nighttime activities because Disney provides night-vision devices so you can see the animals in the dark. We were given ours once we boarded the truck.

Got our night vision goggles!

Our guide for the safari was Noah, with Emily as our driver. Both are actually what Disney called “Interpretive Keepers,” which means they work directly with the animals AND lead tours — a.k.a. they’re the experts.

Our guide, Noah

Once our safari vehicle set off, it was time for an adventure!

The safari begins!

We were lucky enough to see a TON of animals, including zebras, antelopes, giraffes, and more! As we mentioned before, the animals tend to be more active at night, so you’ll see some enjoying their dinner, roaming the field, and whatever else animals are up to after sunset.

And, while our cameras did a great job at making it look like there was still some light out when we were touring, it was actually totally dark — making us all that much more thankful for our night vision goggles.

Hello, Giraffe!

Now, you can see the animals with night vision goggles at night at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge without paying for the tour . But, what makes this tour so unique (and worth the cost in our opinion) is that you get to see the animals at night up-close PLUS you’ve got a Cast Member who is dedicated to teaching you all about them!

SO many animals to see!

Our tour guide, Noah, was SO knowledgeable, but at the same time, he was also hilarious — he made everything he told us sound so interesting as he spoke about each animal and how Disney takes care of them.

Our tour guide knew EVERYTHING about these animals!

Our tour lasted just a little under an hour (though Disney suggests carving out about an hour and a half for this experience) and we were SO happy to have had the chance to come back! It’s important to keep in mind that this behind-the-scenes tour does entail riding in a rugged safari vehicle over an open savanna (and it gets BUMPY), but if you’re looking for something unique to add to your Disney World vacation, this is a great, affordable option. Plus, you could easily make an event out of the evening for you and your family by spending time at Animal Kingdom Lodge, having a nice dinner at Boma , Sanaa , or even Jiko , and then following it up with the tour.

So, if you’re thinking about giving it a try, reservations can be made online on the Disney World website, or through the My Disney Experience app . And, as always, make sure to keep reading DFB for more reviews — and news — from Disney World!

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Have you ever been on the Starlight Safari? Let us know in the comments!

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April 26, 2022 at 11:22 pm

I went to high school with Noah! He’s just as fun and hilarious as he is while working!

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Posted on April 24, 2022 by

Starlight Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Last night I had the honor of participating in the return of the Starlight Safari at Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World. There are 2 safaris every night and advanced reservations are required. You can reserve your safari using this link , it’s $89 per person (AP & DVC discounts do apply), and you must be at least 8 years old to participate. You check-in with the Safari staff (beside the Valet parking desk) outside the lobby at Kidani Village and load onto the truck where you will be given night vision goggles and a CM from AKL savanna’s care team is your guide for the roughly 1 hour tour. You are in an open-air vehicle and the tour occurs rain or shine, subject to change as these are wild animals you’re viewing, their comfort and protection, along with your safety, are always priority.

Here’s what I learned:

There are 6 savannas at AKL and we were able to view 2 of them, Sunset Savanna and Arusha Savanna. Each savanna is home to various hoofed and winged animals who are cared for 24 hours a day just like those at Animal Kingdom. Every animal spends 22 hours a day on the savannas so it is very likely to spot them from the viewing areas around the lobbies and pools at Jambo House and Kidani Village. Reticulated giraffe are located on both savannas and Masai giraffe are at Kilimanjaro Safaris inside the theme park.

The two hours they are not on the savanna the animals are inside their barns or holding areas either training, being fed their pelleted diets, or having check-ups with the vets. Every animal is trained to participate in their own healthcare and have learned visual, audio, and even smell queues to know when it’s their turn to head to the barn! If you want to see more about this you can check out the documentary on Disney+ about Animal Kingdom and the animal care team there!

Another smaller savanna is called Pembe and it is only viewable from Kidani Village rooms and the Kidani pool overlook. This is home to a lot of the smaller animals and an area called “Little Pembe” that is usually home to animals who are retiring (a lot older in age.)

Sunset Savanna is the largest with 2 driving loops between Kidani and Jambo house, here is where you can currently find one of the newest animals, Zarina! She is a baby, Heartman’s Mountain, Zebra born here at AKL during Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary; hence her name which in Swahili means The Golden One.

The entertainment team at Walt Disney World created a special way to reduced noise for the animals here at AKL as the fireworks from Magic Kingdom can be heard and slightly seen from the savannas. We learned that thankfully because of this the animals are not afraid of the noise, especially the ones who are born here at AKL, the noise has been their for their whole life.

A few facts I learned about Animal Kingdom Lodge are that it is home to the largest collection of African art outside of Africa! And if you haven’t noticed, rooms start on the second floor! This is for the protection and comfort of the animals. If you take the 8:30pm Safari like I did there is still some natural light that allows for a few photos without use of the night vision goggles, but as the night becomes darker the artificial light created by Imagineers simulates the light of a full moon. One more cool fact is that all of the animal waste (and food waste from resorts, parks, etc.) is taken to anaerobic digesters where it is turned into fuel to run the buses you use and see all around Disney property.

The Arusha savanna is only viewable from Jambo House and two of its residents include a pair of giraffe named Gemma and Rory.

This is a very cool and intimate experience with some of the animals here at Walt Disney World, my group only had 12 individuals so I will assume that all safaris are the same number of guests.

Is this an experience you would consider doing for yourself or with your family? Let us know in the comments!

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