New Nightime Safari - Can anyone comment?

[loveshak22]

I just saw an announcement from October 2012 that said that AKL is now offering a nightime safari: http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/disn...afari-tour.htm.

I can't find any reviews. Anyone given this a try yet? Did you actually see anything?

[clayfolks]

We did it the Friday after Thanksgiving and really enjoyed it. We had done the Wanayama safari a few years ago so had an idea of what to expect. It was very good. We did not bring cameras and were pleased that we hadn't. Although we were satisfied with our experience, we would repeat the Wanayama before doing this again because the photo opportunities were so spectacular.

[loveshak22]

Originally Posted by clayfolks

We did it the Friday after Thanksgiving and really enjoyed it. We had done the Wanayama safari a few years ago so had an idea of what to expect. It was very good. We did not bring cameras and were pleased that we hadn't. Although we were satisfied with our experience, we would repeat the Wanayama before doing this again because the photo opportunities were so spectacular.

Thanks so much for taking time to share your experience. I'm going back and forth on the Wanayama safari, mainly because of the cost. We already plan on having dinner at Jiko on the dxddp so the benefit is $400 for the two of us to do the safari...we're staying at the AKL with an Arusha view so I'm just wondering the the cost is still the best "deal" for us. But I'd love to do a safari but on a smaller scale.

We're staying in a CL room so we could do the sunrise safari but we'd have to rearrange our schedule quite a bit because we could only do it on a Tuesday. Then I saw the night safari and it said it ran Saturday night, which fits perfect with our schedule and is only $70. But I just wonder what you can even see at night? Night vision goggles are neat but when I used them in the past doesn't everything just have a greenish glow?

I don't know though because most people seem to love the Wanayama experience.

[Kathy Z]

We've used the night vision goggles to view animals on the savanna from the grounds of AKL and you are correct, the picture is mainly shades of green. That was cool as a free treat but I don't know that I would go for a paid safari at night. Now, snorkeling at night on Bonaire in the 1990's was a totally awesome experience, but that's off topic.

We did do the Wanyama Safari in 2010 which was also our only trip that we purchased the Deluxe Dining Plan. I thought a lot about it before booking due to the fact that we'd be paying for a Jiko dinner that could have easily been worked into our dining plan. But we're so glad that we did book Wanyama. It's been the single most enjoyable experience we've paid extra for at WDW. Yes, our room was also on the Arusha Savannah, but not CL, and we saw plenty of animals from our balcony. We weren't eligible for the Sunrise Safari since we were not staying CL. Wanyama was done so well with two knowledgeable guides and just 6 other guests. At the dinner in Jiko we got to try far more courses then we would have on our own and each was so wonderfully paired with wine. We did manage to use up our dining credits by eating at 3 other Signature Restaurants that week plus enjoying sit down breakfasts (twice at Boma).

If you do decide on Wanyama, you could always use some of your extra dining credits to order an omelet from room service to supplement the pastries etc. that are available to you in the CL. The omelets are huge and DH & I shared one a few times when we wanted to make rope drop at a park having already eaten. They come with a few sides.

[loveshak22]

Originally Posted by Kathy Z

We've used the night vision goggles to view animals on the savanna from the grounds of AKL and you are correct, the picture is mainly shades of green. That was cool as a free treat but I don't know that I would go for a paid safari at night. Now, snorkeling at night on Bonaire in the 1990's was a totally awesome experience, but that's off topic.

We did do the Wanyama Safari in 2010 which was also our only trip that we purchased the Deluxe Dining Plan. I thought a lot about it before booking due to the fact that we'd be paying for a Jiko dinner that could have easily been worked into our dining plan. But we're so glad that we did book Wanyama. It's been the single most enjoyable experience we've paid extra for at WDW. Yes, our room was also on the Arusha Savannah, but not CL, and we saw plenty of animals from our balcony. We weren't eligible for the Sunrise Safari since we were not staying CL. Wanyama was done so well with two knowledgeable guides and just 6 other guests. At the dinner in Jiko we got to try far more courses then we would have on our own and each was so wonderfully paired with wine. We did manage to use up our dining credits by eating at 3 other Signature Restaurants that week plus enjoying sit down breakfasts (twice at Boma).

If you do decide on Wanyama, you could always use some of your extra dining credits to order an omelet from room service to supplement the pastries etc. that are available to you in the CL. The omelets are huge and DH & I shared one a few times when we wanted to make rope drop at a park having already eaten. They come with a few sides.

That is a rave review!! Especially the sentence I bolded! Oh - the decision is so tough! I had started another thread before I realized there was this night safari where I was asking about the possibility of paying just for the safari and not doing the dinner at Jiko and someone else stated something similar to what you said about the variety of the food and suggested using the 2 TS credits elsewhere. You make good points.

There are two days where we don't have a lunch planned and figured we'd use snack credits for small bites to eat. We have like 8:30 a.m. breakfast reservations and then 7:30 p.m. or later dinner reservations. We could use the 2 TS credits on these days for lunch...I just don't know how hungry we'll be but 11 hours between meals with lots of walking then I'm sure we'll be hungry enough.

[Kathy Z]

I did NOT use the telephoto option of my camera for this close up of the giraffe! I kept forgetting to take pictures of the food but this was my dinner plate after I had taken just a few bites from my main courses. DH & I were celebrating our 46th anniversary a few weeks later and I had noted that when booking so we got the extra desserts in addition to the sampling that the 6 others had with their meal. They all wished they were celebrating their anniversaries too.

[DenLo]

Originally Posted by clayfolks

We did it the Friday after Thanksgiving and really enjoyed it. We had done the Wanayama safari a few years ago so had an idea of what to expect. It was very good. We did not bring cameras and were pleased that we hadn't. Although we were satisfied with our experience, we would repeat the Wanayama before doing this again because the photo opportunities were so spectacular.

We have not done the Wanayama safari, but we are considering doing the night safari. Chris, the Animal Program Manager at AKL was the animal specialist at Sanaa when we dined there in August. She mentioned the safari several times, but I forgot to ask for more details.

Do you remember how much it cost? I read $70 on another website, but can't find anything on the WDW website. Would you recommend it for our first safari? I assume the policy was no flash photography. Did everyone comply? A flash would be a shocker not only to the animals but to the guests wearing the night vision goggles.

[loveshak22]

Originally Posted by Kathy Z

I did NOT use the telephoto option of my camera for this close up of the giraffe! I kept forgetting to take pictures of the food but this was my dinner plate after I had taken just a few bites from my main courses. DH & I were celebrating our 46th anniversary a few weeks later and I had noted that when booking so we got the extra desserts in addition to the sampling that the 6 others had with their meal. They all wished they were celebrating their anniversaries too.

Awesome pics!! And that dessert looks so yummy!!!!

[DenLo]

Originally Posted by Kathy Z

I did NOT use the telephoto option of my camera for this close up of the giraffe! I kept forgetting to take pictures of the food but this was my dinner plate after I had taken just a few bites from my main courses. DH & I were celebrating our 46th anniversary a few weeks later and I had noted that when booking so we got the extra desserts in addition to the sampling that the 6 others had with their meal. They all wished they were celebrating their anniversaries

Did you take the Wanyama (Sunset) Safari with dinner at Jikos? We hope to do that safari for a special anniversary in the future.


Does the new Nighttime safari include any food or drinks?

[MLinDisney]

We did the night vision safari a few weeks ago. We couldn't take photos. The goggles did show the animals greenish, but there was another button that put a headlight kind of beam on the animals. It took away the greenish quite a bit and lit up the animal you were looking at. The animals are unaware of that special beam. There is no refreshments on this tour. I enjoyed this safari, but did like the Wanyama Safari much better.

[Kathy Z]

Originally Posted by DenLo

Did you take the Wanyama (Sunset) Safari with dinner at Jikos? We hope to do that safari for a special anniversary in the future.


Does the new Nighttime safari include any food or drinks?

Yes, those pictures I posted above were from the Wanyama (Sunset) Safari with dinner at Jiko's.

[DenLo]

Thanks for the answers to my questions Kathy Z and MLinDisney.