Wanyama Safari without dinner?

[loveshak22]

Has anyone ever asked, or actually been able, to do the Wanyama Safari without the dinner at a reduced price? I am guessing that the answer is no but we paid for the deluxe dining plan and one of our reseravations is at Jiko for the night that we'd actually have open in our schedule to do the Wanyama safari. I'd love to do the safari and keep our current Jiko ADR.

I could cancel our reservation and pay the full price for the safari but then I really won't feel like I'm getting the most out of the deluxe dining plan by dropping one of the 2 credit signature restaurants. Right now with what the dxddp costs it is barely a savings to what I calculated what our OOP costs would be for what I'd guess we would spend for the reservations we have. If I drop a signature restaurant then we should probably drop the ddp all together and do OOP.

[sndral]

Anything is possible, but I'm guessing it won't happen for 2 reasons:
1) D/Plans are probably managed by a different department/unit from the Wanyama safari and there's no mechanism to transfer credit from one to the other.
2) DXDP includes appetizer, entree and desert. Wanyama safari dinner includes all of that plus wine so technically they are not quid pro quo(although alcohol is included in Hoop Dee Do and it's 2 TS credits on the DP.)
I thoroughly enjoyed the Wanyama safari 3 years ago and have done deluxe dinning for the last 2 years. W/ the dxdp we schedule all dinners @ 2 TS restaurants (except Boma) and most lunches @ 1 TS and just do breakfast snacks. On our Boma night we do a 2 TS lunch (Brown Derby is a nice option) or a 3rd meal - which is breakfast for us. If I were doing the Wanyama safari and your solution doesn't work, I'd just switch one or two 1 ts lunch(es) to 2 ts restaurant(s) and/or add a character breakfast.
The safari is worth the extra money, IMO.

[figment_jii]

Originally Posted by loveshak22

Has anyone ever asked, or actually been able, to do the Wanyama Safari without the dinner at a reduced price? I am guessing that the answer is no but we paid for the deluxe dining plan and one of our reseravations is at Jiko for the night that we'd actually have open in our schedule to do the Wanyama safari. I'd love to do the safari and keep our current Jiko ADR.

I could cancel our reservation and pay the full price for the safari but then I really won't feel like I'm getting the most out of the deluxe dining plan by dropping one of the 2 credit signature restaurants. Right now with what the dxddp costs it is barely a savings to what I calculated what our OOP costs would be for what I'd guess we would spend for the reservations we have. If I drop a signature restaurant then we should probably drop the ddp all together and do OOP.

I'd call and ask the Animal Kingdom Lodge planning group directly ((407) 938-4755). My guess is the answer is "no" as well, but you won't know for sure until ask.

[TDC Nala]

You could skip the dinner but they won't reduce the price.

I doubt they would do so in order for you to be able to use dining credits for dinner.

[loveshak22]

Originally Posted by figment_jii

I'd call and ask the Animal Kingdom Lodge planning group directly ((407) 938-4755). My guess is the answer is "no" as well, but you won't know for sure until ask.

Good point - I can go straight to the source I suppose and see what they say

Originally Posted by sndral

Anything is possible, but I'm guessing it won't happen for 2 reasons:
1) D/Plans are probably managed by a different department/unit from the Wanyama safari and there's no mechanism to transfer credit from one to the other.
2) DXDP includes appetizer, entree and desert. Wanyama safari dinner includes all of that plus wine so technically they are not quid pro quo(although alcohol is included in Hoop Dee Do and it's 2 TS credits on the DP.)
I thoroughly enjoyed the Wanyama safari 3 years ago and have done deluxe dinning for the last 2 years. W/ the dxdp we schedule all dinners @ 2 TS restaurants (except Boma) and most lunches @ 1 TS and just do breakfast snacks. On our Boma night we do a 2 TS lunch (Brown Derby is a nice option) or a 3rd meal - which is breakfast for us. If I were doing the Wanyama safari and your solution doesn't work, I'd just switch one or two 1 ts lunch(es) to 2 ts restaurant(s) and/or add a character breakfast.
The safari is worth the extra money, IMO.

Thanks for your thoughts on this!! I wasn't thinking I could use the DP for the safari meal because it does have wine but I was thinking we could do the safari and then go on our own way and go to our own reservation and order from the menu using the DP. However, the wine paring does sound good! And it sounds like the meal with the safari is family style so you get to try more types of foods.

I'm really happy with my ADRs but I have a couple of days where we have an 8:30 a.m. breakfast and an 8:00 p.m. dinner. I figured we'd use snack credits for something in between but if I cancel Jiko then we'll have 2 credits for QS meals or TS meals on those days we where have 12 hours between reservations...I'll have to look back at our schedule.

I've been really excited about eating at Jiko. Do you think the family style meal served with the safari, as opposed to us ordering our own apps/entrees, will be a good first experience there?

[loveshak22]

Originally Posted by TDC Nala

You could skip the dinner but they won't reduce the price.

I doubt they would do so in order for you to be able to use dining credits for dinner.

That's what I'm thinking...and at that point the decision becomes use the 2 TS credits elsewhere on the trip or skip out on the safari. From everything I've read though the safari is worth is so I'm going to see how else I can use our TS credits.

[loveshak22]

Hmmmm...I just saw this post from October 2012 that they started a new nighttime safari at 10:00 P.M.: http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/disn...afari-tour.htm.

And it's on Saturday which is after our current dinner reservation at Jiko. I wish I could find some reviews.

[garnet1240]

Originally Posted by loveshak22

Hmmmm...I just saw this post from October 2012 that they started a new nighttime safari at 10:00 P.M.: http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge/news/09oct2012-disney's-animal-kingdom-lodge-introduces-new-nighttime-safari-tour.htm.

And it's on Saturday which is after our current dinner reservation at Jiko. I wish I could find some reviews.

How do you book this?

[figment_jii]

Originally Posted by garnet1240

How do you book this?

You have to call Animal Kingdom Lodge planning/concierge ((407) 938-4755).

[loveshak22]

Originally Posted by figment_jii

You have to call Animal Kingdom Lodge planning/concierge ((407) 938-4755).

Since the nighttime tour isn't just for CL guests at AKL could they also call the tour number? Or does the planning/concierge desk handle the AKL tours?

Tours, Recreation and Cirque du Soleil La Nouba
(407) 939-1929

As an update, since we are staying CL and had it available I ended up going with the sunrise safari as opposed to the Wanyama safari. I gave it a lot of thought and did a lot of research and the $70 a person for the sunrise safari just seemed more reasonable and it fit into our plans better. We do have dinner reservations at Jiko that night as well so I'm excited to give it a try.

From what I read the Wanyama safari provided more interaction with the animals on the AKL safari so I'm sad not to have that experience but I think the sunrise safari will be fun!!

[figment_jii]

Originally Posted by loveshak22

Since the nighttime tour isn't just for CL guests at AKL could they also call the tour number? Or does the planning/concierge desk handle the AKL tours?

I don't know, so you can try the regular tour line. The worse that can happen is they say they cannot book it for you and that you have to call AKL. I was guessing that you'd need to talk with AKL directly because it's like the Wanyama Safari, which is open to anyone staying at AKL, but needs to be booked through the planning line.

[loveshak22]

Originally Posted by figment_jii

I don't know, so you can try the regular tour line. The worse that can happen is they say they cannot book it for you and that you have to call AKL. I was guessing that you'd need to talk with AKL directly because it's like the Wanyama Safari, which is open to anyone staying at AKL, but needs to be booked through the planning line.

Makes sense! I keep getting sucked into these add-on tours! Now I'm thinking about the Epcot Aqua Sea Tour...I need to stop doing any more planning so I don't spend any more money