AKL Concierge

[buzz5985]

I am booked for AKL Concierge. Will they contact me for The Sunrise Safari - or should I contact them?? How soon before hand will they contact us?? Not going until August, just don't want to miss out. Thanks.

 

[ducklite]

I would contact them, don't wait for them to be in touch with you.

Anne

 

[johnsonet]

I second that. You should get in touch with them and be assured a spot on the Sunrise Safari - and SunSET Safari if interested!

 

[WDWLinda]

We booked our AKL concierge around Dec. 20, stayed there Feb. 4 - 8. No one contacted us before the trip. Call them for the Safari now and make all your own PSs. If you wait for them to call or until you get there, it may be too late.

Good luck...
~Linda

 

[johnsonet]

My experience was that they got the *BEST* PS for me - if you know what you want definitely let them know (they should ask YOU). We got primo seats at Cali Grill and Jiko.

 

[buzz5985]

Thanks everyone, I will call and let them know we are coming. I can't wait to go on the Safari.

 

[momof2OH]

I've recently booked 2 rooms in concierge and just rec'd 2 packets from the AKL Concierge staff. It includes a welcome letter, a map, a pamphlet with concierge info and a personal vacation itinerary pamphlet (which you fill out and send back to them).

 

[dpuck1998]

This might help you
WDW.AKLodge.Concierge@disney.com
I e-mailed back and forth with AKL and they
were super helpful. Correct me someone if I'm wrong, but
didn't they replace the sunrise safari with a night time safari??

 

[KathyTX]

Originally posted by dpuck1998
Correct me someone if I'm wrong, but
didn't they replace the sunrise safari with a night time safari??

They now have BOTH! The Sunrise Safari is a park adventure mainly in the Kilimanjaro Safaris area.

Here's what Deb Wills had to say about the Sunrise Safari: (from http://allearsnet.com/acc/faq_akl9.htm)

The Sunrise Safari is offered twice a week to guests of the Concierge in Animal Kingdom Lodge for $49.95 per person (same price adults and children). This is almost worth the price of staying concierge! Children are allowed on the safari! We gathered in the Kilimanjaro Club at 7am on Saturday morning. The Cast Members checked us in, issued a name tag, and scanned/checked our park passes for the day. I had been told ahead of time NOT to eat much before going and I'm glad I only did coffee and a banana. Anyway, we left the lounge and were taken to a bus that drove us into Animal Kingdom. We were escorted into the Kilimanjaro Safari area. Our group split up and boarded 2 jeeps, each having their own animal guide as well as driver. The wonderful thing about the Safari is not only do you get to see the animals first thing in the morning, but the jeep will stop for you to take photographs! We saw more animals out than we had ever seen before including the Cheetahs, Baboons and warthogs. While my digital camera got some nice shots, our Pentax SLR with a telephoto lense captured some of the animals wonderfully. It's worth lugging your heavy camera equipment along just for this!

Our safari took just under an hour...we disembarked and were escorted to Tusker House. One of the private dining rooms was set up with the most incredible buffet! All in all an incredible experience and one I would do again in a heartbeat! RATING: 5 Stars

The Sunset Safari is an event on the ground of the Lodge that includes dinner at Jiko.

The Wanyama Safari is offered to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge adult concierge-level guests on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays at 4 p.m. The 3 ½-hour experience, including dinner, is $150 per person, with a maximum of eight persons. For reservations, contact 407/938-4755.

 

[stinkerbelle]

here's what the sunset safari (Wanyama) is all about.
my hubby (ckj) and I took it back in January...here is his review with pictures.

http://users.adelphia.net/~jareddewey/sunsetsafari.html

 

[KutztownPA]

Could anyone tell me if the Sunrise Safari is for AKL Concierge guests only? We are staying at the Poly Concierge and was wondering if we were able to sign up.

Thank you in advance.

 

[stinkerbelle]

yes - sorry. both the Sunset and Sunrise safaris are only available to AKL concierge guests.

 

[poohj80]

We recently took the Backstage Safari tour at AK and got the same type of safari experience as the sunrise safari (although it was in the middle of the day, not at sunrise) as well as a full backstage tour of AK for the same price of around $50 (with AP discount). This makes me wonder other than the time, what else is so special about the AKL Concierge tour that we didn't get? Our experience was about 4.5 hours long.

Thanks!

 

[KathyTX]

The descriptions I've seen of the AK Backstage Safari sound like it's a walking safari that goes to several different backstage areas.

The Sunrise Safari is more like an extended Kilimanjaro Safari, uses the Kilimanjaro Safari jeeps, and includes breakfast and transportation from the AKL.

They both sound like loads of fun, but different.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by poohj80
We recently took the Backstage Safari tour at AK and got the same type of safari experience as the sunrise safari (although it was in the middle of the day, not at sunrise) as well as a full backstage tour of AK for the same price of around $50 (with AP discount). This makes me wonder other than the time, what else is so special about the AKL Concierge tour that we didn't get? Our experience was about 4.5 hours long.

Thanks!

I've done both, and they are extremely different programs!

The Backstage Safari is much more in depth, it's only for ages 16 and up, and it takes you through some of the animal buildings. it gives you a lot more info on medical and the breeding programs, etc. There's also "classroom" time.

The Sunrise Safari you get off the bus for a very short walk from a backstage area to the Safari loading area, and then at the end of the safari you walk to the Tusker House for the incredible breakfast.

The Backstage Safari is very educational and a lot more "backstage", the Sunrise Safari is more for animal viewing at a more leisurely pace than the regular safari gives you.

Very, very different programs. I prefered the Backstage Safari. I've taken the Sunrise Safari twice, I doubt I'll take it again anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I took it, but it's like Backstage Magic, after you've taken it twice, it's time to try something else

Anne

 

[Kajunswty]

hope it's okay to "jump" on this thread with my question ~ it is along the same lines.

We also just booked AKL for our April trip so I have my fingers crossed that I will receive "the packet" in the mail. My question is how early is too early to contact them for my PS? I don't want for them to think I am a pest but I don't want to miss out on my prefered times since it is Spring Break and all. We have less than two months to go.


thanks in advance!!

 

[Mary Ellen]

since you just booked, I'd contact them. If I remember correctly, they contact you/start taking reddies for the SS about 90 days out. You're already in that time frame.

 

[poohj80]

Originally posted by KathyTX
The descriptions I've seen of the AK Backstage Safari sound like it's a walking safari that goes to several different backstage areas.

The Sunrise Safari is more like an extended Kilimanjaro Safari, uses the Kilimanjaro Safari jeeps, and includes breakfast and transportation from the AKL.

They both sound like loads of fun, but different.

You are correct but at the end of our backstage walking tour, we went to the unloading dock of the Kilimanjaro Safari ride and jumped aboard a Jeep which had just emptied. It was fun waving to the folks waiting in the loading area as we drove on by. Our guide then turned off the normal speaker "script", took the headset, and gave us our own private tour through the safari much like all the decsriptions I have read of the sunrise safari.

So, it seems like we got much more of a tour for the same money.

 

[exiles]

We have taken both tours and the Sunrise Safari spends a lot more time out on the savanna. The Backstage tour you take the same amount of time as the Kilimanjaro ride. The SS stops much more frequently and for much longer.

 

[poohj80]

Thanks! I wasn't sure how long the "typical" safari ride was with the Backstage tour, but I know we were holding up three other Jeeps. I wonder if it just depends on who the guide is?