Backstage Safari or Wild by Design?

[DeterminedOne]

First I booked Wild By Design. Then I changed and booked Backstage Safari because of a trip report where the writer had a really good time with that tour. They even got to pet a baby rhino! But now I'm having second thoughts. Others reports have been that the Safari is boring and a waste of time. It's obvious. I need to stop reading trip reports.

Pros for Backstage - we might get to to pet an animal or see a surgery being performed. The private ride on Kilmanjaro sounds good, too. Pros for Wild - learning more about the design and details of the park. Hopefully, we get the opportunity to ride something. What should I do?

 

[Lancer]

I did both and I wouldnt consider either boring. It all depends on what you want, to see how animals are cared for or interesting trivia. Although we got to see the rhino, girraff and elephants, we were never allowed to touch any of them. The private safari ride was simply a truck just for the tour(and with out the audio) you do not see anything different than the regular trucks as you are in line with them. On wild by Design, we did get to meet some of the animals keepers in the park, onstage. Again, I was fascinated by both, but if I had to choose just one, I would probably go with Wild by Design because I love the trivia aspect, learning why and how things were done the way they were. Alot, I was never aware of or noticed when walking through the park. Now when I am in the park with friends, I can share all this new found knowledge.
Again, animals or trivia. What do you prefer?

Hope this helps
Lancer (fellow NE Hoosier!)

 

[Simba's Mom]

I went on Backstage Safari and loved it, but I would rather have done Wild by Design. The only reason I didn't is that at that time, it was only offered on Thursday and Friday, days I had other plans. I remember that on Wild by Design, you were supposed to get breakfast at Tusker House, I think. We only got bottled water and prepackaged snacks part way thru BS. We did pet one animal, didn't see any surgery, and like I said, I loved it, but then, I love anything about Animal Kingdom.

 

[DeterminedOne]

Thanks for the info. You have made the decision even harder.

 

[epfootballcutie04]

Ok, so heres a question for all of you....

if you had to pick ONE tour out of any of the 4 theme parks, which one would it be and why.....

i'm not probably going to be buying any souvineers only because my parents just bought into DVC and we will go to disney world TONS of times, but i would like to do a tour of some sort for myself....

so let's here it, which one... out of any.... would you recomend?

 

[ZoZo]

I have only been on the Backstage Safari (the other tour was not offered at that time). I loved, loved, loved it! But I'm a seven-year volunteer at my local zoo (in Washington State) and work hands-on with the animals there, so I loved the opportunity to see how the "other guys" do things.

We got to see the medical facility, food prep area, got a tour of the elephant barn (when the animals were outside), touched a rhino and a tiny baby alligator, and saw a giraffe up close (but didn't get to touch it). You get access to lots of behind-the-scenes stuff and have a special tour guides who gives you the inside scoop about AK. [Our tour guide was great!] I really learned a lot! Fascinating.

(BTW, I also went with a friend who is also an "animal person" but does not volunteer at my zoo, and she really enjoyed herself, too.)

So, I can definitely recommend Backstage Safari. I have no experience with the other tour, but would like to do it next time I'm there!

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

I've done both, loved both! I'll just link you to those parts of my trip reports, since they'll have way more detail than you ever wanted

Backstage Safari:http://www.lovemanythings.net/disney/dec01/part5.html

Wild by Design: http://www.lovemanythings.net/WDW04/part7.html

 

[twojo21]

my husband & i did backstage safari at ak back in 2003 & it was just awesome. we really enjoyed seeing the animals from that view & getting to know so much more about them & the facilities. we did get the chance to pet a few animals too & got a gift at the end.

 

[Lancer]

Picking the best is actually a lot harder than it sounds. I have taken almost every one offered, some three times. First let me say that although these tours are scripted to a certain extent, on any given tour, the cm can make a tremendous difference. For example, I have taken the KTTK tour three times over the last 7 years partly because there is so much to absorb, I have forgotten a lot and because different cms will give you varying amounts of info. The first time, it was incredible the amount of trivia we had learned, however, the second time a year later, we didnt recieve half the info that we did on the first. On the last one, the cm had just gotten back from vacation at 3:00am and had to take our tour at 9:30 that morning. He did his best, but having been on the tour before, I know the tour wasnt as good as the last.

Having said all that, If I had to pick one tour, especially as a first tour, I would recommend the KTTK. This tour has so much fascinating info as it relates to the history of WDW and of Walt himself. Although he did not live to see its completion, you can learn of the stories behind WDW and how walt still had a major part in creating the final park. This park was concieved by the legendary imagineers of Disney who were part of Disneyland and Disney animation and it is their creativity and resoursefullness that you learn about. While all the other tours are excellent, and I would recommend all of them,(I love behind the scenes trivia) this one is pure Disney history and nostalgia.

Its still hard to just pick one though,

Lancer