BIG AKL Sunrise Safari dilemma! Suggestions needed!

[HughJackman'n'me]

I was planning on surprising my DFam with the Sunrise Safari during our trip to WDW in Feb. Since we definitely CANNOT afford to book concierge for the entire 4 day pert of our vaca, I was just going to book it for one day, and sebsequently book the safari within the 90 days. Here's my prob: the 1st part of our trip, we will be at Ft W cabins (2/19-2/22), checking out of the cabins on Tuesday and checking into AKL on the same day. The Sunrise Safari is only offered on Tuesdays and Saturdays. A Saturday booking is definitely out, since we will be driving back to NJ on Saturday, so that leaves only Tuesday. I doubt if we can make it to AKL to be there for the 7:30 AM bus that leaves for the safari. What would you do????

 

[VAgal76]

I hope I don't lose you in my explanation.

How about staying concierge Monday night only. Ask for late check-out on Tuesday then relocate to a regular savannah room for the rest of your stay. That way, you can go on safari Tuesday morning, do a little AKL park then come back around 12 pm to 1 pm to move your bags and check-out.

If your budget and time will allow it. Stay Monday and Tuesday in concierge. Then on Wed. morning check-out before heading to the parks and let them take care of your bags for you.

You can have them take care of your baggage for Tuesday also if you can only do one night. I believe you must have concierge status when you go on safari so you may have to wait to check out AFTER safari if you do one night only. Double check with Andrea or Don at IPO and explain your situtation. Hopefully, they can give you hand in this also.

Safari is definitely worth doing a little ring around the rooms.

 

[HughJackman'n'me]

Originally posted by VAgal76
I hope I don't lose you in my explanation.

How about staying concierge Monday night only. Ask for late check-out on Tuesday then relocate to a regular savannah room for the rest of your stay. That way, you can go on safari Tuesday morning, do a little AKL park then come back around 12 pm to 1 pm to move your bags and check-out.

If your budget and time will allow it. Stay Monday and Tuesday in concierge. Then on Wed. morning check-out before heading to the parks and let them take care of your bags for you.

You can have them take care of your baggage for Tuesday also if you can only do one night. I believe you must have concierge status when you go on safari so you may have to wait to check out AFTER safari if you do one night only. Double check with Andrea or Don at IPO and explain your situtation. Hopefully, they can give you hand in this also.

Safari is definitely worth doing a little ring around the rooms.

....I thought of that, but it is kinda silly to check into Ft W cabins LATE Sat nite (we hope to arrive by 9:30PM!) to check out again on Monday. I also thought about reversing my split stay, but I'd rather start with Ft W and finish off with AKL.....is that being too irrational??

 

[VAgal76]

I don't think you are irrational at all. I totally understand your desire to end with a BIG BANG. Your further explanation now let's me see the total picture. Coming in late Sat. so that basically leaves you one and half nights at FW Cabins. I'm a little stumped, too. I don't think I would stay just for 1 1/2 nights in a cabin. I think of it this way. The FW cabins are about the price as standard rooms at AKL. You can get discounts at AKL just the same as FW cabins. Have you considered staying at AKL the entire time? You can do some grocery shopping and get a fridge for your room so that eliminates breakfast and possibly some lunches. While you are in concierge, take advantage of breakfast to save on your items you've purchased for your regular room. Enjoy the snacks in the lounge and let them take care of any changes to your PSs. While you are in a regular room, pack your quickie sandwiches and enjoy them outback at the Arusha rock or in rocking chair on one of the "porches" (as I call them). Maybe splurge a little more if possible and get a deluxe room for the added space. When you're moving to concierge, tell the kids everyone is spending the night in a special room for a reason and just let the excitement build. When you're ready, tell them it's a surprise outing. So when you revert back to your room, they are just excited that they did safari. I don't know if they'll notice they were in concierge or not. I don't think they'll notice anything, but the safari. The rest will most likely roll over their heads.


I hope I've helped. If staying in the cabin for that short time is best for your situation, stick with it and shorten your stay and add it on to AKL. It's tough re-working all your plans for one morning. Whatever you decide, I hope you have an awesome time.

 

[CarolA]

I would call and talk to someone about the Sunrise Safari first.

I seem to recall a rumor that you had to book two nights at concerige to get this (or maybe they just require a minimum of two nights booking in the concerige) Plus I am pretty sure you would have to be there Monday night for the Tuesday Safari. Your Concerige stay won't start until check in on Tuesday which is AFTER the Safari.

 

[HughJackman'n'me]

There are three reasons why we are even staying at Ft W at all:

1) my DS's REALLY want to stay here and it is what THEY picked

2) my DH has Celiac disease, so it's much easier to just prepare most of his meals the cabin, since they have cooking facilities (believe me, my idea of a vaca does NOT include cooking!!)

3) WL was actually our FIRST choice, but it is booked solid; Ft W is one of the resorts that has water activities available (fishing, water mice, etc.)

 

[VAgal76]

Boy, you are in a pickle - LOL! What time had you planned to leave on Saturday morning? Safari would be over by 9 am. Would it be worth it to you to head home later on Saturday? Maybe have bags packed the night before except essentials, load the car so you'll just do a quick check before checking-out. Check out was no big deal for us...something like a few minutes. I know it's a stretch, but a possibility to explore. Just let the kiddo's know it's the last fun thing to do before leaving, but there will be no fighting on the way home if you guys do it. Hopefully that will make the trip more pleasant if you had to get a later start.

On a side note, I've not heard of any minimum stay in concierge to do safari. Just that you must be a current concierge guest to participate. Do check with Don and Andrea at IPO on this to avoid any sticky situations. I believe many people have stayed Friday night on concierge just to do the sunrise safari on Saturday morning before heading home.

Otherwise, it's looking like you'd have either flip flop your resort stays or move to AKL on Monday to make it on the Tuesday morning safari. I

Exploring your option to check-in on Tuesday before safari - They do ask to be in the lounge for safari check-in by 6:45 am. Worse case scenario, you may have to lose some shut-eye to get it done. Do they have luggage assistance at the cabins? If so, have them transfer your luggage and catch a cab to AKL to do a quick check-in before the safari. Safari would probably wake the sleepy heads up.

 

[HughJackman'n'me]

...since we'll have our car, I was just gonna load up the car and let the bellhop take it[our luggage] when we arrived at AKL. The trip home is about 19 hours (to NJ). I plan on stopping overnight and hope to be in Va. Also, part of the whole Sunrise Safari experience was to have breakfast at Tusker House and be one of the priviledged few in AK already!

I know, I know, SUCH a predicament....bet more people would like to be in my shoes [LOL] !!

 

[VAgal76]

So you gonna grin and bear it by getting up early on Tuesday morning? Glad you've got your mind made up. Yeah, being in AK already would be nice. We did sunset safari on our last trip and am dying to do sunrise now.

I hear you on that hike home of yours. 19 hour drive stinks! Especially on I-95.

 

[lisareniff]

Just a quick option....

How about finding another family and doing the Grand Gathering Safari? The Safari sounded very similar, only you get dinner instead of breakfast AND you don't have to be a concierge guest. My DH really wanted to do the SS but it is hard to justify the extra $$ for concierge. I was looking at this as an option and had called about it. The CM I talked to was very familiar (forgot what position he had previously) with the SS and told me the safari portion was the same. They also had characters at the dinner and some animal experts.

For our trip, my DH told me to stop worrying about the money and just do it. So we are doing 4 nights AKL con. then 5 nights BCV.

 

[stinkerbelle]

FYI - to be allowed to do the sunrise safari you have to be a concierge guest on at least MONDAY checking out on Tuesday.

you have to be there the night before for this one for some reason.

 

[HughJackman'n'me]

...bumping to keep 'em coming!

 

[#1hockeymom]

My first sunrise safari was the MORNING I was checking in as a concierge guest. It went off w/o a hitch, but I was already a savannah view guest and requested to keep the same room for the entire trip. (You'll be driving to change resorts while I just walked down the hall/elevators) I did have to recheck in about 6:30 am, and my keys were goofed up for a bit and had to be redone twice. *being a concierge guest three times now I know they just didn't have the "gold" priviledges tied to my keys so I couldn't get to the sixth floor!*
I checked into the lounge with no trouble and we loved the safari so much we ended up booking it again the following Easter! We loved our concierge stay (I followed up the mom/son trip with Easter family concierge trip and July kids and mom concierge (yeah the suite!) trip) and I encourage you to find a way to make this happen for you and yours!

AKL's concierge staff is fantastic, and their lounge is just so peaceful! You'll love it there!
Debbie

 

[HughJackman'n'me]

...yeah, I really want this to happen ~ just wish Sunrise Safari was offered on ANOTHER morning !

 

[HughJackman'n'me]

...I emailed AKL concierge DIRECT; hope to hear from them soon!

(MUCHO Pixie Dust appreciated! )

 

[HughJackman'n'me]

I changed my ressies so that we will start ff the 1st part of our vaca at AKL instead of Ft W cabins, including the last day at concierge! Now, I'm just waiting for word to confirm my ressies for the Sunrise Safari. I'm soo excited, I could BURST!!! (BTW ~ does SS have to be paid in advance, or held with a credit card?)