At AKL, I wouldn't give up club level for
free dining. AKL club level is great. Also, I think a stay at AKL isn't worth it unless you have a savannah view room. I wouldn't bother with a standard room just to get free dining. I would stay with club level.
If it's club level, rather than AKL specifically that you want, is club level available anywhere else with free dininig? If so, switch to another hotel. As another pp said, you can book a special AK tour that takes place during the day if you're a club level guest at any Disney resort.
I've done both the sunrise safari for AKL club level guests and the wildlife excursion, which is available to club level guests at any Disney resort.
The sunrise safari is very nice, but we really enjoyed the wildlife excursion, too. We were at GF RPC last August and booked the wildlife excursion. It was great. They do it with a small group in an excursion-style van. We had a terrific guide who told us alot of interesting things about the animals, the design of their habitats, etc. She specialized in the rhinos, so had lots of background details about how they manage them. It's not a good excursion for kids as they would get bored quickly. The two kids on our excursion got bored and the guide spent a lot of effort trying to keep them entertained. But for adults, it was great.
We were able to get up close to many of the animals, and we didn't have to get up at 6 a.m. like you do for the sunrise safari. There is no meal after the excursion, but we didn't care about that. There is a breakfast at AK after the sunrise safari, and it was nice. But, a breakfast buffet for me isn't all that exciting. I've had many memorable meals at WDW and the breakfast after the sunrise safari isn't one of them. That's not to say the food wasn't good. It was. It's just breakfast food is breakfast food. I'd rather spend the money for a great dinner at Jiko. Speaking of that, there is also a tour that goes backstage at AKL, with a special dinner at Jiko afterwards. That would be fun, I bet. I don't know what level, if any, you must be staying at in order to book that. Perhaps, someone else does.
Upshot, if you really want AKL club level, then don't worry about free dining. Stay club level, skip the free dining, enjoy the club level food offerings and don't look back.
If what you really care about is club level (as opposed to AKL club level), switch to another resort where it's available with free dining. As soon as possible, book the wildlife excursion and do that instead of sunrise safari.
Best wishes in getting it all worked out!
