Sunrise Safari now available to DVC Members staying at AKV!

[Simba's Mom]

Whoo-hoo! We are booked for the 5/1 Tour!

FWIW, we did the Wanyama Safari a few years back. It was excellent! Loved bouncing around the resort grounds in the truck and being able to stand/move about for viewing and photo ops. The family style dinner at Jiko's shared with the other Safari guest was delightful.

Whoo-hoo! This is such a cool DVC perk!!

Great! So now we'll all look to you to post an answer to the question, "Which is better-Wanyama or Sunrise?" I've done the Wanyama Safari-twice. Obviously, I LOVED it. The second time, I'd gotten an unexpected bonus from work, and my first thought was to use it to do the Wanyama Safari again. The only thing I kind of disliked was that the food at Jiko was served family style, and due to a few guests, all the filet and fish were quickly gone as a few people took multiple quantities of those, and left the chicken. I've heard the "family style" of servings' been changed. Can anyone verify?

 

[dnkmmw]

"I've heard the "family style" of servings' been changed. Can anyone verify?"

We did the Wanyama back inOctober and it was no longer family style. We had also done it before with family style and I think I preferred the food with family style, but I do understand how it goes when you have guests who take a lot of something.

Dawn

 

[dianeschlicht]

I just did an online chat with "Timothy" at DVC and he said this will be an ongoing thing and will not end. You can book at 180 days.

Granted we won't know for sure until it does, but hey it gives me hope for November

From "Timothy's" mouth to Disney's ear!!! Hope it's true so we can book December!

 

[schrammalot]

I'm super excited! Hopefully we can get reservations there to go do it!!

 

[bwvBound]

Great! So now we'll all look to you to post an answer to the question, "Which is better-Wanyama or Sunrise?" I've done the Wanyama Safari-twice. Obviously, I LOVED it. The second time, I'd gotten an unexpected bonus from work, and my first thought was to use it to do the Wanyama Safari again.

Of course -- I'll check in! But I'm guessing my answer will be along the lines of, "It depends ..." or "Do BOTH if you can ... "

Given the wide difference in costs, I figure the Sunrise is a "no brainer" provided there is space available and that the Wanyama remains the more elusive "once in lifetime" (or twice in your lucky situation!) bucket-list item.

For us, the Wanyama came before our trip to South Africa (we enjoyed 15 nights in Jan 2013) and the Sunrise Safari will be kinda like "looking back" and thinking, "Remember when ...?" Honestly, if it weren't for the long flights -- I'd be booking a return trip to South Africa in a drumbeat.

The BEST part for me: This reservation completely resolves my earlier FP+ disappointment for the basic Safari ride. The earliest I found for our dates was mid-afternoon and I was crushed. Problem solved! Yeah!!!! We are going early -- before the park opens!!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

The BEST part for me: This reservation completely resolves my earlier FP+ disappointment for the basic Safari ride. The earliest I found for our dates was mid-afternoon and I was crushed. Problem solved! Yeah!!!! We are going early -- before the park opens!!

Just a note but my FAVORITE time to do the Safari is actually just before closing. i was given this hint by a CM involved in animal care once and he was right. The amount of activity you see then is amazing as those animals know it's "Feeding time" At least half the time I wind up stuck behind some animal that just camps out on the road (And there is nothing the CM can do, they aren't allowed to honk go off road etc.. it's a great chance to stop and actually watch the animals!)

 

[bwvBound]

Just a note but my FAVORITE time to do the Safari is actually just before closing. i was given this hint by a CM involved in animal care once and he was right. The amount of activity you see then is amazing as those animals know it's "Feeding time" At least half the time I wind up stuck behind some animal that just camps out on the road (And there is nothing the CM can do, they aren't allowed to honk go off road etc.. it's a great chance to stop and actually watch the animals!)

Thanks for that! When booking my FP+ that is the route I took (the very last timeslot offered). Good to know the tie-in to feeding times.

THANK YOU!

 

[thepops]

We did the sunrise and it was absolutely amazing. Lots of time to get up close (while in the truck) and wait for the animals.

 

[jmcdonnell04]

From DVCMember.com:

https://dvc.disney.go.com/members/member-extras/special-events/sunrise-safari

Thank you for posting this. I was able to book a Sunrise Safari for our upcoming Spring Break trip. This is what the Disboards is all about - sharing great information for the benefit of all but mostly the obsessive compulsive Disney planners.

 

[Puffpatty]

Whoo-hoo! We are booked for the 5/1 Tour!

FWIW, we did the Wanyama Safari a few years back. It was excellent! Loved bouncing around the resort grounds in the truck and being able to stand/move about for viewing and photo ops. The family style dinner at Jiko's shared with the other Safari guests was delightful.

Whoo-hoo! This is such a cool DVC perk!!

We tried calling at 9 am for the 5/1 tour and were told it was sold out so you must have gotten the last spots. I did confirm three spots for 4/27 but it's on our check-in day so not the most ideal time. I'm going to keep checking in and keeping my fingers crossed for any cancellations for 5/1.
On the bright side, the sunrise safari will be a grand way to start our check-in day, lol.

 

[kristenrice]

Two questions...

Price? We have 5 "over 10", and kids ages 9,6 and 2.

Age? Will the 2 year old be too young?

I may book this as a treat for my sister and her family. If she is not interested (or her kids are too young), I will book the Wanyama Safari for our family. DH and I did it for our anniversary in 2009 when the kids were too young. Now that they kids are old enough (and I have a bonus coming from work), I'd like to surprise them.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have done both Wanyama and Sunrise Safaris, and they are very different experiences. Of course the Wanyama is far more expensive, but so worth it!! The Jiko dinner is t he cost part, but we loved the ride around the lodge savannas and the little personal touches the animal guides gave about each individual animal we encountered. We were close enough to the giraffes to smell them.

The Sunrise Safari was even more informative but on a different level. We were fortunate to have the main animal curator on out vehicle, and he was a wealth of information. Add to that a spectacular breakfast, and it was one of the best deals we've even had at Disney.

Someone asked about age limits. I don't think there was one for the Sunrise safari, but Wanyama I believe is 10 years.

 

[bwvBound]

We tried calling at 9 am for the 5/1 tour and were told it was sold out so you must have gotten the last spots. I did confirm three spots for 4/27 but it's on our check-in day so not the most ideal time. I'm going to keep checking in and keeping my fingers crossed for any cancellations for 5/1.
On the bright side, the sunrise safari will be a grand way to start our check-in day, lol.

I wonder if Kidani vs Jambo makes a difference in getting a reservation? The CM identified our reservation as "Sunrise Safari Kidani" at least twice in the phone call. At first I thought that was only a "pick up" location -- but perhaps they've allocated a certain number of spaces for Club Level, DVC Jambo and DVC Kidani as separate pools?

FWIW, we wake 5/1 in Kidani and transfer to Jambo later same day.

 

[kristenrice]

Someone asked about age limits. I don't think there was one for the Sunrise safari, but Wanyama I believe is 10 years.

I know that in 2009 when we did the Wanyama, the minimum age was 8 because they had pricing for "kids" (ages 8-9) and then "adults" (ages 10 and up). Our youngest will be 9 when we go, but I haven't seen "kids" prices listed. I'm budgeting for $200+ per person.

I'm curious about the prices for the Sunrise Safari. Also, for those that have done the Sunrise Safari and the character breakfast at Tusker House, how do they compare? My sister wants to do the breakfast at Tusker House because of the food more than the characters. I'm wondering if the safari experience will be more appealing to her. Her family is traveling with us and staying with us, but they are not DVC members. We're looking to give her as many "exclusive" experiences as we can without breaking the bank. Yes, TOTWL is on our list.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm curious about the prices for the Sunrise Safari. Also, for those that have done the Sunrise Safari and the character breakfast at Tusker House, how do they compare?

We have done both, and the sunrise safari breakfast was by far the best one we've ever had at Disney. I would do that one in a heartbeat over the Tusker House one. Besides, you get the safri experience too, and that makes it a double whammy. I'm not sure what the current price is of the Sunrise Safari, but I think it was around $60/person (DVC price) when we did it.

 

[disneyfanbcv]

Where would one locate the price list for the sunrise safari?

 

[PatMcDuck]

Wow, I would love to do this tour again. And I would WAY prefer to do it from a room not up in Concierge…… the views there are terrible for viewing the animals from your room. Even if you are lucky enough not to get stuck with the pool view, you are not in a good viewing spot.

I say this, because I stay there rarely, and want a good view of the Savannah when I am there.

 

[bwvBound]

Pricing, and lots of good info except for minimum age, is found if you follow the link in the very first post of this thread.

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

Of course -- I'll check in! But I'm guessing my answer will be along the lines of, "It depends ..." or "Do BOTH if you can ... "

Given the wide difference in costs, I figure the Sunrise is a "no brainer" provided there is space available and that the Wanyama remains the more elusive "once in lifetime" (or twice in your lucky situation!) bucket-list item.

For us, the Wanyama came before our trip to South Africa (we enjoyed 15 nights in Jan 2013) and the Sunrise Safari will be kinda like "looking back" and thinking, "Remember when ...?" Honestly, if it weren't for the long flights -- I'd be booking a return trip to South Africa in a drumbeat.

The BEST part for me: This reservation completely resolves my earlier FP+ disappointment for the basic Safari ride. The earliest I found for our dates was mid-afternoon and I was crushed. Problem solved! Yeah!!!! We are going early -- before the park opens!!

Congrats - how early is early? Will you be done and fed before the park opens?

 

[Puffpatty]

I wonder if Kidani vs Jambo makes a difference in getting a reservation? The CM identified our reservation as "Sunrise Safari Kidani" at least twice in the phone call. At first I thought that was only a "pick up" location -- but perhaps they've allocated a certain number of spaces for Club Level, DVC Jambo and DVC Kidani as separate pools?

FWIW, we wake 5/1 in Kidani and transfer to Jambo later same day.

Well the CM said we are meeting in the Kidani Community Hall. We are staying at Jambo DVC our entire stay so that may blow apart your theory.

The total number per tour is 60. I imagine that perhaps they have been experiencing a few empty spaces and introduced this as a way to fill in the gaps. If the summer trial period goes well, then they will keep it. Much like the BLT TOW lounge, which was once exclusive to BLT guests.