Useful Concierge Information

[Perdita&Pongo]

Sunrise Safari Waitlist Update:

We cleared the waitlist for the Aug 10th Sunrise Safari!! WooHoo!!

But not because someone cancelled! IPO informed me that they have added seats to the trucks and can now take 60 people (was 55) on the Sunrise Safari. She said they have been moving people off the waitlist all week.

 

[irish dancer]

We are going to be staying AKV concierge for our Oct 4-12 trip and I'm trying to decide whether or not we should do the Sunrise Safari or the WDE. The evening safari is out due to our kids ages (and price).

Our group is 2 adults (me, dh), 1 Disney "adult" (dd11), and 2 kids (ds8, dd7). Is either set-up better for kids? DH is having a hard time seeing the value, it would be $220 SS/$225 WDE for the 5 of us.

We are NOT morning people especially on vacation, making it to rope drop is our max usually so that makes the WDE more attractive. Does anyone have experience with both that could offer an opinion?

If we don't do either will we regret it?

 

[eddieras]

we did the sunrise safari when my kids were 9 and 6 and we all loved it! we're going again in June and i'm looking for new excusions--

what is the WDE ???

 

[Maxie86]

We are going to be staying AKV concierge for our Oct 4-12 trip and I'm trying to decide whether or not we should do the Sunrise Safari or the WDE. The evening safari is out due to our kids ages (and price).

Our group is 2 adults (me, dh), 1 Disney "adult" (dd11), and 2 kids (ds8, dd7). Is either set-up better for kids? DH is having a hard time seeing the value, it would be $220 SS/$225 WDE for the 5 of us.

We are NOT morning people especially on vacation, making it to rope drop is our max usually so that makes the WDE more attractive. Does anyone have experience with both that could offer an opinion?

If we don't do either will we regret it?

I have never done the SS, but did the WDE twice. I think the thing that would decide it for me is that the WDE goes in 16 passanger vans not 60 passanger trucks as a pp stated. You don't have to get up at the crack of dawn. There is a morning and afternoon tour. Your kids will love it. They give the kids a chart with the animals and they check off which ones they see. Since there are less people you would get a lot more individual attention from the guide. They pull off the road several times so you can get a close up look at the animals. The one negative with the WDE is that the regular safari is running, so there are a lot of vehicles on the savannah with you. You also become an attraction, when the safari vehicles go by everyone looks at you instead of the animals.

 

[mmmears]

We are going to be staying AKV concierge for our Oct 4-12 trip and I'm trying to decide whether or not we should do the Sunrise Safari or the WDE. The evening safari is out due to our kids ages (and price).

Our group is 2 adults (me, dh), 1 Disney "adult" (dd11), and 2 kids (ds8, dd7). Is either set-up better for kids? DH is having a hard time seeing the value, it would be $220 SS/$225 WDE for the 5 of us.

We are NOT morning people especially on vacation, making it to rope drop is our max usually so that makes the WDE more attractive. Does anyone have experience with both that could offer an opinion?

If we don't do either will we regret it?

One thing to consider -- the SS comes with a breakfast buffet, the WDE does not. But you can still have breakfast in the lounge... so this may or may not make a difference to you.

 

[eddieras]

and the breakfast is fantastic!

what is WDE???

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

The way Don (AKL IPO) explained it to me, here are the differences:

• Sunrise Safari takes place very early (7am) before the Kilamanjaro Safari is running; Wildlife Discovery Excursion runs at the same time as the KS (10am & 1pm)
  
• SS includes a post-safari breakfast buffet at Pizzafari; WDE does not include food or snacks
  
• SS runs in an open-air 60 pax safari truck; WDE runs in a 14 pax air conditioned van with windows
  
• SS costs $55.00 for guests 10 & older, $27.50 for guests 3-9 years (price includes tax, gratuity & breakfast); WDE costs $45 for all ages 3 & up with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
  
• SS is only offered on Sundays & Thursdays; WDE is available Tuesday-Saturday
  
• SS is only for AKL/AKV Club Level guests; WDE is for guests staying CL at any WDW resort

 

[Maxie86]

and the breakfast is fantastic!

what is WDE???

Wildlife Discovery Excursion. It is a safari for club level guests at any WDW resort.

 

[irish dancer]

The way Don (AKL IPO) explained it to me, here are the differences:

• Sunrise Safari takes place very early (7am) before the Kilamanjaro Safari is running; Wildlife Discovery Excursion runs at the same time as the KS (10am & 1pm)
  
• SS includes a post-safari breakfast buffet at Pizzafari; WDE does not include food or snacks
  
• SS runs in an open-air 60 pax safari truck; WDE runs in a 14 pax air conditioned van with windows
  
• SS costs $55.00 for guests 10 & older, $27.50 for guests 3-9 years (price includes tax, gratuity & breakfast); WDE costs $45 for all ages 3 & up with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
  
• SS is only offered on Sundays & Thursdays; WDE is available Tuesday-Saturday
  
• SS is only for AKL/AKV Club Level guests; WDE is for guests staying CL at any WDW resort

Thanks! I'm leaning toward the WDE due to the time and smaller number of people. Kind of a bummer though that your closed up in a van but depending on the weather the air conditioning might be a nice perk .

I'll have to email IPO and see if there is any availability, that might make my decision for me.


Maxie86 - do you think there is a benefit to either time (10a or 1p)? I'm leaning toward the 1p one as it would give us time to get in some attractions and it would be a nice break just after lunch.

 

[Maxie86]

Thanks! I'm leaning toward the WDE due to the time and smaller number of people. Kind of a bummer though that your closed up in a van but depending on the weather the air conditioning might be a nice perk .

I'll have to email IPO and see if there is any availability, that might make my decision for me.


Maxie86 - do you think there is a benefit to either time (10a or 1p)? I'm leaning toward the 1p one as it would give us time to get in some attractions and it would be a nice break just after lunch.

I have only done the 10 am one, but I don't see that the 1 pm one would be any different. Do which ever one fits your schedule better. If it makes any difference to you, the windows in the van open so you can lean out and take pictures or get a better look. They are like bus windows where the top pulls down, so you would still have some glass on the bottom. I think the WDE is easier to book. There are more times available and it seems that not many people know about it.

 

[ericafny]

Sunrise Safari Waitlist Update:

We cleared the waitlist for the Aug 10th Sunrise Safari!! WooHoo!!

But not because someone cancelled! IPO informed me that they have added seats to the trucks and can now take 60 people (was 55) on the Sunrise Safari. She said they have been moving people off the waitlist all week.

Thanks SOOOO much for posting this! I read your post and just called to ask if we are still waitlisted for Aug 14th. I spoke with Juanita and she made a few phone calls and called me back to say we are in! Otherwise we would have done the safari on the 17th, but thats our last day in the World and we didn't want to do that.

Should I request a confirmation or do I trust IPO that they have all the info down correctly?

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

Thanks SOOOO much for posting this! I read your post and just called to ask if we are still waitlisted for Aug 14th. I spoke with Juanita and she made a few phone calls and called me back to say we are in! Otherwise we would have done the safari on the 17th, but thats our last day in the World and we didn't want to do that.

Should I request a confirmation or do I trust IPO that they have all the info down correctly?

You are quite welcome! I'm glad my post helped someone else, too!

Have you previously received your itinerary from IPO? I should have had the waitlisted Safari showing as "Arrangements Requested". Now that you are booked it will be listed as "Arrangements Booked". At least that's how our itinerary(s) came through. So I would just email them and request an updated Itinerary for your Club Level stay.

 

[chirurgeon]

Thanks SOOOO much for posting this! I read your post and just called to ask if we are still waitlisted for Aug 14th. I spoke with Juanita and she made a few phone calls and called me back to say we are in! Otherwise we would have done the safari on the 17th, but thats our last day in the World and we didn't want to do that.

Should I request a confirmation or do I trust IPO that they have all the info down correctly?

Erica, the 14th is a great day for the Safari. Its my birthday . I'm sure you will have a great day. I love the Sunrise Safari. I have booked it for my December trip

Kim

 

[livie1205]

I just spoke with the AKL IPO friday and they said yes, they are still giving fastpass's for the safari after the tour.

 

[ericafny]

Have you previously received your itinerary from IPO? I should have had the waitlisted Safari showing as "Arrangements Requested". Now that you are booked it will be listed as "Arrangements Booked". At least that's how our itinerary(s) came through. So I would just email them and request an updated Itinerary for your Club Level stay.

Yes, we have that one with us as being waitlisted. I will email them and request an updated one. They are so helpful, really I don't think I can go back to staying non-concierge...

 

[Donald is #1]

I just spoke with the AKL IPO friday and they said yes, they are still giving fastpass's for the safari after the tour.

Interesting because they didn't give them out in May.

 

[BCV23]

Interesting because they didn't give them out in May.

We didn't get fast passes in Feb or May.

 

[eddieras]

Wildlife Discovery Excursion. It is a safari for club level guests at any WDW resort.

thanks so much - i'll have to check that out!

 

[teacher5]

No fastpasses just a few weeks ago and I even asked about them. They said they don't do that anymore.

We did the Sunrise Safari and while it was neat to get insider info on the animals and a longer time to view them, I would probably not go again if money was even a little issue. But I was bummed that we were behind schedule for entering the park. By the time the safari ride was done, the park had already opened and this was our only day to go to AK. We still had to eat our bfast. Soooooo, if I were to do it all again, I would probably make sure I was going to AK more than once, or did the WDE at 1:00 instead, having time to get a lot of rides done at rope drop first.
JMI

 

[ericafny]

No fastpasses just a few weeks ago and I even asked about them. They said they don't do that anymore.

We did the Sunrise Safari and while it was neat to get insider info on the animals and a longer time to view them, I would probably not go again if money was even a little issue. But I was bummed that we were behind schedule for entering the park. By the time the safari ride was done, the park had already opened and this was our only day to go to AK. We still had to eat our bfast. Soooooo, if I were to do it all again, I would probably make sure I was going to AK more than once, or did the WDE at 1:00 instead, having time to get a lot of rides done at rope drop first.
JMI

This is not good news for me and DBF...we planned on doing AK the day that we do the sunrise safari for the main reason that we will be in the park before everyone else. Now that I am hearing this I am definitly going to schedule in another AK day to ensure we have enough time to do all of our favs..

I am sooo glad I found this thread!