Which tour at AK is better?

[SealedSeven]

For those who have done Up Close with the Rhino's recently, how did you book it and how far in advance? I want to do it in August and have been tracking online reservation availability and it is sold out every day. Did you call? If so, did you really wait on hold for 2 hours? Any tips would be great. Thanks!

When we did Caring for Giants, we booked 3-4 months out and it wasn't hard to get. Fun, but I really want to do the rhino tour.

Looks like it's a rolling reservation period of 2 months. Can't see anything past April 23rd on the site.

 

[Avery&Todd]

While the timing for reservations could change... right now Up Close With Rhinos can be booked at 60 days (+10 for WDW resort guests) out online like ADRs and seems to fill up quickly. I booked at 5:30 a.m. for a party of 6 at 60+2. (Someone commented on a previous thread that enchanting extras open at midnight...others have posted that enchanting extras they wanted were not open at midnight but were at 5:30.)

OK - great - so it's like a dining ADR booking window - that makes sense that I can only see through April right now..

I'll add it to the "things to book" when it gets closer!

thanks!

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

I wanted the Rhino experience for my birthday in 2019 but it was sold out. I booked caring for giants and enjoyed it very much. However, another guest took over the entire experience with her stories of her African safari blah blah blah and the CM was so enamoured with her that it took away from the whole thing for me. The woman who spoke about animals in Africa was amazing and not at all distracted by the self absorbed guest.

I would say that caring for giants is good for families of bigger kids that are very interested but not very informed about AZA and elephants in general. If you know very much about the topic this tour will not be terribly interesting in my opinion.

I found it very difficult to take worthwhile photos at caring for giants, and the rhino experience does not allow for photos at all.

 

[Smrtalec33]

Looks like it's a rolling reservation period of 2 months. Can't see anything past April 23rd on the site.

Same for me. We’re going in April and staying at a Disney property, and it only showed me dates for Up Close with Rhinos exactly 60 days in advance (not my whole trip at once).

I tried on a couple days booking right at midnight, when a new day was added, and there was nothing available except for a party of one.

 

[3gr8boys]

Same for me. We’re going in April and staying at a Disney property, and it only showed me dates for Up Close with Rhinos exactly 60 days in advance (not my whole trip at once).

I tried on a couple days booking right at midnight, when a new day was added, and there was nothing available except for a party of one.

That's a bummer- it should have shown your whole trip (or at least the first ten days) 60 days out. Maybe you will be able to catch a cancellation.

 

[Avery&Todd]

Oh gracious - I reached out to MD via chat today just to verify the booking window - and that if we're going in Oct that it'll be a 60 day booking window..

and I said this to the agent...."so it will be just like like booking an ADR - 60 days out..."...

and she said.."ADR??"...



and then I realized that they need to read the DIS file on Disney acronyms!

*sigh*

 

[Matt'sMom]

We did the Rhino tour last week. I booked online, for Valentine's Day on the first day that they re-opened reservations for the tours.

We definitely enjoyed the tour. No photos are permitted backstage, so you won't see pictures unless they were taken by Disney to promote the tour. You remain outside of the actual barn. They will walk you around the side of the barn to a paddock on the end. And if one of the adult Rhinos is willing, you will get to watch a voluntary training session and get to touch/pet an adult white rhino. Which specific rhinos you see and which adult you might get to touch depends on the day.

They rotate Dugan (the male) and one female on/off the savannah. So some days Dugan is backstage and other days the females with babies ('Ranger' & 'Mylo') are backstage. Currently Lola and baby 'Logan' (the youngest) are in the barns, but not close to where you will be standing (although we did get a distant glimpse of them during our tour). If you want to see Logan, you'll get a better view from the Train that goes past the back side of the barn on the way to Rafiki's Planet Watch.

Baby 'Mylo' rotates out onto the Kilimanjaro Safari savannah, and we actually had a nice, up close viewing of him with his mom and the other rhinos near the mud wallow today. Photos attached.

 

[Avery&Todd]

We did the Rhino tour last week. I booked online, for Valentine's Day on the first day that they re-opened reservations for the tours.

We definitely enjoyed the tour. No photos are permitted backstage, so you won't see pictures unless they were taken by Disney to promote the tour. You remain outside of the actual barn. They will walk you around the side of the barn to a paddock on the end. And if one of the adult Rhinos is willing, you will get to watch a voluntary training session and get to touch/pet an adult white rhino. Which specific rhinos you see and which adult you might get to touch depends on the day.

They rotate Dugan (the male) and one female on/off the savannah. So some days Dugan is backstage and other days the females with babies ('Ranger' & 'Mylo') are backstage. Currently Lola and baby 'Logan' (the youngest) are in the barns, but not close to where you will be standing (although we did get a distant glimpse of them during our tour). If you want to see Logan, you'll get a better view from the Train that goes past the back side of the barn on the way to Rafiki's Planet Watch.

Baby 'Mylo' rotates out onto the Kilimanjaro Safari savannah, and we actually had a nice, up close viewing of him with his mom and the other rhinos near the mud wallow today. Photos attached.

I just want to rub that little nose of theirs!!

Im pretty sure that we'll book the Africa Trek - but now I need to make sure I am ON IT with booking since that will be dining reservation morning too!

 

[Best Aunt]

However, another guest took over the entire experience with her stories of her African safari blah blah blah and the CM was so enamoured with her that it took away from the whole thing for me.

Something similar happened to me at a gardening tour at Epcot years back. One of the guests on the tour would ask, "Does this tree grow in (whatever part of the country she lived in)?" About every single tree. It was ridiculous. Other people on the tour were from other places, so that made it boring and a waste of time.

 

[Blondie58]

Thoughts on Caring for Giants vs. Up Close with Rhinos? Would be my husband, myself, and our 2 girls - ages 5 & 7. Thanks!

Have done both. Both were great. I don't think you can go wrong with either. Africa Trek is fantastic too.

 

[smile145]

Has anyone had any luck booking at 60 days for the Rhino tour? (Not 60+)

 

[BaybeeYoda]

Have been having such a hard time booking the rhino tour.... wondering if everyone here books 60+10 days

Elephant tour has plenty of availability!

 

[Avery&Todd]

Have been having such a hard time booking the rhino tour.... wondering if everyone here books 60+10 days

Elephant tour has plenty of availability!

I really really wanted the rhino tour but could find NO availability at all for our trip last week. We did settle on the elephant experience and it was fabulous!! You dont get to touch one, but just seeing them "sorta close" was great - and very informative!