Animal Kingdom Info Needed - Wild Africa Trek and Night Activities

[Kaufeegurl]

Hi there! Working furiously on planning our 8-day early September trip now that park hours have been posted for 9/8 - 9/15. We are flying in early Sunday morning and plan to chill at the pool at BCV after check-in. (Sidebar: sooo disappointed to learn Beaches & Cream will be closed for refurb as that was my lunch plan ) Heading to AK for later afternoon with a reservation at Jiko for 5:45. The park will close at 8:00. *We have another day planned at AK later in the week but leaving the park early afternoon* Still trying to decide whether to do the Wild Africa Trek that day.

1. What is a must do at night? Will a 5:45 reservation give us enough time to see/do AK night activities? Do we need an earlier reservation to see everything after dark?

2. Thoughts on Wild Africa Trek?

Extra Credit:
3. Thoughts on lunch at BCV since B&C is closed.

We are 2 adults, no kids. DVC members at BCV and SSR (and can only get a discount on WATrek leaving after 11:30 - heard the earlier the better - so perhaps booking with no discount - worth it?)

Thank you to all who share their knowledge!

 

[tsme]

1. Not sure, we always leave AK before dark.

2. Wild African Trek is a lot of fun. We really enjoyed it & found it totally worth the cost & time.

3. You can eat at Ale & Compass, or walk over to BWI or Swan & Dolphin for a meal. Or if you have APs you can go into Epcot to eat.

 

[PHXscuba]

Wild Africa Trek is great. I like that the food and the Photopass pictures are included, and you get to keep your metal water bottle. We did the last tour on a September weekday and ended up with a private tour because no one else signed up!

PHXscuba

 

[Sajchinook2015]

Wild Africa trek was so worth the money. I did this with my 14 year old nephew. Was the highlight of the trip.

 

[dragonfly57005]

Wild Africa Trek is great. I like that the food and the Photopass pictures are included, and you get to keep your metal water bottle. We did the last tour on a September weekday and ended up with a private tour because no one else signed up!

PHXscuba

Thanks for saying it was a good tour. What ages did your group include?

 

[PHXscuba]

We were also two adults, both early 40s. It was my birthday treat but DH also really enjoyed it as he is a big animal lover. Photos by the Photopass guy.




PHXscuba

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Heading to AK for later afternoon with a reservation at Jiko for 5:45. The park will close at 8:00.

You might know this, but Jiko is at Animal Kingdom Lodge, not AK, so you will need to allow travel time to get to AKL from BCV and also to AK from AKL. I don't think you would get to AK much before closing if you're eating at Jiko at 5:45.

 

[Kaufeegurl]

You might know this, but Jiko is at Animal Kingdom Lodge, not AK, so you will need to allow travel time to get to AKL from BCV and also to AK from AKL. I don't think you would get to AK much before closing if you're eating at Jiko at 5:45.

thank you! I did know this but neglected to figure travel time from AKL to AK. As much as I love eating at a signature restaurant it is so hard to plan dinner when you want to do a park at night afterwards. Disney has reduced park hours across the board anyway, figure in September hours, and you end up having to choose between dinner at a signature restaurant and a park experience

 

[DisneyCAL]

What about Tiffins at the park?
Hurricane Hannahs at the pool for quick service okay for lunch. If you have park hoppers you could also duck into Epcot and grab lunch in France or UK within 10 minutes.
We stayed at BCV summer 2017 and arrived early, ended up doing lunch at HH and swimming for 4 hours before hitting a park.

 

[Kaufeegurl]

Tiffins may be a good choice, thanks! And I've read that Beaches and Cream may have a satellite operation open.

 

[Kaufeegurl]

Wild Africa Trek is great. I like that the food and the Photopass pictures are included, and you get to keep your metal water bottle. We did the last tour on a September weekday and ended up with a private tour because no one else signed up!

PHXscuba

thank you for posting your beautiful photos! i apparently missed the part with the photo pass photographers - that's a really nice perk! And you said the Photo Pass pics are included? you don't have to purchase MM to get these?

 

[Kaufeegurl]

I am going to book Wild Africa Trek!!!! Can anyone comment on best time of the day to reserve? Are the earlier spots the better ones? DVC gives a discount on treks booked 11:45 and after so I am assuming its because these are the least popular perhaps due to heat/less animal activity.

 

[maryj11]

We absolutely loved Wild Africa Trek! Highly recommend it. You could also wait to see of they have Disney After Hour dates come out for AK if you want to be there at night.

 

[maryj11]

I am going to book Wild Africa Trek!!!! Can anyone comment on best time of the day to reserve? Are the earlier spots the better ones? DVC gives a discount on treks booked 11:45 and after so I am assuming its because these are the least popular perhaps due to heat/less animal activity.

Yes earlier is better in the summer when it's hot. If you can't go early or you want the discount later will be ok. They have a lot of shaded areas and give you water bottles.

 

[PHXscuba]

thank you for posting your beautiful photos! i apparently missed the part with the photo pass photographers - that's a really nice perk! And you said the Photo Pass pics are included? you don't have to purchase MM to get these?

The Photopass is included with the tour. We didn't hvave MM. They take a ton of photos of you and the animals you see. Then they give you a code for that tour and instructions to go online and download them.

PHXscuba

 

[CassieRuns]

I am soooo excited! I just booked this tour (well my husband did) for my birthday in July! We are both vegans and animal LOVERS so it's been on the bucket list for years now!

 

[maryj11]

I am soooo excited! I just booked this tour (well my husband did) for my birthday in July! We are both vegans and animal LOVERS so it's been on the bucket list for years now!

Oh you will love it! If it didn't cost so much we would do it again this trip.

 

[puffkin]

We did the Wild Africa Trek on our trip in October and it was a highlight of the trip.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Don't plan on doing the Wild Africa Trek the same day you have the Jiko ADR. Unless you plan the WAT for earlier in the day. Otherwise, too much eating and you don't want to not be hungry for either event. Our son's former roommate was a guide for the WAT. We did it a few years ago and really enjoyed it.