Caring for Giants Tour - How much walking?

[shrinkydinky]

Just spoke to Disney on the phone and didn't get much information. i have read reviews of the Caring for Giants tour in Animal Kingdom. Sounds like there is some walking and some riding. My sister will be using an ECV, and recovering from a fractured hip, so she will be able to walk short distances and/or transfer. But she won't be able to walk or stand much. Will she be able to do this tour? Thanks in advance!

 

[Best Aunt]

I did it almost a year ago, so I'm not going to be much help but at least this will bump you up. You ride in a van to get to the elephant area. Was the van set up for ECVs? I can't remember. Then you walk from the road up to get closer to the elephants. Were there steps? Could an ECV get up there? Can't remember. I seem to recall thinking that I was happy to be in sneakers rather than flip-flops or open-toe shoes.

The website shows this:

• Non-transferrable wheelchair guests may remain in their wheelchair throughout this experience; however due to limited capacity onboard the backstage transport vehicle, all accommodation requests should be confirmed by calling (407) 938-1487.
• Guests using an ECV must leave their mobility device onstage where they will retrieve them upon conclusion of the experience. Guests must walk by themselves, or be assisted by a member(s) of their party in a courtesy wheelchair to participate in this experience.

 

[GillianP1301]

We did this tour in August and there is not a lot of walking, but some. You need to walk backstage to the bus that transports you to the elephant area of the Safari. Based on the info above, the ECV guest would need to walk. I would say it's a 2 - 3 minute walk. Sounds like a wheelchair can be made available though, so should be no issue there. My concern would be with the portion of the walk once the bus gets you to the viewing area, we had to climb a rather lengthy flight of stairs and I did not see a ramp, although with the info above it clearly supports wheelchairs, so there must be an alternate entry point. Once you are in the viewing area, there were a couple of benches available to you.

 

[holden]

I do remember the stairs being lengthy, like the poster above said. I don't recall seeing a ramp either. If she can't get up there she wouldn't see the elephants.

There is also a walk from the "backstage" door to the van - not too far.

 

[TXMemaw]

We did this earlier this month on Feb. 3rd. She should be able to ride in a wheelchair to the van/little bus that takes you out to the viewing area. Once you reach the elephant viewing area, there is a ramp and then a paved path to the viewing area. The actual viewing area is not paved but is compacted dirt. It's not a real large area so you don't do a lot of moving around there anyway. We walked down a flight of stairs near the viewing area to leave but I'm sure that you'd just go back to the ramp to get back to the bus if she is in a wheelchair. I think the biggest concern for her would be whether she can climb the couple of steps into the bus. Other than that, I think she'd be good.

 

[MPD]

Ditto to what the PP said. My dad used an ECV during our trip (he was hit by a truck - as a pedestrian- and doesn't walk well anymore) and he did just fine at Caring for Giants. He had to leave the ECV near the van, but there's a wheelchair available for use once you get to the viewing area. He did get up and walk around a little bit, but could have managed everything from the chair.

 

[shrinkydinky]

Thank you for all the responses. The first person i spoke to on the phone didn't seem to have any idea. She said we would have to leave my sister's scooter back at the resort. i called back and got someone more knowledgeable. She said my sister can stay in her scooter, but i need to call that number (407) 938-1487, to confirm with them, as there are only so many safari vans that can accommodate a scooter or wheelchair. i've called that number a couple of times and no one ever answers, so left a message this morning.

 

[Best Aunt]

Thank you for all the responses. The first person i spoke to on the phone didn't seem to have any idea. She said we would have to leave my sister's scooter back at the resort.

Well, that's kind of ridiculous since the tour will only occupy a short portion of your sister's stay. What did she think your sister would do the rest of the day?

 

[Dug720]

Not much walking. I just did it today.

As others have said, you walk to and from the bus and then up a ramp to the viewing area. It is not huge - you could do as much or little as you wanted.

We had a child in a chair but who could walk small distances with crutches. Her chair was left where we began heading to the bus, and they had a sign that said “This chair/EVC belongs to a guest on a tour. Please do not move.”

 

[Dug720]

It for some reason will not let me edit on my iPhone.

But I was going to add, the tour is amazing! I got some fantastic shots of Donna, Nadira, Luna, and Baby Stella (all family - Donna is the mom). And some of Rafiki, the “auntie” who is not related.

 

[Sugardimples]

There is also a bench in the viewing area.