One of Animal Kingdom Lodge's Coolest Attractions (Disney hotel) is the Wanyama Safari, a tour among the wildlife of the resort, including a good collection of animals.
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The attraction, in addition to being a beautiful departure from the breakneck pace of the Disney parks, also features a delicious dinner in one of the most exquisite disney restaurants.
All this, of course, at a considerable price on the ticket. But? Is it worth doing the safari? We know safari is cool, but is it worth the hundreds of dollars it costs?
That's what we're going to find out in today's article. So keep reading!
What is Wanyama Safari?
Let's start with the basics: after all, what is Wanyama Safari?
The Wanyama Safari is, as the name implies, a safari that takes place at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It consists of a 90-minute tour with a specialized guide, where participants can see up close some of the animals that live in the hotel.
Maybe you don't know, but it's worth explaining: Animal Kingdom Lodge is a Disney luxury hotel based on African culture.
The entire hotel is decorated to celebrate the culture and history of Africa and, because of that, it gives space to 4 savannahs full of animals (there are more than 200).
As guests love animals, a great way to get to know them up close is on the Wanyama Safari.
How is the ride on Wanyama Safari?
That said, let's move on with our conversation. After all, what is it like to take the Wanyama Safari tour? How is this experience?
The safari starts around 3:20 pm, near Jiko, one of the main restaurants in the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Disney complex.
There, the check-in of the activity is done, where you introduce yourself and hand over the necessary documents. Like any other major activity on the Disney complex, you need to book your tour in advance.
At 3:30 pm, participants are ushered into a room inside the Jiko where a welcome reception takes place.
This reception is a kind of afternoon snack where all safari participants can eat a little, drink and receive the main information about the tour.
It is also there that participants begin to get to know each other better, as this interaction is important for the safari.
That's right: part of the experience of meeting all these animals is doing it in a group. In all, just 12 people participate in the entire experience together, from reception to dinner. So it's good to start getting to know each other at that initial moment.
After that, the tour starts around 4 pm, with the 12 participants plus the guide getting into the special safari car.
From there, the fun begins. Participants are led through the Animal Kingdom Lodge grounds, meeting the various animals that live there.
Throughout the journey, the guide will explain interesting details about the Animal Kingdom Lodge and all the work done there. He talks about the important research done there, about animal care and their routine.
What animals can you see?
Speaking of animals, a curiosity that many have before taking the tour is to know which species can be seen on safari. There are more than 30!
The two most successful animals on safari are the giraffe and the zebra. The giraffe, in particular, is a big hit with children.
In addition to them, you can see:
- Okapi
- Ankole-Watsui
- Wild pigs
- antelopes
- Ostriches
- Gnu
- Springboks
- A multitude of birds
In all, the tour lasts about 90 minutes. At the end, all participants return to Jiko for the second part of the fun: dinner.
How is dinner after safari?
One of the great attractions of the Wanyama Safari package is being able to have dinner at Jiko after the tour. As already mentioned, this is one of the largest and most important restaurants in Disney.
The food at Jiko is delicious and they try very hard to please Wanyama Safari participants.
The menu served on the day is complete. It includes breads and sauces from Africa, as well as African snacks.
The main course ranges from beef ribs, African-style chicken to breaded fish with vegetables.
Afterwards, dessert samples and even a tasting of South African wines.
It is worth remembering that dinner is done in a group, at a large table, for the 12 people who made the safari. That is: you will eat with strangers.
For some people, this is not a problem. But for others, it might be. So it's good to warn you to prepare for the experience.
Is Wanyama Safari worth doing?
Well, we come to the important moment of our conversation. After all: is Wanyama Safari worth it or not?
Like almost everything in life, it depends.
Seriously, we're not avoiding the issue. It really depends, huh.
Wanyama Safari ticket is expensive. At the Disney official website, is $$209 per person, including taxes and tips workers.
With the tourism dollar in current quotation of about R$ 4.13 would mean approximately R$ 863. Dear.
At the same time, it's a pretty cool experience. Disney goes to great lengths to recreate the spirit of safaris in Africa. And participating in the Wanyama Safari is really like being on African soil.
Also, the food at Jiko is spectacular. And boy: a sequence of appetizers, plus the beef ribs (made in Botswana seswaa style), plus a dessert and a wine would cost something like $95 dollars, more or less half of the safari ticket.
This is one of the elements that most adds value to the package: dinner. The meal at Jiko is really special, really delicious. However, it is done in a group and can include strangers that you are not very familiar with.
As you can see, it's a matter of balancing your priorities. If you want the feeling of going on safari with so many amazing animals around and then a wonderful meal with African flavors, it's worth it.
If for you it would be like visiting "another zoo", then it's an expensive ticket and maybe it's better to save the money and go to the Orlando zoo.
So, what did you think of Wanyama Safari? Are you going to add it to your Disney itinerary or do you prefer to take another tour? Tell us in the comments below!
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