Another package to try, this one for Festival of the Lion King **(reviews start on page 5)**

[anomamatt]

I don't think I ever posted about our experience, but we did this (Tier 1) in October and it was AWESOME. Easily the highlight of our trip... (1) The food was amazing. (2) FotLK seats in the front row and having the actors interact (a lot, including a hug from Timon) with our kids was priceless. (3) The special safari was really cool for the adults... we have easily done the Safari 12+ times and this special Safari taught us a LOT about the animals and the safari.

I highly recommend this...

 

[amiskell28]

I don't think I ever posted about our experience, but we did this (Tier 1) in October and it was AWESOME. Easily the highlight of our trip... (1) The food was amazing. (2) FotLK seats in the front row and having the actors interact (a lot, including a hug from Timon) with our kids was priceless. (3) The special safari was really cool for the adults... we have easily done the Safari 12+ times and this special Safari taught us a LOT about the animals and the safari.

I highly recommend this...

Doing this on 2/7, so excited! Did you do the lunch and later show/safari or vice versa?

 

[Cluelyss]

So hoping this gets extended into the summer! Not so patiently waiting.....

 

[anomamatt]

Doing this on 2/7, so excited! Did you do the lunch and later show/safari or vice versa?

We did lunch and 3 PM FotLK. Safari was/is right after FotLK.

(The lunch was 1.25 hours and we are usually pretty fast in restaurants. But we were glad it was that long because it was a big, delicious meal.)

 

[amiskell28]

We did lunch and 3 PM FotLK. Safari was/is right after FotLK.

(The lunch was 1.25 hours and we are usually pretty fast in restaurants. But we were glad it was that long because it was a big, delicious meal.)

Those are the times we're doing, with a noon lunch! Sorry to bug you with questions but I have a couple!

1. Did you have down time then between lunch and the show? Seems like we'll have an hour or two to kill, which is fine with us!

2. I read here that the 330/345 safari might not be a great time to go, something about it's when they're moving animals around and getting ready for the evening safaris, so there may be less animals around.... any truth to that? (We're going either way at that time, so was more curious than anything - it'll be a blast no matter what!)

 

[Thmacs1]

This was the review I wrote of our experience. Our safari was mid afternoon 3:15ish and saw as many animals as ever. We learned they do a lot to encourage the animals to be visible but never force them.

If you are planning on dining at Tiffins anyway this package is a bargain. Our dinner reservations were for 6:45 so we were assigned the 2pm show. We swung by Tiffins about 1:30 to pick up our passes and made our way over to Africa. We were directed to the exit where we were welcomed by a cast member and instructed we would be escorted to the front row of the Elephant section. When we were seated the show manager came over, introduced herself and asked if we had any ???s about the show. We chatted for a minute and then our animal education specialist stopped by and told us to just sit tight after the show and she would come collect us for our safari. The show was amazing as always, the front row view was fabulous, very immersive. As promised, Tonya came to escort us for our private safari. We were the only ones doing the package this show. We were in a regular ride vehicle, just the 4 of us. Best safari ever, Tonya had worked at AK for a number of years, had worked as a driver and had recently been promoted to education specialist. So much background information about the safari and the animals. Cannot recommend this enough. Dinner at Tiffins was wonderful. Starting with a sparkling toast, full 3 coarse meal including another glass of wine, beer or cocktail. We would have easily spent 99 pp just on dinner so the add ones really are a bonus. Highly recommend this experience.

Thmacs1, Oct 31, 2018EditReport
#1+ QuoteReply

 

[anomamatt]

Those are the times we're doing, with a noon lunch! Sorry to bug you with questions but I have a couple!

1. Did you have down time then between lunch and the show? Seems like we'll have an hour or two to kill, which is fine with us!

2. I read here that the 330/345 safari might not be a great time to go, something about it's when they're moving animals around and getting ready for the evening safaris, so there may be less animals around.... any truth to that? (We're going either way at that time, so was more curious than anything - it'll be a blast no matter what!)

1. We had maybe an hour. We did the meet Dis friends with a FP and then checked out animals on our way to FotLK.

2. We have done the Safari a lot, but always in the morning (9-11am every time, out of 12+ times). And I thought there was a LOT going on in the afternoon... we saw animals we had not seen before, the lions were more active (not very active, but more active than AM). From my frame of reference, I thought it was a great time to go. I don't recall any time where animals were "missing" from where they should be.

 

[maccagerl]

Does this safari stop or slow down longer than the regular safari so you can get good pics?
Does it take you closer to the animals?

 

[gometros]

We did this in October, but I neglected to make note of the menu choices at time. It's a limited menu. Has anyone recently dined there and have a copy of, or remember the entree choices?

 

[lucinjo]

We did this in October, but I neglected to make note of the menu choices at time. It's a limited menu. Has anyone recently dined there and have a copy of, or remember the entree choices?

I thought you could choose from complete menu. Is it a limited menu?

 

[Thmacs1]

I thought you could choose from complete menu. Is it a limited menu?

We were offered any options on the complete menu.

 

[gometros]

We were offered any options on the complete menu.

Oh wait! Sorry guys, I'm confusing two meals. When we were there in December, there was a special lunch deal that we received a text about. It was like $35pp. That had a special menu that had limited options. Thanks for helping me clear my head.

 

[AngiTN]

Does this safari stop or slow down longer than the regular safari so you can get good pics?
Does it take you closer to the animals?

Same route so no closes to the animals. No significant change to the timing of the regular safari route either, they have to move the truck just like the others do, to keep the ride going. You aren't in a different vehicle, just one with only your group for that FotLK show. The significant difference is what they tell you when taking it. The guides should talk more about the operation of the "ride/safari" as a whole vs. 100% focus on the animals

 

[maccagerl]

Same route so no closes to the animals. No significant change to the timing of the regular safari route either, they have to move the truck just like the others do, to keep the ride going. You aren't in a different vehicle, just one with only your group for that FotLK show. The significant difference is what they tell you when taking it. The guides should talk more about the operation of the "ride/safari" as a whole vs. 100% focus on the animals

Thank you!!

 

[AngiTN]

Quick report, we did Tier 1 package again last week. Still awesome, had a slightly different menu this time as they are on their "winter menu". yes, you can order anything
Again did the 3:00 show with safari at 3:45 or so. (this is just the time that seems to work out best with our other plans, plus I don't care for the night safari and by 5:30 it would have been getting dark this time of year)
Again, several of the animals were ready to swap out.
Hippos are off show at that time (according to our guide, they pull them to clean their area about 3:30 on a regular basis). I've never tracked other safari to see if they were out or not around that time. They will put them back out, they aren't in for the night.
Wart Hogs, Rhinos, and one other of the hoofed stock "knock off early" according to our guide. By that she meant, they were still out but standing at their gates. And she was right. She pointed out their entrance spots and sure enough, both sets of animals were hanging at their pen entrances waiting to go backstage.
Most of the other animals were around.
Oh, and this may be common knowledge but they've removed zebra's from the safari right now. Our guide said they could bring them back sometime but for now, they are all at the Lodge.

 

[bigeyedfish]

Thanks for the review, Angi! Pretty sure we are both on another unrelated board, too. I swapped our times so that we have a 2 pm show and 5:55 pm Tiffin’s. Hoping this works well for us. Wanted to avoid a safari around 4:00 pm or after due to swap out times and sunset. So excited!

ETA: AK has been the most difficult park to plan by far. No matter how I rearrange we’re still going to be criss-crossing the park.

 

[AngiTN]

Thanks for the review, Angi! Pretty sure we are both on another unrelated board, too. I swapped our times so that we have a 2 pm show and 5:55 pm Tiffin’s. Hoping this works well for us. Wanted to avoid a safari around 4:00 pm or after due to swap out times and sunset. So excited!

ETA: AK has been the most difficult park to plan by far. No matter how I rearrange we’re still going to be criss-crossing the park.

Good deal. In all my days of looking, I've never been offered any show earlier than the 3:00 PM show. A 2:00 PM would be perfect. I'm going to call DSS to see about their changing my next reservation

 

[gometros]

Quick report, we did Tier 1 package again last week. Still awesome, had a slightly different menu this time as they are on their "winter menu". yes, you can order anything
Again did the 3:00 show with safari at 3:45 or so. (this is just the time that seems to work out best with our other plans, plus I don't care for the night safari and by 5:30 it would have been getting dark this time of year)
Again, several of the animals were ready to swap out.
Hippos are off show at that time (according to our guide, they pull them to clean their area about 3:30 on a regular basis). I've never tracked other safari to see if they were out or not around that time. They will put them back out, they aren't in for the night.
Wart Hogs, Rhinos, and one other of the hoofed stock "knock off early" according to our guide. By that she meant, they were still out but standing at their gates. And she was right. She pointed out their entrance spots and sure enough, both sets of animals were hanging at their pen entrances waiting to go backstage.
Most of the other animals were around.
Oh, and this may be common knowledge but they've removed zebra's from the safari right now. Our guide said they could bring them back sometime but for now, they are all at the Lodge.

Adding a thanks. Didn't know about the swap out. We may have to change our time, since we have.2:00pm reservation with a 5pm show mid-March.

 

[AngiTN]

Adding a thanks. Didn't know about the swap out. We may have to change our time, since we have.2:00pm reservation with a 5pm show mid-March.

5:00 PM is probably fine, if you don't mind that it will be dusk when you go. The animals will have taken their break and returned by then
At least this is what both of our guides have told us regarding how the safari operates

 

[Shanno44]

Just booked the Tier 1 for our trip in June. My reservation at Tiffins at 6:15pm. It wouldn’t let me select a show time myself, but assigned a 3:00pm show time. I would have preferred the 5pm show, but maybe that conflicts with dinner reservation time? What is the length of the show & guided tour? Are animals still active at that time of day in summer? How do I get the tickets for the show before my dinner reservation?