Episode 87 of The Disney Exchange- Backstage Tours at Walt Disney World

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The Disney Exchange is Lisa, Dave and me Nick. 

This week we welcome special guest Curt Stone, co-host of the Geekin' on WDW Podcast, to discuss backstage tours offered at Walt Disney World! This topic was suggested by Bill Ford.

Photos from my Wild Africa Trek experience

We discuss each of the Tours offered, sharing experiences for the ones we have taken, as well as tours we would like to take.

Full disclosure, Lisa, Dave and I have not taken many tours, so that's why we called in a ringer! Thanks Curt!

The Wheel of Distiny topic this week was suggested by Tony McDaniel.  
Who was/is our favorite Spaceship Earth narrator? 

You can find Curt on the Podcast, Geekin' on WDW, which he co-hosts with his daughter Lindsay,  as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

If you have a show suggestion or Wheel of Distiny topic, please let us know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange  or email us at: info@thedisneyexchange  

We are having a giveaway on Episode 100, all you need to be entered is to ask for a listener number if you don't already have one!

Thanks for listening to The Disney Exchange Podcast!

Wordless Wednesday: Wild Africa Trek

Photos: Barbie and Nick

Wild Africa Trek - May 2014

by Gaylin

It is fun to do a tour at Walt Disney World any time I go on vacation, it is especially fun to take a tour when I am traveling solo. I can really relax and enjoy everything there is to see and learn and can get to know the other tour guests a bit. I have noticed when I take a tour with someone else, we end up keeping in our 'pair' instead of talking to everyone else.

I took the Wild Africa Trek tour in May, it started at 9:30am, and there were 8 people on the tour, 6 couples and 2 of us singles. When you arrive, all your extraneous gear goes in a locker. Be advised, if you are taking this tour on a hot day like I did, the vest/harness that everyone wears gets to be really sweltering.

They provide a string to put your sunglasses on and there is a strap to attach your camera to as well. The guides take turns taking photos and you get instructions at the end of the tour as to where to go online to download all those photos. But if I hadn't brought my own camera, how else would I have gotten this photo!

The trek takes you into the woods around the savannah, this hippo skull sits by the path and we had all sorts of questions about it. 

And then you get attached to the guide ropes so you can hang out over the water to look at a live hippo!

Next up was crocodiles, again lots of questions asked and answered, these guys were not very active, I think they were feeling the heat as well! 

Especially this guy, he looks like he was about to go for a walk and just flopped in place and decided to have a nap.

I was really looking forward to crossing these bridges, I used to be afraid of heights but not anymore. I was the first one out on the bridge and could have stayed there for an hour. This photo of me was taken by one of the guides, I didn't know he was taking the photo.

This was the photo I was taking, the shadow of me on the bridge and the crocodiles below. The guides keep space between each of the guests so you get some alone time on the bridge and can get a photo taken on the bridge on your own.

When I realized he was taking photos, I gave him a big smile and this is another guide taken photo.

You do have to be careful crossing the bridges, I was getting all excited and looking around and those spaces between the boards were pretty wide open in places! I almost stepped down into a gap a couple times.

Once you are off the savannah, thankfully you get to take off the heavy vests. A private tour truck picks us up and a nice drive around the savannah happens. It is much easier to take photos on the private tour, the driver stops often and there is time for the guides to explain more about the animals and the savannah. They also provided cold towels to wrap around our necks, most appreciated!

This is the closest I have ever been to the white rhino, we paused for about 4 minutes, amazingly large animals.

On the bridges, this photo is when the 2 women guides passed off the camera to one of the educators we met up with on the tour for him to take photos of them and of us.

When I downloaded the Trek photos from the website I was very pleased to have this photo. These two amazing women were our guides and they were smart, friendly, attentive, really terrific. Amanda from Yorkville, OH and Kelsey from Houston, TX.

I would recommend this tour. Yes, it is pricey, at $189 plus tax per person, it is a worthy special treat. The quiet time on the savannah and bridges, the chance to go on a slower drive on the savannah and the rest time at the boma for a small meal and some great POG juice, it was a lovely morning. I have food allergies and the only glitch that happened was when we stopped at the boma for our small meal. I received a canteen that had been specially sealed and was marked allergy. When they cut the straps and opened the canteen . . . exact same meal as everyone else. I was so hungry at this point I was near tears and opening it to find that I could not eat 1/2 of it was really hard. You are not allowed to bring any of your own snacks on the tour so I downed 2 glasses of juice and ate what I could out of the canteen. 

At the end of the tour you receive all the info on how to download the photos, say goodbye to everyone and a management Cast Member took me aside and apologized for the mistake with the food and gave me a voucher for a free lunch. I rushed this ending part of the tour more than I wanted to because I really needed a proper meal, I went zooming off to Flame Tree Barbeque where I knew that even if there was a line-up, it would move quickly. Whew, I was right! I had done everything right, informed Disney when I booked the tour, the guides knew when I checked in, it just seemed someone in the kitchen didn't really pay attention. It was a minor detraction from the tour, I loved everything else about it.

Editor's note: For more on the Wild Africa Trek, please check out this article about our experience.-Nick

Animal Kingdom's Wild Africa Trek

Back in 2011, Barbie, our friends Kandi and John, and I did a tour at Disney's Animal Kingdom that had made it's debut just 2 days previously called Wild Africa Trek. Even though some things have changed, I thought I'd share our experience. This was originally posted on the Tips From the Disney Diva Blog, where I'm a contributing writer. -Nick

Please note, there will be SPOILERS, as I'm going to go over the whole awesome experience that is The Wild Africa Trek. So if you want to be surprised, read no further! Also, as this is a review of the experience in it's early stages, things are likely to have been modified, added or "plussed".

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011:

The morning started off cool and overcast. We were picked up at the Wilderness Lodge by our friends Kandi and John. We had the 10AM Trek scheduled. They recommended we arrive about 15 minutes early and that you use a rest room before the trek begins, as it will be 2 hours before your next break. Check in for the Wild Africa Trek was behind the Dawa Bar, next to Tusker House. Lockers are provided for personnel items.

We waited for about 5 minutes, and were escorted "backstage". We met our guides, Meghan and Lani. Lani would be giving most of the information, and leading the group, Meghan taking up the rear, acting as photographer.

Then it's time to be weighed and outfitted (You must weigh between 45-310 lbs).

My wife and I in our trek gear.

We were also given tin water bottles, which attached to our vests, and a headset, so we could hear our guide, even if we were in the back of the line. After getting geared up, we were brought over to a practice rope bridge, shown how to use our lanyard, and took a practice walk.

We were provided with "Jungle Juice" afterwards, but it was suggested we not drink much, again, because it would be 2 hours before a break. I wanted to drink more, it was so good!

We were then brought back "onstage", and given some info and instruction on our upcoming adventure. We then walked through Harambe Village, our guide Lani telling us info about the village. It was very funny to see all the guests looking at our group in puzzlement. My wife commented that she may have preferred to do an even earlier tour, to have the park to ourselves, but I thought it was more authentic, almost. We were in a busy African village, after all!

We were brought by the gorillas, and meerkats, Lani talking about them, and answering any questions. The whole time, Meghan was taking photos of the group and animals.
Then, we went backstage.

We followed a trail, and it was actually very narrow at times, very authentic, stepping over and through trees, moving branches, etc. I'm assuming that a different trail would be used if it was raining, as it would probably be pretty muddy otherwise.

We would come across skulls every now and again, and Lani would talk about the animal it came from.

Then, we came upon the hippo pool. We clipped our lanyards onto a railing, and walked out, overlooking the pool, and watched as a cast-member fed a hungry hungry hippo (sorry, I couldn't resist.

We then moved on, and were told the "good" bridge had been flooded out by the rains, (wink), (actually, this was made more realistic by the fact the previous day had seen some torrential rains) and we would be taking the more dangerous route.

More walking, and we came to the bridge. We were attached to a guy-wire over the rope bridge, and sent across 3 at a time. This took us directly above the hippo pool. The hippos were actually pretty active, as it was cool, and the sun had come out.

You then go across to another bridge, taking you over the crocodiles.

On the other side, after coming down from the bridge, you once again latch in, and go directly over the crocs. This was awesome. We even got to see one croc come out of the pool and wedge himself onto the shore between his fellow reptiles.

After this, it was time to hit the savanna. We boarded a truck and more or less followed the Kilimanjaro Safari route, pulling off for Lani to tell us about the animals, and to take pics.

Then, it was time for our snack. We pulled up to a beautifully constructed structure, overlooking the savanna. There were much needed rest rooms. Binoculars were provided to view animals. The tables were all under cover, but we were told we were free to move them wherever we wanted.

It was an absolutely beautiful day, so we pulled our table out into the sun. The food was beautifully presented, in round, stackable lunch boxes. There was yogurt with dried fruit, brie cheese, an edible orchid, and fruit in a mint syrup, prosciutto, round breads, a smoked salmon pinwheel with dill cream cheese, and fig cake. And all the jungle juice we could drink!!

Everything was amazing. Delicious.

We re-boarded the truck, and drove, once again, along the safari road. Unfortunately the big cats were all sleeping.

Then, sadly, our Trek was over. When we returned to "base", we were told that the water bottles were ours to keep, and that a portion of the cost of our Trek would be going to an animal fund, and we had the opportunity to vote as to which animal we would like to fund.

We were also given a photopass card and password, to go online and get a CD of all the photos taken on the tour.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! Every trek is bound to have some variations, and, at that time, they are already planning to add a rope bridge overlooking the big cats which may be in place.

Is it worth the price? I would actually say yes, if you are up for a totally unique experience, are an animal lover, or are an adventurous soul, Wild Africa Trek is for you.