Disney Animal Kingdom Backstage Tales Tour Tips

Disney Animal Kingdom Backstage Tales Tour Tips for An Amazing Adventure #MonkeyKingdomEvent. Post sponsored by Disney. All animal loving opinions are my own

Disney Animal Kingdom Backstage Tales Tour Tips

This is no ordinary 3 hour and 45 minute tour. First of all, there’s no Gilligan boat involved. Today I’m sharing my AMAZING Disney Animal Kingdom Backstage Tales Tour.

This brand new behind the scenes Disney tour at Disney’s Animal Kingdom allows you access to insider information, stories and of course lots of great animals on your adventure. And since we were having a “Monkey ” of a good time at Disney World for the Monkey Kingdom Event, this was a perfect way to get in closer with some of the amazing Disney wildlife. How to you make the most of your Backstage Tales Tour? I’ve got 7 tips to make the most of every 225 minutes during your unique Disney experience.

1. Be at the park EARLY

This is A) Because the Tour says so and B) so you can get all of the necessary information and gear needed to begin your journey. Give yourself at least 15 minutes prior to tour start time to prepare. This tour does require you to show I.D. to gain access, so be sure to have that on you. Also be sure to go to the bathroom prior to your tour! It will be a looooooooooong time before you see one again. You also need to be there early at the Animal Kingdom gate entrance to get your personal listening device so you can hear your 2 tour guides throughout the journey. There is a varying combo of walking, standing and sitting throughout your tour. One of the main advantages of this behind the scenes tour is that you get early access into Disney Animal Kingdom. Which is AWESOME!

2. Get Your Perfect Shot of the Tree of Life

Because you get that amazing early access, NOW is the time to get that pristine shot of the Tree of Life, without a bunch of random people in your picture. Yup, be sure to put that one in your Disney memory book!

3. Hear Fascinating Tales About Walt Disney, Animal Kingdom, and the Animals

This was definitely the most interesting part of the tour. Hearing genuine stories about Walt’s vision to reality, the animals’ personalities and care taking skills and behaviors taught by the trainers was incredible. You can tell how much each staff member loves working with the animals and sharing their unique stories with the guests. Each animal is given personal care and attention and safety is of the utmost importance.

4. Feed the Birds

Part of the tour includes a special walk-through of The Aviary at Disney Animal Kingdom. Here the Disney trainers explain how much goes into making sure that each bird is cared for in the right way. In fact, one person’s job throughout the WHOLE day is to headcount each bird to be sure that they are still located in the aviary. And with hundreds of birds, multiple headcounts and a pair of binoculars, you know that these trainers love their jobs. You also get a unique opportunity to feed the birds one tasty snack. Live Mealworms. And yes, they are just as creepy, crawly and squirmy as you think. You are provided a pair of gloves and a priceless picture opp before you go.

5. Go Behind the Scenes

Hence the name “backstage.” This is obviously the most prized portion of the tour. And of course, the most Disney secretive. No cameras allowed in these animal areas, so be sure to put that camera down. Depending on the time, day and tour guide, you will get to visit various animal areas behind the scenes at Animal Kingdom. For us, we were able to get an up close view of a rhino, seriously within 20 feet, to watch him chew up these thick branches with ease. We visited the nighttime elephant facility and learned all sorts of facts about these elephants, like how elephant gestation is 22 months! YIKES!

We were able to tour the vet areas at Rafiki Planet to see where c-rays and surgeries take place. We got to see the trainers in the process of preparing the special dietary needs of each animal at the Animal Nutrition Center, with their very own cookbooks! We ended the day with a special peek at a young Komodo Dragon in training to be weighed and prepared for any future medical procedures. We got an amazing slideshow presentation of how Disney Animal Kingdom is doing more to protect cranes and their migration habits. But I think the most important part of the tour is your amazing Disney tour guide. They are available to answer any of the burning animal questions you have and to keep the tour moving and having fun!

6. Eat a Rocking Snack

By the time you get to sit down and listen to what Disney Animal Kingdom is doing beyond the park, I was basically a ravenous bear. Insert an amazing Disney snack and a souvenir! If you’re a BIG lover of those adorable Disney Rice Krispie Treats, you are going to LOVE your snack time. This elephant treat definitely hit the spot! And using our brand new Backstage Tales stainless steel water bottle, we got a refreshing cold drink of water too. And this is all inside a nice air conditioned facility. So definitely a welcoming break.

7. Go Home with “Picture Perfect” Memories

Memories. Because most of your 3 hour tour is behind the scenes, there won’t be many pictures that you will be actually taking during your tour. And that’s perfectly ok! It gives you the opportunity to put down the camera, put down the phone and really immerse yourself into the tour. This made the experience so much more relaxing and enjoyable for me, allowing me to learn so much more about the animal care, training, and Disney’s true passion for wildlife. I left with a new appreciation for what Disney Animal Kingdom provides for their animals.

And speaking of appreciation for animals, today is the LAST day that your Disneynature Monkey Kingdom ticket purchase can make a difference! For every ticket purchased through 4/23, a portion will be donated to Conversational International and the protection of monkeys! What a huge difference you can make today, all while enjoying one of the best and funniest Disneynature films to date. We did our part last night by taking the kids. They were hyena laughing within the first 5 minutes!

Get a glimpse of how much your family will love Monkey Kingdom! Check out my full review, including my thoughts on whether this movie is safe for your little ones. Have you been following along with my #MonkeyKingdomEvent adventures? Check out my amazing Disney experiences so far!

• Disney’s Wild Africa Trek
• Disney Animal Kingdom’s Wilderness Explorers Guide
• Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Best New Gardens for 2015
• Exclusive Interview with Disneynature Ambassador Dr. M. Sanjayan
• Monkey Kingdom Movie Review

I hope you have the chance to take your family to see Disneynature Monkey Kingdom, an amazing nature movie that the whole family can appreciate.

Things to Consider:

• Must be at least 12 years old+ to experience this tour
• While there are opportunities to interact with the animals, these experiences cannot be guaranteed
• Recommend very comfortable clothing and shoes. There is A LOT of walking and standing.
• The majority of the tour is outdoors. Plan for weather accordingly.
• You can bring your own headphones, if you’d rather use your own
• Bring I.D., water bottle and any other snacks/medicine/ etc. you may need for the 3 hour and 45 minute tour
• Portion of your tour is donated to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund

The Disney Animal Kingdom Backstage Tales Tour is $90 a person and definitely worth the Disney insider view of Animal Kingdom! Any Disney fan and animal lover will really enjoy this unique adventure! Check out the full details and book your next family tour.

What would you love the best of the new Disney Animal Kingdom Backstage Tales Tour?

 Disclosure ~ I was invited to attend and all-inclusive Disney media trip in exchange for this posting. All opinions are my own. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for more reviews, giveaways and more.

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