I Savored the Savanna!
By: Maggie Ballantyne, Concierge Agent
September 21, 2023
Why do I love traveling to Walt Disney World? One of many reasons includes that I can be sure no two trips are ever the same. There is always new food to taste, a new drink to sip on, a different room to stay in, or experience to take part in. The magic they bring to what could be an ordinary experience is what sets these vacations apart from the rest. In September 2022, one of my best friends and I decided to sign up for the Savor the Savanna experience in Animal Kingdom. At the time the price was $150 per person, and after the experience was over, we both agreed it was worth every penny.
The Savor the Savanna experience is about two and a half hours and takes place in the evenings. Since Animal Kingdom does not currently have a nighttime show, we thought this was the perfect way to end our day in my favorite park.
This is a small group experience that starts very close to the entrance of the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction. However, instead of going through the normal, everyday queue, you are brought through a private entrance to a safari jeep tailored for this experience. From here, your group goes on a private safari off the beaten path (not the same route as the attraction) with a personal guide. There are spots you stop at, if animals are close, for a more personal experience and better photos. Your guide on this safari is with you for the entire evening. Not only are they trained on the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction, but they also work with the animals in Animal Kingdom and maintain their habitats in the park. Our guide was incredibly personable and clearly loved her job. She was very enthusiastic when talking about all the animals, especially the giraffes she has grown to love and bond with over the years of working in the Animal Kingdom. From a distance, she could identify each one based on its behaviors and spots.
The safari path you follow eventually takes you to the pavilion in the middle of the Savanna for food, drinks, and spectacular views. The food was incredible and exceeded my expectations. All finger foods, charcuterie boards, and entrees were created specifically for this tour by the head chef at Tusker House, a very popular restaurant in Animal Kingdom. All the desserts were created specifically for this tour by the head chef at Tiffins, another popular restaurant in this park. While the quality of the food we tasted was great, I was equally impressed by the variety. We tasted different cheeses, fruits, grilled veggies, shrimp, prosciutto, curry chicken salad, roasted pepper humus with pita rounds, and an array of salads.
The desserts were almost too pretty to eat. The brownies were beautiful and the smores were delicious! There were cookies and other pastries too. An open bar was also included in the price of this experience. The bar had three beer options including African beer, three wine options, water, soda, and of course, Pog Juice!
While you are enjoying your meal, one of the animal keepers comes out for a Q&A. Just like with your safari host, it is clear how much they genuinely love and care for these animals. Our guide shared stories about giraffes, elephants, behind the scenes experiences, and more.
The entire experience at the pavilion is very casual, another reason I loved it! The Q&A was more conversational than formal and not at all like a classroom setting. While the discussion was going on, people were free to walk around the pavilion to take pictures, grab some more food, or go up to the bar for a drink. Once everyone is satisfied with their meal and there were no more questions, they gave everyone some more free time to explore the pavilion and take photos.
I was honestly sad when it was time to depart the pavilion. The views were stunning, and I could have spent all evening sitting out, sipping on a beer, and watching the animals! It was very Lion King-esque. It was just like sitting out overlooking the kingdom and seeing everywhere the light touches just like Mufasa and Simba! The conclusion of the safari does follow the traditional path of the Kilimanjaro Safari, however it is less rushed and includes more narrative.
I will not spoil the surprise at the very end of the Safari just in case you are interested in this experience for yourself. But once you depart the safari vehicle, there is a commemorative gift for each person. I loved it!
The two and a half hours we spent on Savor the Savanna was well worth our time and money. It is genuinely one of my favorite experiences I have ever participated in at Disney and I will be back to do it again! If you are interested in visiting Disney World or experiencing something extra special while in the parks, please reach out to me at Maggie@wishesfamilytravel.com. Please follow along on my business page, www.facebook.com/wishesfamilytravelmaggie to learn more about my travels and unique experiences such as this one! All of my clients who have booked full Disney vacation packages with me will receive assistance booking special experiences such as this one!