Caring for Giants Elephant Tour
by Annaliesa McBride
Caring for giants is an up close look at what it takes to take care of the elephants at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It is a wonderful opportunity for animal lovers, and Disney fans alike. This behind the scenes tour is a unique experience that is only available to guests ages 18 and older.
Tour groups meet at the Curiosity Animal Tours kiosk across from the entrance to Kilimanjaro Safari where they sign a waiver, and are given a lanyard to identify each member as a part of the group. The tour guide then leads the group to a bus, which takes the group to an observation deck that overlooks the elephant habitat. The observation deck is about 80-100 feet from the elephants so you do get closer to them during the tour than in the park. Tours get ample opportunity to observe the elephants, and take photos as an elephant caretaker explains how the elephants are cared for, and answers questions. You may not take photos in the back lot but you can take pictures in the non-backstage areas. The tour lasts about 60-minutes.
After all questions are answered, guests get the opportunity to hold a piece of elephant poop that has been glazed and baked. (This was my favorite part, thought my sister and I were the only ones in the group brave enough to handle the poop.) Cast members are happy to take photos of each party in front of the elephant habitat before bringing the group back to the park.
On this tour, we learned that Disney is held to the highest standards. We learned about elephant poaching, and were introduced to multiple charities that fight off poaching, and remove traps left to catch elephants in their natural habitat. I left feeling informed. It was a truly breathtaking experience that will stick with me for quite some time.
Caring for Giants Tour Details;
Cost: $30 per person
Reservations; Call 407-919-7529 for advance reservations (recommended). Same day reservations are sometimes available at the Curiosity Animal Tours kiosk in the Africa area.
Age restrictions: You must be at least four years old to go on this tour and guests under 18 must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Accessibility: Guests may remain in a wheelchair during the tour but you will want to call 407-398-1487 to arrange/confirm accessible transportation to the backstage area. Guests using an ECV will have to transfer to a courtesy wheelchair to participate.
Allergies: Be aware that you will be in areas with common allergen like dust and hay.
