Darren Wittko 8/17/22 Darren Wittko 8/17/22

Epcot Tours Are Coming Back!

I am thrilled to share fan-favorite tours from Disney World’s Enchanting Extras Collection are returning to EPCOT beginning Oct. 2, adding to and completing the previously announced lineup of highly popular tours returning to Walt Disney World Resort.

A while back my wife asked me what she could get me for my birthday. I told her that I wanted to do the tour that takes you behind the scenes at Walt Disney World.

When I opened my birthday card, I saw tickets to the, “Behind the SEEDS” tour inside The Land pavilion at Epcot. Slight misunderstanding but I was grateful just the same. Who doesn’t like plants?

Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot — Behind the Seeds Tour at Epcot

It was more fun that I had thought.

And starting October 2, 2022, the Behind the Seeds Tour is returning after being paused for Covid.

If you like the Living with the Land attraction at Epcot or have an interest in gardening and natural sciences, then you’ll love Behind the Seeds!

It’s a 1 hour walking tour, and yes you get to see backstage at Epcot - a very rare opportunity at Disney World.

Experience The Seas:

The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot is home to more than 2,000 sea creatures representing over 90 aquatic species including sea turtles, angelfish, dolphins, eagle rays and sharks.

With the return of Epcot Seas Adventures – DiveQuest, you once again can dive right into this 5.7-million-gallon saltwater environment and immerse yourself into the sea life surrounding the coral reef.

This experience offers SCUBA-certified guests guaranteed calm seas, unlimited visibility, and incredible marine life.

If you aren’t SCUBA-certified or prefer to stay on land don’t worry; there is a tour for you, too!

With the return of Epcot Seas Adventures – Dolphins in Depth, you can meet the bottlenose dolphins at The Seas to learn about their complex undersea behavior and talk with the experts who work with them every day.

These guest-favorite tours return beginning Oct. 2 and are on sale beginning Aug. 22 on DisneyWorld.com or the My Disney Experience app.

Advance bookings are highly recommended. Please note the Behind the Seeds experience requires a valid theme park admission and park reservation.

Have questions about planning your Orlando vacation? I have answers! Contact me now to get more out of your vacation.

Yes! I want to work with Darren

Darren is a Disney-focused travel agent with Magical Vacations Travel and has over 13 years of experience. Readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World rate him as a ***Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent***. Darren is also an Orlando-based travel writer with topics ranging from theme parks to cruise lines.

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Darren Wittko 2/26/22 Darren Wittko 2/26/22

A Disney World Must-Do - Wild Africa Trek at Disney's Animal Kingdom Park!

Wild Africa Trek is one of the best tours available at Walt Disney World. Here are some of the highlights from my recent expedition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

Wild Africa Trek is back at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and my son and I were among the first to head out on the trail.

This is one of the most popular guided tours offered at Walt Disney World Resort because it allows you to get up close to the animals.

Wild Africa Trek is a three hour adventure that takes you on foot and by truck through hidden trails, suspension bridges, and scenic overlooks.

You’ll also make a stop for lunch right in the middle of the savanna and enjoy breathtaking views of the animals.

We had an amazing time on this tour, it was worth every penny and although the animals were spectacular, it was our guides that really made this tour special.

They were truly excited to take us out on the savanna. It’s obvious that they really love the animals and and doing these tours.

Below you can view some of my favorite parks of Wild Africa Trek. If you have any questions about the tour, use the comments section below, I’d be happy to answer them.

If you have a reservation booked with me and would like to include Wild Africa Trek in your itinerary, please send me an email, I’ll show you some options.

After checking in at the entrance to Kilimanjaro Safaris, we met our guides and the other members of group. There were about 10 of us in all.

Our guides reviewed some rules and assisted with the gear we needed for our trek.

We were given safari vests, a ear piece so we could hear our guides, and a water bottle.

We were allowed to bring our phones for photos, but everything else had to be stored in lockers.

After a safety briefing, we were off right away, starting with the Gorilla Falls Expedition Trail.

There’s a secret entrance on the trail that leads you to the savanna. You would never spot it in a million years!

We soon made our way into the woods heading towards the savanna, stopping to see some of the animals from unique viewing locations.

My favorite animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are the meerkats, they are so funny - cute too! They were surprised to see us appear from a backstage area.

We were joined by some of the hippo caretakers who shared some fun facts with us. They brought some lettuce and watermelon with them so we could watch them enjoy a snack.

Hippos eat a whole watermelon with the same effort as a person eating a cookie. It’s remarkable to see.

To get up close and personal, our guides locked us in to a tether strap that allowed us to walk right the edge (without falling in).

It’s pretty cool to see part of Kilimanjaro Safaris from a different angle. This is the noisy bridge the safari vehicles go over.

Back on the trail again. As were walking, our guides are talking to us through our headphones. They definitely keep you engaged throughout the entire tour.

We arrived at this tower, the starting point of the suspension bridge. After a quick safety spiel and a check of our gear, we started to climb up.

This was, to me, the highlight of Wild Africa Trek! An “Indiana Jones” style bridge that has seen better days. Yes, it bounces and sways as you go over.

Our guides locked us in with a harness so there was no chance we could fall.

This is the first of 2 bridges. First you’ll pass over more hippos. The second bridge takes you over the crocodile habitat.

You have to be ok with heights here and you should be reasonably steady on your feet. The bridge bounces and sways as you walk across it. 2-3 people are allowed to cross at one time.

You can go at your own pace and stop as often as you like for photos.

After making it to the other side of the bridges, we had an opportunity to get up close to the crocs.

We were once again wearing a tether so we didn’t accidentally fall in and become a snack.

Continuing on the trail, this time we were headed to a special safari vehicle.

We drove onto the savanna following the same road as the regular safari, but we pulled over a lot take in the views, and the animals.

Our guides were answering our questions along the way.

We stopped for lunch in right on the savanna.

Lunch comes in metal tiffins, it’s like a compartmentalized lunch box.

Inside we found chicken curry salad, sun-dried tomato hummus and mini pita, marinated tandoori shrimp, smoked salmon roulade with dill, air-dried beef and prosciutto, and fresh fruit marinated in mint and ginger.

My son and I are not foodies, so it was a little adventurous for us. But we actually enjoyed it!

I’m told it was an authentic safari lunch.

While our guides were preparing lunch we were able to photograph the animals and take photos.

When you ride Kilimanjaro Safaris, you don’t get to spend a lot of time on the savanna, it’s more of a summary of the savanna..

But when you’re here for a while, you can really appreciate just how magnificent the animals are. I didn’t know they wander all over and that they are actually very playful.

That’s not something you can really observe while on the safari ride. The animals tend to do stand still for 5-10 minutes at a time, followed by bursts jumping around and chasing each other.

If you really want to observe their playful side, WIld Africa Trek is the best place to see that.

I was really surprised to see how many animals wander all over the savanna. Whenever I was on the ride, I just assumed the animals had their little zone and pretty much stayed in one place. Not true!

Many of them migrate by nature, so they need to be able to roam the savanna.

We has a such a great adventure on Wild Africa Trek. Everyone made it back, no one was eaten by the crocs.

This was definitely one of the best tours we’ve ever been on at Disney World.

Wild Africa Trek concludes near the Wildlife Express Train.

Our guides pointed out a hidden reference to Joe Rhode. He was the principal designer of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and a brilliant Imagineer. Joe retired recently and was given a little credit here for his work on Animal Kingdom park.

Wild Africa Trek, Good to know:

Wild Africa Trek requires reservations.

The cost of the tour ranges from $185 - $250 per person, depending on the time and date you choose.

There are usually 2 -3 tours offered daily. To book a tour, contact your travel agent or visit the Disney World website (disneyworld.com).

Separate Valid Admission and Park Reservation for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park is required.

Guests must be at least 8 years of age to attend this experience.

Due to height restrictions for specific areas during the tour, participants must meet the minimum height requirement of 48 inches (122 cm) or may not participate.

Due to weight restrictions for specific areas during the tour, participants must weigh between 45 and 300 lbs (20.14-136 kg) or may not participate.

Excursion occurs rain or shine, with the exception of severe weather or lightning.