One of the most special things you can do at Disney World is take a tour. I’ve been lucky to take about a half-dozen tours and they’re wonderful ways to learn more about all of the amazing hard work that goes on behind-the-scenes to create the magic we see every day in the parks.
The Up Close with Rhinos tour takes place backstage at Animal Kingdom and it delivers just what the name promises, it brings guests up close with rhinos. Offered once a day at 11 am for a cost of $45 per guest, this tour can be hard to book, but if you can find an opening, I highly suggest you book this tour, and here’s why.
- The size. This tour is fairly small as it will only allow as many people as can fit on the minibus in the backstage area of the park so I believe that’s a maximum of 12 people. With that few people, you can have a more personal tour and be able to ask all of the questions you like.
- The cost. For $45 per person, it is one of the least expensive tours on Disney property. And, all of the proceeds go toward Rhino conversation so it’s a double-win.
- The length. While a long tour can be great for some, if you have your entire family with you and are on vacation, and are only spending a day or two at Animal Kingdom, you may not want to spend 4-5 hours on a tour. This tour is just an hour long, making it perfect for little ones with shorter attention spans as well as giving you plenty of time to enjoy the park.
- The guides. You’ll get to talk with animal experts who care for these magnificent creatures every day. They know their personalities and their quirks. Once you start to listen to them share about the rhinos at Animal Kingdom and around the world, you immediately pick up on their passion and expertise.
- The rhinos! I saved the best reason to book this for last! While everyone’s experience will be slightly different with which rhinos you’ll meet and what they’ll be doing, our group got to meet the youngest rhino on the savanna, Logan, and watch as the animal experts worked with her to train her. Then we even had the opportunity to pet her. Did you know rhinos are hairy?
Since this tour takes place completely backstage (which is Disney’s verbiage for the area of the park where guests are not usually allowed and all of the behind-the-scenes work takes place), guests are not allowed to take any photos or videos. As a photographer that was hard for me, but it did put me right in the moment, only focusing on the joy of the rhinos instead of trying to get that perfect photo. The Cast Members will help you with a couple of special photo ops once you reenter the park after the tour.
My best recommendation? After you are done, go on Kilimanjaro Safari and see if you can spot some rhinos. They’re sure to be even more special now that you’ve had a chance to get up close with rhinos.
Have you gotten Up Close with Rhinos?