Trying Private Disney World Safari Tour for $185, Worth It – Business Insider

I live 10 minutes away from Disney World and visit the parks frequently, but I’m always learning about new offerings. I recently discovered Savor the Savanna — a two-hour private safari tour at Animal Kingdom.
Although I’ve experienced the park’s 18-minute Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction, I wanted to see what the add-on experience was all about.
Here’s what the private safari tour was like.
There are only 12 tickets available for each Savor the Savanna tour, so they must be booked in advance via the My Disney Experience app or Disney World’s website.
The two-hour tour is held at 3:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. every day, weather depending.
I booked a ticket two days in advance for the earlier time and paid $174 before tax. The tour ticket doesn’t include park admission, which is required to access this event. Fortunately, I didn’t need to buy a park ticket because I had an annual pass. 
I entered Animal Kingdom and made my way over to the Curiosity Animal Tours kiosk just in time for the 3 p.m. check-in.
I had to sign a waiver before the tour that covered topics including medical treatment, insurance, and assumption of risk.
I wasn’t expecting to receive a name tag when I checked in for the tour, but I was glad I did as I could keep it as a souvenir.
The Kilimanjaro Safaris ride vehicles have seats in horizontal rows, but our private tour vehicle had wooden benches lining the perimeter.
I enjoyed the seating style because it created a welcoming environment.
Our tour guide, Emma, was friendly and knowledgeable — she encouraged questions and ensured everyone could capture photos.
I liked that we were all able to face each other throughout the experience. It made the tour more intimate. 
At the beginning of our tour, we met John, a park employee who works closely with the giraffes in the savanna.
He shared fun facts about the animals and answered questions in great detail.
Since the vehicle was stopped, people could also stand up and take photos of the giraffes and other nearby animals. 
We arrived at the Boma Platform, an enclosure-inspired stop, about 40 minutes into the tour.
Boma is a popular restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and we were welcomed with a table of similar African-inspired cuisine, including various cheeses, fruits, breads, and salads — the chicken salad was my favorite. 
The stop also offered a raised view of the savanna with binoculars for an even closer look at the animals. 
Although I don’t drink, there was a selection of regional wines available for guests 21 and over. 
A glass of the fan-favorite POG juice at Disney restaurants can cost upwards of $6, but we were able to have as much as we wanted during the rest stop.
I found the unlimited supply of juice to be a bonus, especially since I don’t drink alcohol.
There were three desserts available at the Boma stop, and the fudge pop was the best dessert I’ve ever had at Animal Kingdom.
This was my first time seeing a rhino in person, so it was a unique and fun experience.
In exchange for the lanyard that held my name tag (I could keep the paper part with my name on it), I was gifted a wooden coaster with Savor the Savanna engraved on the front.
Kilimanjaro Safaris is about a 20-minute attraction, but Savor the Savanna is nearly two hours, so I deemed the $185 ticket to be worth it.
I was able to ask many questions and had access to delicious food and unlimited POG juice.
Although the ticket is pretty pricey — especially since it doesn’t include park admission — I’d definitely do the tour again for a special occasion.
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