The Solo Scale:

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Animal Kingdom happens to be the park with the most Enchanting Extra options. It makes sense if you think about the safari and all the options it yields. You could get Up Close With Rhinos, have beer & wine on Savor the Savanna, or take a Wild Africa Trek. You can also pick one of the hourly Caring for Giants, which will bring you right behind the elephant enclosure.

As far as popularity goes, this is the easiest Extra to get. That’s because it has so many departures on a daily basis versus the rhino extra (which sells out almost immediately).

Like other Enchanting Extras, once you’ve booked it, you don’t have to worry until the day of. Then, you’ll check in about 10-15 minutes ahead of your time slot to sign the waiver and get your nametag. These are made out of recycled elephant poop, but it’s been heavily processed, so there’s no worry about germs. The group is limited (as it has to fit on a bus), but there’s lots of availability since it runs multiple times a day.

Once your group is checked in, your guide brings you backstage to the transport van in the parking lot. Being backstage is always interesting, but on this tour, the guide pointed out the specific area that the Animal Kingdom Imagineers use to test materials in the elements. On this particular tour (taken in February 2025), there were elements of the Tropical Americas that they were testing to see how it would weather things like rain & heat.

The tour winds around past the elephant pen area and takes a back road to a private viewing space that backs onto the elephant enclosure. Throughout the drive, you’ll get narration and questions from a super-informed guide who keeps things very fun and interactive.

Once you arrive, you’ll take a ramp up to the viewing spot. There’s a slight ditch between you and the elephants (alongside some security measures like electric fences). That guarantees security and safety, but you’re 20 feet away from the elephants at their closest. From this view, you can also see the safari ride behind, with views of giraffes and antelopes in the background.

You’ll observe the pack’s behaviours for a little under half an hour while the guide talks more about the pack, their history, and the elephants you’re viewing. One fun little thing we saw is that the elephants in Animal Kingdom have a strange habit of tossing out their hay before eating it. When I asked if this is a generic elephant thing, we discovered that it’s something specific to these elephants.

At the time of the visit (in February 2025), there was also a baby elephant — Corra. Given the Animal Kingdom’s dedication to breeding, you may get to see a new baby elephant no matter when you go! Even if you don’t, you’ll get to see the herd dynamics at play, which are always fascinating. Keep in mind you’ll only see the females as the males are in a separate area.

Once you’ve had plenty of time to observe, you’ll head back onto the bus. You drive back the same way you started to finish off your tour.

Are you an elephant fan? Do you want to explore the backstage of Animal Kingdom? Maybe you’re just looking for something to make your trip unique. Check out the Caring For Giants Enchanting Extra for your next trip to Animal Kingdom!

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