Safari Wilderness: Tips to Have the Best Visit

Think Florida is all about theme parks and beaches? Safari Wilderness, located only 45 minutes away from Disney World in Lakeland Florida, will change your mind! It’s an exciting safari adventure where you can feed the animals and even hang out with lemurs. Here are tips to make your visit even more amazing.

The last time we went to Disney World we stopped by Safari Wilderness on our way home. Located only 45 miles away in Central Florida, it was an easy stop on our way out of Orlando. It’s also pretty close to LEGOLAND. You could create an entire vacation around the Central Florida area.

Read More: Florida Family Vacation Ideas

Safari Wilderness Tips

Don’t let the price tag scare you off.

Look, we know that this attraction is pricey. Like, one day at a theme park pricey. But it’s a totally different and unique experience and we’ve heard time and again from readers that they’re glad they went. Visitor numbers are limited to protect this unique conservation project. We took the vehicle safari tour that costs $119 per person. We felt it was worth it. You can keep an eye on Groupon for offers to bring the price down. The safari vehicle tour goes through over 260 acres of wilderness with exotic animals all along the way.

Be aware that there is a $12 charge for parking. You can pay it on arrival or in advance when you purchase your tickets.

The tours are more than just tours at Safari Wilderness.

You may think you’re just buying a vehicle tour ticket but that ticket gives you a two hour and thirty minute animal experience. You’ll feed animals from the vehicle and experience many species. Tours include additional walking experiences like the free flight aviary, mammal house, and a petting zoo barn at no additional cost.

Book in advance.

Tours run at 3 pre-scheduled times daily. Be sure to book in advance to reserve your spot.

Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Even though we went in early January, it was hot enough for short sleeves and sunscreen. I’m glad I had some in my purse for emergencies because we definitely needed it. We share some of our favorite baby and kiddo sunscreens here.

Wear closed-toe shoes to Safari Wilderness.

Remember those extra walk-around experiences? You’ll be in animal habitats. It’s not the day for flip-flops.

Arrive earlier than your scheduled Safari Wilderness Tour

Upon arrival, kids and adults can roam around the property while waiting for the tour to start. My kids loved running around the wide open spaces! After two days in Disney where I wouldn’t let them run away from me because of the crowds, they couldn’t get enough of the freedom. They kept running after the chickens, pigs, and cats that roam the property.

 

Bring or purchase snacks before you depart for the tour.

Snacks are allowed on the tour, so make sure you bring some for the kiddos! The tour is almost 3 hours and kids tend to get hungry and thirsty over the span of 3 hours. Bring some water for yourself too!

Find a seat at the back of the safari vehicle if you have noisy kids.

During Covid protocols this may not be as much of an issue since vehicles are extremely spaced out and often only contain one family.

The tour guide stopped frequently to let us get a good look at the animals and get a chance to feed them. My two boys didn’t want to stop feeding the animals. They kept yelling, “more food, more food”. It would have been best for us to be at the very back where we wouldn’t have been so loud as the guide was talking.

Don’t go during nap time.

I assumed my boys would get enough of a nap during the 45 minute drive from Disney. I was wrong. They were overtired during the entire tour. A smarter mom would have taken them in the morning instead of the afternoon tour. We’ll keep this in mind next time.

Pay the extra $35 to feed the lemurs.

After the tour, you can feed the lemurs. This was the highlight of the tour for my family because they loved getting close to the lemurs. It was an amazing experience to see the excitement in my boys’ faces.

Explore other tour options for older kids.

The vehicle tour is perfect for younger kids and all ages. However, if you have older kids definitely check out their other unique tour options. Animal lovers and adventure lovers alike will enjoy the kayak and ATV safaris.

Has your family visited Safari Wilderness Ranch? What was your favorite part?