Caring for Giants reservations and alerts

An hour with the elephant herd

Disney says Caring for Giants brings you closer to Animal Kingdom’s African elephants than its other in-park experiences, at roughly 80 to 100 feet.

A guide talks you through the herd’s day-to-day care and Disney’s work to protect elephants in the wild.

Disney calls them the largest residents of the park.

Before you go

Guests must be 4 or older, and children under 18 come with a participating adult.

You spend the hour outdoors, so dress for the weather and wear shoes you can walk in.

Phones and cameras can’t be used while you are backstage, though Disney encourages photos in the park’s public areas.

Dust, hay and biting insects come with the setting, which matters if anyone in your group has allergies.

Reaching the herd involves a ride on a backstage vehicle, and its limited space is why Disney asks wheelchair users to confirm before they come.

Meeting point, tickets and cancellations

Your meeting point is the Curiosity Animal Tours kiosk facing the Kilimanjaro Safaris entrance, and Disney asks you to be there 15 minutes early.

Park admission is sold separately, and some tickets also need a theme park reservation.

Cancelling within a day, or not turning up, costs the full price.

To meet another of the park’s biggest animals, Up Close with Rhinos leaves from the same kiosk.

Catching a Caring for Giants spot

Freed spots reappear on Disney’s calendar when plans change, and the full charge for late cancelling encourages people to let them go early.

Set an alert above and Park Drop will email and text you when a Caring for Giants spot matches your date and party size.