Welcome to those of you joining me from My Dreams of Disney, and to those of you just hopping aboard! I am the third stop on this week’s Magical Blogorail!
“Ok, you have to decide together. Which park do you want to go back to for half a day before we have to go to the airport?” I asked.
“ANIMAL KINGDOM!” yelled both girls, in unison.
No complaints from me, it’s one of my favorite places in the entire world (at large). But this response did surprise me. No more treks through Fantasyland? Not just one more ride on Test Track and Soarin?
Nope. Wilderness Explorers had captured my then 5-year-old girls’ hearts – and is still one of the things they most look forward to each trip. Yet somehow, this adventure through the Animal Kingdom is something that is often overlooked by many guests.
Just across the bridge to Discovery Island after entering the park, you’ll see Troop Leaders at the Wilderness Explorers Headquarters; It’s completely free to join! After taking the Wilderness Explorers Pledge and receiving your membership card and handbook, you and your family will be off on your quest. Tip: One of the coolest things about this program is that it can be used in conjunction with any touring plan, or as a stand-alone activity. Some days we will go to Animal Kingdom just to earn badges. Other times, we will ride rides and experience attractions as we normally would, grabbing a badge or two along the way as we pass them. Either way is a lot of fun!
The Handbook contains a map of all of the badge locations – 31 in total – throughout the entire park. Some of the badges are earned by answering questions and then showing your responses to Badge Guides. Others are earned by learning directly from a Guide in an interactive experience. Some include drawing, word scrambles, and all sorts of other fun activities. There are opportunities to learn about animals, tracking, African and Asian culture, hiking safety, backyard habitats, conservation, veterinary medicine, fossils, and even ham radio. That’s just a sampling, but you can see that there is truly something for everyone. We have a blast each and every time!
And if you want to continue the theme, don’t forget to stop and say hello to Dug and Russell!
In our family – as in yours, I’m sure – we highly value our kids’ education. For us (and this is by no means what it has to look like for anyone else!), that looks like sacrifices in many areas to invest in a private school that we really love. It looks like homework in first grade, spelling words like chrysalis and metamorphosis and conversations about negative numbers around the dinner table. It’s phonics with our two-year-old, not because we are insane 🙂 but because he thinks he’s six and desperately wanted to learn his letter sounds.
But you know what we value even more? Family. And we recognize the fact that our kids are growing much too quickly and time is passing faster than we care to admit.
This won’t always be the case, I’m sure – but so far (through first grade), we have pulled our kids out of school to go on vacations at least once each year. As my parents did with me (for different reasons than vacation, but the principle is the same), we evaluate how they’re doing. If the trip will not affect their progress, and we can work with the teacher to not upset his or her preparation, it’s a no-brainer for us. When those vacations are to Disney Destinations, it’s an even easier decision! There is so much to see and do in Disney parks that is educational, that I venture to guess even the adults in your group will learn more than you ever expected.
For more thoughts on educational opportunities around the Walt Disney World resort, check out the rest of Magical Blogorail Green! Your next stop on the loop is Ashley Aspires.
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop: Heidi’s Head – Disney for Homeschoolers
2nd Stop: My Dreams of Disney – Education at Liberty Square
3rd Stop: For the Love of Disney – YOU ARE HERE 🙂
Final Stop: Ashley Aspires – Educational Attractions at Walt Disney World
Heidi Strawser
We just experience this for the first time on our family trip this past December. Though my 13 year old daughter didn’t participate, my 8 year old son and 20 year old daughter did! And, of course, we worked together, as a family, to earn their badges. I think this is one of the best educational opportunities at Disney! My son is deathly scared of bugs and, as luck would have it, that was our very last badge. He was freaked, but the Guide took a LOT of time with him and really explained how important bugs can be to us. I just love Disney!
Heidi Strawser
We just experience this for the first time on our family trip this past December. Though my 13 year old daughter didn’t participate, my 8 year old son and 20 year old daughter did! And, of course, we worked together, as a family, to earn their badges. I think this is one of the best educational opportunities at Disney! My son is deathly scared of bugs and, as luck would have it, that was our very last badge. He was freaked, but the Guide took a LOT of time with him and really explained how important bugs can be to us. I just love Disney!
Disney on Wheels
I love this post! We haven’t taken the time to check out Wilderness Explorers yet but we’ll definitely be stopping by on our trip in December with our nieces. 🙂
Disney on Wheels
I love this post! We haven’t taken the time to check out Wilderness Explorers yet but we’ll definitely be stopping by on our trip in December with our nieces. 🙂
John @ run. geek. run(disney)
Great post. Can’t wait to do Wilderness Explorers with my daughter on our next trip. Heck, I’d of done it myself our last trip if we had time.
For the Love of Disney
Thanks for stopping by! It really is a lot of fun… have a blast! 🙂
John @ run. geek. run(disney)
Great post. Can’t wait to do Wilderness Explorers with my daughter on our next trip. Heck, I’d of done it myself our last trip if we had time.
For the Love of Disney
Thanks for stopping by! It really is a lot of fun… have a blast! 🙂
Lin @ DisneyMamas
I’m an educator, and I pull myself out of school to visit Disney if necessary! The experiences I bring back to my students are well worth it. I’ve also taken my students on two Disney Youth Education trips, which have allowed them opportunities to work with Cirque du Soleil, Mary Poppins on Broadway and Walt Disney Imagineering! Disney is so very educational if you can look past the rides (which are actually educational experiences in themselves).
My son loves Wilderness Explorers as well. Do you guys take the same guidebook back each trip or pick up a clean copy?
For the Love of Disney
In the past we’ve taken the same book (on two trips, a couple days each trip)… but it’s well-worn so I think this time we’ll start over! 🙂 The Youth Education experiences are so fascinating. What great opportunities!
Lin @ DisneyMamas
I’m an educator, and I pull myself out of school to visit Disney if necessary! The experiences I bring back to my students are well worth it. I’ve also taken my students on two Disney Youth Education trips, which have allowed them opportunities to work with Cirque du Soleil, Mary Poppins on Broadway and Walt Disney Imagineering! Disney is so very educational if you can look past the rides (which are actually educational experiences in themselves).
My son loves Wilderness Explorers as well. Do you guys take the same guidebook back each trip or pick up a clean copy?
For the Love of Disney
In the past we’ve taken the same book (on two trips, a couple days each trip)… but it’s well-worn so I think this time we’ll start over! 🙂 The Youth Education experiences are so fascinating. What great opportunities!
roemottola
You know, I always used to go to Disney with my family in August and as you know, it’s brutally hot. The last few trips I have had the opportunity to visit Animal Kingdom in the fall and it’s a completely different experience. I truly enjoyed all of the walking trails and learning about the animals without rushing from attraction to attraction. Great post!
Rosanne @ The Disney Point
For the Love of Disney
Thanks so much for stopping by! It can be unbearable in the summer, can’t it, especially outside all day at the Animal Kingdom? I do love just wandering there though, when it isn’t miserably hot! 🙂
roemottola
You know, I always used to go to Disney with my family in August and as you know, it’s brutally hot. The last few trips I have had the opportunity to visit Animal Kingdom in the fall and it’s a completely different experience. I truly enjoyed all of the walking trails and learning about the animals without rushing from attraction to attraction. Great post!
Rosanne @ The Disney Point
For the Love of Disney
Thanks so much for stopping by! It can be unbearable in the summer, can’t it, especially outside all day at the Animal Kingdom? I do love just wandering there though, when it isn’t miserably hot! 🙂
Ashley
Great post! My brother and I BOTH became Wilderness Explorers in December. At 20, even I thought it was fun! I love learning – even when I’m out of school, so it was very interesting to me, too!
For the Love of Disney
I think my husband and I (in our 30s) enjoyed it just as much as the girls did! 🙂
Ashley
Great post! My brother and I BOTH became Wilderness Explorers in December. At 20, even I thought it was fun! I love learning – even when I’m out of school, so it was very interesting to me, too!
For the Love of Disney
I think my husband and I (in our 30s) enjoyed it just as much as the girls did! 🙂
Beth Green (@adisneymom)
I can’t wait to experience this on our next trip! I think my 5 year old will LOVE it! It’s high on my list. Great review- pinning now!! 🙂
Beth Green (@adisneymom)
I can’t wait to experience this on our next trip! I think my 5 year old will LOVE it! It’s high on my list. Great review- pinning now!! 🙂
mary
Our boys have just started doing this and they love it. Something about earning badges makes learning much more fun. I like that the Cast Members won’t let the parents help.
mary
Our boys have just started doing this and they love it. Something about earning badges makes learning much more fun. I like that the Cast Members won’t let the parents help.
Frontierland Station (@FrontierlandSta)
I’ve heard about Wilderness Explorers at DAK, but I didn’t know a lot about it. It sounds like a lot of fun and a great educational experience!
Frontierland Station (@FrontierlandSta)
I’ve heard about Wilderness Explorers at DAK, but I didn’t know a lot about it. It sounds like a lot of fun and a great educational experience!
Kara
How old do you think a child needs to be to enjoy participating? My child is almost three and I think would enjoy it but might get upset if certain things are beyond her capability.
For the Love of Disney
I’m so sorry I missed your question! There are definitely some stations that my son enjoyed (at 2.5). Some are geared toward older kids, but the beauty of the program is it’s extremely flexible and you can cater to each kids’ desires!
Kara
How old do you think a child needs to be to enjoy participating? My child is almost three and I think would enjoy it but might get upset if certain things are beyond her capability.
For the Love of Disney
I’m so sorry I missed your question! There are definitely some stations that my son enjoyed (at 2.5). Some are geared toward older kids, but the beauty of the program is it’s extremely flexible and you can cater to each kids’ desires!