Review: Animal Kingdom’s Up Close with Rhinos

Yesterday was World Rhino Day! I had no idea that was a thing, but rhinos are awesome and deserve all the accolades. How do I know they’re awesome? Well, not to brag, but I’ve touched one. Yes, it was through a huge fence while being supervised by professionals. But I pet the beautiful and massive Lola, and she didn’t mind it at all. If you’d like to hang with a member of Animal Kingdom’s rhino crash, then book Up Close with Rhinos. I promise your time in the rhino paddock will be well worth it.

My family went on our tour of the park’s rhino paddock a couple of years ago. Our timing couldn’t have been better. Lola had given birth to Logan the previous year. She rarely left her mother’s side, so ours was a two-for-one tour. No matter how many rhinos you see, I promise this backstage tour is worth your time and money. And since that money goes to Disney’s conservation efforts, it’s a win-win for everyone, including those awesome animals.

Checking in

We checked in at the Curiosity Animal Tours kiosk about 15 minutes before our scheduled time. The kiosk is across from the Kilimanjaro Safaris entrance. We received our name tags after signing some boilerplate waivers. The guides encouraged everyone to use the restroom before the tour started. There are no backstage facilities.

Cast Members went over the backstage rules once the tour group was assembled. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take photos or videos on this excursion. This is different from what we experienced on Caring for Giants. We could use our cameras on that tour once we arrived at the Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna. However, Up Close with Rhinos takes place entirely backstage. As much as I’d love a photo of my hand on Lola’s leathery side, it wasn’t allowed. Huge bummer.

Meeting Lola and Logan

We left the public areas of Animal Kingdom through a door to the left of the Kilimanjaro Safaris entrance. Cast Members led us to a shuttle bus, making sure we didn’t get lost as we took in the backstage greatness. The bus ride to the rhino paddock took about 10 minutes. We left our personal belongings on the bus during the tour.

The paddock’s entrance has a large display showing the lineages of the white rhinos living in the park. As I said, we met Lola and Logan that day. Logan’s father, Dugan, has since passed away. Logan’s name is a tribute to her parents.

For the first half of the hour, Cast Members shared info about rhinos and how the Animal Kingdom staff cares for them. We could tell just how much our guides loved these animals. Fans of Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom already know that. Season two’s ninth episode featured Logan, her mom, and their caregivers. In the following Disney Parks video, you can also see mother and daughter (and their backstage home).

Finally, it was time to pet Lola. Cast Members brought out her favorite grasses to keep her close to the paddock fence. They called up each party individually, giving them several minutes to pamper her. We were told to put our hands straight out and not go above or below the inside of the paddock rails. Otherwise, she could pin our hands between her and the steel.

At one point, Logan came over to see her mama. Cast Members had everyone step back. Lola is docile, but she’s very protective of her baby (watch that Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom episode to see what I mean). Lola never stopped eating, and Logan eventually left the area. Soon it was our turn. Lola was awesome. Petting her rough, leathery hide was the highlight of our vacation.

Cast Members will tell you that petting a rhino isn’t guaranteed. These wild animals are never forced to do anything they don’t want. But I think that’s a rare occurrence. I’ve actually never heard of a tour group missing out on the interaction, but there is the possibility.

Soon it was time to leave the paddock. Our guides drove us back to the parking lot before leading us back into Africa. Since we weren’t able to take pics backstage, they did provide photo props once we were back inside the park.

Is Up Close with Rhinos worth it?

Yes! Meeting Lola and Logan was well worth the money. We’ve enjoyed every backstage tour we’ve been on, but this one was extra special. And compared to those other excursions, this tour is cheap. At the time of writing, Up Close with Rhinos costs $49 per person. Annual Passholder and DVC discounts are available.

With limited availability, Up Close with Rhinos books quickly. We recommend making reservations at the 60-day mark. Our reservation date calculator will let you know when that is.

Learn more about Disney’s white rhino herd on the Disney World website.