Anyone have experience with this? We are going to AK at rope drop, but don’t have anywhere we need to run to immediately. Should we stop at WI first thing and use it throughout the day? How does it work exactly?
I am not sure, but I am following!
It’s like an activity book, where there are activities to do at several places around the park. There are CMs at each point so the kids can ask questions, and you collect your stamps as you complete each one. Think Kid-stop at Epcot, with a conservation theme.
Yes, you would want to do it as you go. But not necessarily plan your entire day around it. And you can continue it on a future trip as well.
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When we were there WE did not open until around 10am. You can pick up booklets at many of the WE locations around the park. Look for the badge signs and CMs dressed in scout uniforms. Depending on the badge requirements you will complete an activity on your own or with a CM. Then the CM will attach the badge to your booklet. We had a lot of fun doing the activities and learning about the various topics.They do not need to be done in order so you can do them as you tour the park with your other planned activities. So for example if you are going to ride Expedition Everest you could do the Yeti badge while you were in that part of the park. Google search “disney wilderness explorer map” or “Disney wilderness explorer handbook” to find the various locations and see some of the badge requirements.
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Exactly what I was going to write.
All good info up above.
Wanted to add that you should not expect to complete the whole booklet in one trip. May be possible but would be difficult at best. It took our son three full AK park days over three trips. But oh my goodness was it worth it in the end. He was so proud of himself when they held the ceremony to honor his promotion to Senior Wilderness Explorer 
️
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The info I’ve read indicates that it doesn’t start till 10 am and ends in the early evening (I think it’s 5:45). If you do Kiliminjaro Safari before that but want the badge for it, be sure to note your ride vehicle name so that you can fill it in the book and collect your badge later.
I liked perusing this site, as it shows a lot of the actual book that is used.
Agree with all the good information above. Additional note:
When we did WE (admittedly a couple years ago), we were going in with the knowledge that it didn’t start until 10am. But they were up and running by the time we walked by the sign-up around 9:15/30am or so. Something to be aware of.
We loved WE! We did it throughout the day with our almost 6-year old twins, and we got 21(!) of them in one day (a slow day in the park). So much fun.
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21?! Holy moly! That is impressive!
Ha! Right? I told my kids going in we’d have time to get probably 5 or 6. But it was a low crowd day (maybe a 1 or 2), and our travels through the park we’re sort of steered by getting the next badge. Which was fun for us parents too, because it gave us time to look around and appreciate the park details, while the kids were hustling to earn their next badge. Of course, this was all pre-Pandora.
Love Wilderness Explorers.
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This was one of the things I loved about it!
Was considering this as part of our January trip. Is a two year old too young? Do they cater to the toddler crowd as well?
Two is probably a bit young. I would say it’s more feared for K-4
I’m really looking forward to WE next month, but wondering how the closure of Rafiki’s is going to affect the badges- weren’t quite a few earned there? Wondering if there will be less overall to earn.
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Is the two year old the only or the oldest child? Might be a bit young.
I will say that my 3 year old did just fine last May. (And her birthday is in March, so she had only turned 3 a couple months before the trip.) They simplify things / give help to the kids that need it. The CM’s goal is to get the kids to the right answer so they can get the sticker.
If nothing else, you can certainly get your 2 year old a sticker badge and a WE book to play with. If you like you can try one or two badges in areas that you would be in anyways and, if it doesn’t work out, just don’t do any more.