Wilderness Explorer Badges

[mamamelody2]

View attachment 252810 View attachment 252811 Collecting WE badges is one of my kids' favorite parts of AK. If they engage/ask questions of the CMs, it's also a great learning opportunity beyond just the badge thing. the CMs are awesome!!

Wow, those outfits are amazingly adorable!
The kids are too, of course!

 

[mamamelody2]

So, DH and I are going without the kids. Can we do the Wilderness Explorer badges??

 

[megveg]

So, DH and I are going without the kids. Can we do the Wilderness Explorer badges??

Absolutely. I don't have any children and I'm planning on doing this on my next trip. I've been told and have seen youtube videos of people doing the Wilderness Explorers stops and the cast member will adjust the information based on the age of the people participating. Example: a young child will be asked "what sound does a lion make?" where adults may be asked "How many hours a day does a lion sleep or hunt?" and the information is available either through the cast member's spiel about the animal or around the area where the badge is on a plaque or board with information. I'm SO excited to do this! lol

 

[jaysmom4285]

I've never formally done the WE badges, but I freely admit to occasionally hanging out at the edge of one of the groups so I can hear what the CM is telling the kids about that particular wildlife. It's incredibly interesting.

 

[christianweecare]

We did this with our grandson when he had just completed first grade. He loved it! We actually spread it out over 2 trips. We started during a December trip then completed it during another trip that next May.

 

[RachaelA]

We did the whole thing last trip and the cast member who was at the booth when we finished was a total downer and was like 'yeah here sign this book. Bye.' It was a bit sad! My kids had a blast though getting all the stickers!

 

[Rwsm2011]

They don't happen to have pages we can add into our book for the new ones do they? We have a book from a couple years ago that the kids were planning on taking back to finish up, but they obviously don't have the new ones in them.

 

[TempleOT]

OMG, how did I not know about this?! My daughter will love this!!

I would love to hear how long this has taken folks to complete. Debating if we should start on our upcoming weekend trip (just me and DD) or wait til our longer trip with DH. Thanks!

My Kids, currently 7 and 10, completed their books over the last 3 trips, finally finishing it up this past May. The CM who gave them their final badge and swore them in made a big deal about it, loudly pronouncing to everyone in the vicinity that they are now Wilderness Explorers and clapping loudly for them. It was super cute and the kids absolutely enjoyed doing this over the last few years. We all learned a lot too!

 

[AngiTN]

They don't happen to have pages we can add into our book for the new ones do they? We have a book from a couple years ago that the kids were planning on taking back to finish up, but they obviously don't have the new ones in them.

Not that I have seen. I would look at your book and see if you can cut it apart and then do just the new pages in a new book and cut that one apart and then when you are home, take them all to Staples (or other office supply store) and have them spiral bind it for you
I haven't looked closely at them to see if they have space for that or not. Needs at least 1/4" of blank space on the edge

 

[DisneyOma]

33 now


I think the main station on the bridge opens at 10:00 but any of the badge spots also have the books so you can start anywhere.
Also note, I believe the station closes early too, 5:00 or 7:00 maybe?

Actually have no idea what that would be talking about. All badge locations have books and you can start from any of them.

Don't count on all the CMs having the books - we were there a few weeks ago, and at least two of the CMs didn't have books with them. People asked for them and were directed to the station on the bridge. So, if you don't want to have to backtrack, get the book as you go by.

 

[AngiTN]

Don't count on all the CMs having the books - we were there a few weeks ago, and at least two of the CMs didn't have books with them. People asked for them and were directed to the station on the bridge. So, if you don't want to have to backtrack, get the book as you go by.

There are several other stations marked as Troop Leaders, or Team Leaders. They have them for certain. All of them start the day with a few but run out. The leader stations will have plenty. They are also where you can get the final reward. I'm not sure exactly how many leader stations there are. I saw at least 2 Monday. One was the station where the kids play the drums

 

[DisneyOma]

There are several other stations marked as Troop Leaders, or Team Leaders. They have them for certain. All of them start the day with a few but run out. The leader stations will have plenty. They are also where you can get the final reward. I'm not sure exactly how many leader stations there are. I saw at least 2 Monday. One was the station where the kids play the drums

Exactly - why risk having to backtrack to get one when you pass the station on your way anyways?

 

[WithASmile&ASong]

Exactly - why risk having to backtrack to get one when you pass the station on your way anyways?

If the station at the bridge doesn't open until 10 and you are rope dropping a ride at 9.
That being said, I've seen CM's on the bridge passing out books to people going by at 9 (and I got ours that way). But that was a year and a half ago and have no idea if that was normal.

 

[AngiTN]

Exactly - why risk having to backtrack to get one when you pass the station on your way anyways?

Most common reason would be they may not be open