Denali with time constraints

[Budget Queen]

Well, I spent the day today getting further info and what I just found out is absurd - but it may help others if they know about it.

 

According to Celebrity, we must take the NHT with them. Since they are responsible for people on their tour, they can't let us go off on our own during any of the pre-arranged tour times! I can understand them not refunding money for the tour, but I can't understand how they can prevent us from going off on our own! It seems totally ludicrus, but I'm not going to make an issue of it - it doesn't seem worth the effort. (It takes me about an hour on the phone to get an easy question answered!)

 

They will "allow" us to go off on our own on the first day of arrival since there are no pre-planned activities. So, we rented the car and made the appointment for the shuttle from WAC to Tolkat at 5:00 p.m. on first day of arrival. Second day we will go on the NHT with our packaged plan. According the the Denali reservations, the biggest difference between going to Tolkat and going to Eielson is the view of Mt. McKinley - but since we are taking a flight tour of Mt. McKinley from Talkeetna, that isn't a big issue.

 

I think we'll be happy if we get to Tolkat the first day and if we just go with the flow on the second day.

 

I am sorry, but your post makes little sense. Celebrity, is not going to "make" you go on anything. All you would have to do, is tell them, when you get there, you aren't going. Your "information" at this point is coming from where? Phone operators in Florida?

 

Also for people who have been on the Park Road in Denali Park, it is far more than a "view" the difference between Toklat and Eielson.

[frugaltravel]

I am sorry, but your post makes little sense. Celebrity, is not going to "make" you go on anything. All you would have to do, is tell them, when you get there, you aren't going. Your "information" at this point is coming from where? Phone operators in Florida?

 

Also for people who have been on the Park Road in Denali Park, it is far more than a "view" the difference between Toklat and Eielson.

 

Agree on all counts.

 

So tell us, you have a rental car, you book an Eielson shuttle for early the second day. Do you really think they will wait around forever for you to show up before they take everyone else on the NHT? Of course not. Might they slap your hand when you show up at the train? Maybe. But really, your information is not plausible, even though it came some from distant phone reps.