The first thing this review asks if I would recommend the Alaska's Northern Lights featuring the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, I answered yes, as I would without the Wildlife Conservation Center. My reasoning for that is, it is closed in the winter and must just open for tours, so there is no getting off the bus, it is a drive through zoo, where if the animals are at the gates you see them, but again from the bus and behind gates. The bathrooms and giftshop are closed. I do not fault the Conservation Center as they are closed in winters, but Collette for putting in something where we can not really see it. As for the remainder of the tour, the expereinces themselves are amazing, Fully seeing Denali from Talkeetna Lodge in your room is great, the speaker ( I would not call it a nature talk though) at Telkeetna was wonderful, as it was great to hear how a woman lives in a small dry cabin and the day to day experiences of her life. Dog sledding is awesome and some have mentioned not long enough an amazing experience. And of course the opportunity to see and actually see the Aurora was fantastic. The Musk Ox Farm is interesting but in a location sooo cold and windy that it is hard to stay outside for the tour, my understanding is it is also quite a shock in the summer. Also a expensive gift shop, a scarf costs $900.00. However there is need for improvement on this tour from timing to food to some attractions need to be disgarded. The Car Museum, although it is well done, the cars are beautiful as are the clothing, one must truly have an interest in both to want to see this, outisde of that it is a place where you will sit in front of the museum waiting for the 1 or 2 persons who had interest. The train, it is taken as if the bus was driven, there apparenly is no place to stop for lunch or dinner and rests and you are told better viewing fromthe trains, except that is not really so on the view as it is trees and mountaiins either way and the occasional moose, There are also bathrooms on the bus and food can get purchased from Fred Myers, the train is 8 hours, no WI-FIwhere you search for moose and listen to corney jokes from the staff, the bus would be 6 hours. Hotels..each hotel had great breakfasts, the Hilton in Anchorage being the best, with the friendliest people, the rooms though are needing some love to the point we had snow coming in our window ( this window had no way of opening it, so it was do to lack of sealing) Talkeetna, was the good breakfast, but it was breakfast, with the best view, room and Alaska lodge expieience, with great gift shop staff and the rest of the staff was okay, Pikes breakfast was more than expected as we were told it was more continental, but theere were eggs, waffles, potatoes etc. it is quite quirky (in a good way) with a feel of gold rush days gone by and the coldest of staff, vvery unfriendly. Food... the only included good meals was Sullivans in Anchorage for the welcome dinner and lunch on the Alyeska Resort Tram, which is not on the tour, but was added to ours last minute and should always be in the tour, the ride and view up the mountain was great and the choices for lunch very good. Talkeetna Lodge dinner was bad, the salmon was not cooked that some at our able sent it back, the vegetable was weird and dessert was okay, the best thing abuot this meal was the bread. The train dinner, I would not call that dinner as being a train they serve sandwiches and salads with the only meal being a roast beef, so if you do not eat beef, you are out of luck and if you do, its train food. so not that good. My suggestion is since there is a stop at Fred Myers the day before is to grab your lunch making it a largeer one than usual, so you are fine with a sandwich for dinner. The train does have a microwave, which you are not told about in advance, so get some cooked chicken from Fred Myers and warm it up. Meals on own in Fairbanks, the lunch on the day of the dog sledding is on your own in downtown Fairbanks, which ours was on a Monday where most places were closed and prep of food is slow in those open. So by the time we consumed lunch, we had no time to shop as we were told we were late by the tour manager and it was 2pm. The next stop was the not on itinerary Alaska Pipeline, which is okay if you have not seen (take the Arctic Circle flight and you not only see form air but on ground and much nicer). As we leave there the tour manager tell the bus driver to drive slow we are ahead of scheudle for dog sledding, ( time we could have had for lunch or to shop). Now at dog sledding (an amazing experience, too short ) then off to dinner at the kennel home, it is 5pm, we just finished lunch at 2pm, so not hungry, bad timing here. This would be better if at the house it was appitizers then we go for dinner elsewhere. When dinners are on own there are only a few choices,from Pikes, the restaurant in the parking lot of Pikes ( Pikes Landing), order food in, get your own menus as they are not provided, or taxi. So Pikes Landing is fine food, limited menu and expensive. Some opted to order pizza and have it delivered. A few of us went to Pikes Landing, those of us who went to Pikes, walked there, had dinner, went to see reindeer got back and those who ordered pizza still did not get their pizza 1.5 hours later. It has to be understood, Fairbanks in winter is shorthanded, so things are slower and more expensive. As I said you can taxi to a place , as walking there is nothing near. we took a taxi and a 15 minute ride was $45, so plan on adding $90 to your planned meal if you choose that route. Now there is a Fred Myers close by that truthfully Collette should make a stop there , as in Fairbanks there are so many lunches and dinners on own and Pikes is the only hotel that offers a fridge and MICROWAVE, which would solve some expense , meal and timing issues. One can taxi to Fred's for about $10 each way. . Collette really needs to put out a video of how to dress, I watched mine on Running Reindeer Ranch to be prepared for the minus 20 to minus 45 temps. Other tips go to Anchorage early at least 1 day before as the Anchorage Museum is so worth the vist and a easy ealk from the Hilton, there is also the city trolly tour. The Arctic circle flight is expensive but was amazing to fly over the Brooks Range an land in the Arctic Circle, you do not get to the sign, as you land in coldfoot, which is a 2 building town and a truck stop, you see the Alaska pipeline, stand on the Dawson Highway, you can get a lunch (pre ordered when you check in at the flight) for $13.00 and an amazing experience. Extra time in Fairbanks ...make a reservation at Running Reindeer Ranch, you get to pet, hug , be photographed and walk in the woods with about 10 reindeer. Go to North Pole to say you ahve been to North Pole, it is a huge Christmas Tree store, santa may be there, but you have said you have been to North Pole!! the Collette trip for the experiences of seeing the Aurora (we saw one noght, one night was a bust, its nature you do not know), dog sledding ..it was better than expected, the dogs were soo happy, the optional Arctic circle flight, the Alesyka Tram and lunch were all amazing experiences, but the tour could be better improved.
