Aramark Says It's Opening Bus Depot, Running Buses, Opening Hotel On May 27th

 Aramark To Run Buses In Denali Park

Opening Hotel On May 27th 

Denali Bus Depot, operated by Aramark, will be open this summer. (Photo, Denali Summer Times)

Aramark is opening for business this May. In an exclusive interview with Christopher Scheffer of Aramark – on February 12th – Scheffer talked of the company's plans in Denali. 

 

PARK BUSES

Aramark operates the fleet of buses that travels into Denali National Park on the Park Road. There are two types of buses: The "green buses" and the "tan buses." Both will provide services this summer, Scheffer said.
 
Green buses are more functional and cheaper. There will be a number of destinations for “green transit buses” this summer on rides that last over 6 hours. Tan “tour” buses are more expensive and offer snacks, beverages and a more historically narrated service. The Tundra Wilderness Tour to Mile 63 (a 7 to 8 hour run) and the Toklat Shoulder Season Tours will probably be the only services offered by "tan buses" this summer. Typically, up to 5 different tours are available on tan buses.
 
Denali Park buses will be limited to morning departures. There will probably be no afternoon or evening buses this summer.

Park Bus (Photo, Bearfoot/Denali Summer Times)

 
ARAMARK PARK FACILITIES
Aramark will be opening the Denali Bus Depot (formerly known as the Wilderness Access Center or "WAC") this summer. All bus tickets will be purchased this year at the Bus Depot, Scheffer said.
 
The Mercantile – which Aramark also operates – will be open inside the Park. The Mercantile won't sell bus tickets this year as it has in the past.
 
The Morino Grill, a lunch counter and coffee shop Aramark operates within the Park, will not be running this summer. The Morino Grill is adjacent to the Denali Park Visitor Center. 

Denali Park Village Hotel (Photo, Aramark)

 DENALI PARK VILLAGE HOTEL

There will be some changes this year at the Denali Park Village, an Aramark hotel, said Scheffer. The hotel is due to open May 27th, he said.
 
"We're going to open very small at Denali Park Village," he added. "Normally we have a staff of 300. We're going to have a staff of 60 or 70 people."
 
"We're not going to do rafting," he said. "And we're not going to do Cabin Night – the dinner theater." The Miner’s Plaza, next to the hotel, which normally features live music, will also not be open this summer, he said. But, "We will be doing live music in the lodge in the main dining room, 4 days a week."
 
As for the dining room, "We will have a full menu."
 
He said the company is committed to social distancing, with space outdoors. There will also be “a full Starbucks stand, with lunch to-go items prepackaged.” 

 

Boarding a tan tour bus. (Photo, Bearfoot/Denali Summer Times)

 

FURTHER PARK INFORMATION
Jason Hill, Aramark General Manager at Denali wrote us the following additional information on February 13th for this Bearfoot Report:

   

RILEY CREEK
There will be no construction at the campground this summer. Shower and laundry facility will be closed in 2021.
 
WONDER LAKE
This campground will be open in 2021 but only 50% capacity, meaning only half of the campground will be open.
 
SHUTTLE BUSES
The entrance area free shuttle buses will not be running in 2021.
 
GREEN TRANSIT BUS FARES
Toklat $50 adult, children still free
Eielson $60 adult, children still free
Wonder Lake and Kantishna will not operate in 2021
Green Camper Bus: $60 adult, children still free
 
TAN TOUR BUS FARES
No price changes
Only the Tundra Wilderness Tour and Toklat Shoulder Season tours will operate in 2021.

Bearfoot: As real as it gets. And so are you.

Bearfoot will be there for you this year and the next, as we all weather this storm and get to the other side. Watch for information on our plans for the 2021 season.  Give me a call, or send an email to talk things over.

Linda Weld

Bearfoot & Denali Summer Times

Contact Us:
ncountry@gci.net
Phone/Text: 320-1145
Fax: 1 800 478 8301