My driver was Ginny (white short hair). I'm a fellow cast member and enjoyed my Safari ride greatly. It was my first time on the Safari and I don't think I could have gotten a better driver.
Kilimanjaro Safaris is quite possibly the best ride in all of Animal Kingdom. It is fun for all ages (no motion sickness) and has close-up encounters not bested by any other experience in North America. And for all you animal lovers, there are no fences or cages of any sort. My younger sister was delighted when she saw baby giraffes and ostriches eggs, and my grandmother got some amazing photos. This ride should be at the top of your must-do list!
Best ride ever!!!! That's all I have to say.
fun ride with some very hard to see animals if you don't have enough money to go on a real African safari only major problem i have with this ride is how much of the story Disney is getting rid of just to add more animals
Disney had a great idea here, using a simulated safari to see real animals from the safety of a vehicle. While I understand that the idea was to make it both look and feel like a safari, Disney's engineers went overboard creating a road full of deep potholes and bumpy terrain that makes it nearly impossible to comfortably see and take pictures of the animals along the way, especially a standard digital camera. The animals are breathtaking (and indeed, almost seem too staged to be real) and it's cool to be relatively close, but the ride makes it a less enjoyable experience. I'd have preferred a few "rough" segments of the ride between animal viewing areas to the ridiculously bumpy trek Disney designed. It's a fun ride, but it may leave you sore.
This ride is really unique in that you have no barrier between you and the animals!! It makes the ride exciting and interesting!! The storyline is so-so, but the guides are always great!!
I know the line can be a little lengthy at times, but it's totally worth it. It's definitely not the long wait/short attraction-type scenario some people may be used to. If you're short on time in AK, choose this over any of the other attractions in the park (except for maybe Everest) that may be on your to-do list.
If you adore animals this ride is your ride. The giraffes get closer than most of the other animals but i don't have a problem with that I LOVE giraffes. The only bad thing is if there are animals in the way of your truck the peopla can't disturb them. Once i waite dfor almost 30 minutes for some stupid bird. Seriously?????????
This is like going to a zoo but you can't see the animals from up close. I don't want to sound picky but this ride is far from ideal if you like taking your time to watch animals, depending on where you are sitting in the vehicle. Small kids especially. Anyway, the ride is still worth your time. We saw and filmed a roaring (howling?) lion. If you can, try this ride during early magic hours at the beginning of the day and after hit the Everest.
A truly one-of-a-kind theme park experience. I was on the fence about Animal Kingdom but this attraction is probably the best in the park.
Seeing all the animals on this ride was a lot of fun. Our kids loved it. Definitely a must see. Grab a fast pass for it early in the morning.
Loved seeing all the animals and the storyline was ok.
This is so much more than seeing a lot of animals (and you see alot, we got some great shots of giraffes and elephants). There's also a story involving poachers that makes the ride even a bit exciting. Our guide was great as well. One of my favourite parts was this ostrich just walking down a trail towards us - you never know what animals are going to do!
Ak's signature attraction is surely not to be missed. The vehicles get so close to most of the animals (and sometimes the animals stop the vehicles because they sit in the road) it really is an amazing attraction and must be experienced to fully appreciate it. A tip for guests wanting to see the animals actually move around, go right when the park opens and it is still cool out, the animals will be moving around instead of sitting in the shade on a hot afternoon.
Amazing, i loved how we were so close to the animals, and how the staff was willing to answer all of our questions. Again, it actually helped me remember stuuf for science. if you stay at the animal kingdom lodge concerige level, i urge you to do the sunrise safari...its amazing. No matter what, you have to ride this ride. if you could only ride one ride at animal kingdom, this is it.
This ride is so amazing, with all real animals. Even on the waiting line, you learn and are able to observe animals. The veichles are realistic and the tour guide brimming with information. The animals are very close and there seems to be no barrier between you and the dangorous animals. Theres also a very cool story about Little Red kiddnapped by poachers. An amazing ride. I love it
This takes the idea of Jungle Cruise and adds real animals. The ride is a type of safari and the simulated environments seem real. There are many species in the ride and Sometimes you see a lot, sometimes not so much. The terrain that the vehicle travels over is uneven and gives the feeling of danger. The animals are cleverly enclosed and you can't really see the boundries. Poachers beware, KS rocks.
This is quite simply what I was hoping for in every way! I wanted to see animals. I did. They come up to your truck...they're within touching distance. The whole plain is vast. The attention to detail is second to none. Although the 'rescue mission' element to the ride isn't quite necessary, it does add some added thrills (wobbly bridges, fast speeds through water and winding roads etc). TIP: go early to aviod heavy lines and to see more animals and try to sit at the end of a row, preferably near to the rear of the truck.
This ride is perfect in every way. The theming is fantastic and looks just like a real savannah. This is an example of what Jungle Cruise would be like if it had real animals. The ride is about 30 minutes long and perfect for kids. Do not miss this no matter what.
All of the times that I have gone on this amazing adventure safari, there has been little to no wait. The audio on the caravan is a bit rushed, but (most of the time) the CM explains the animals. To me, the queuing area is like a real African outpost, with decorations that the real stuff may envy. The story line is a bit outdated, however, and I think that the majesty of the animals should speak for itself. It is amazing how Disney recreates an African savannah from a Floridian climate (I live in Miami!). I come to Animal Kingdom just to see this.
This is the main reason to go to Animal Kingdom. This is Imagineering at it's best (and there are hardly any animatronics!). The landscaping is beautiful, there are many different areas of the safari with different animals, there's an interesting storyline thrown in RE poachers that involve the few animatronics in the ride. When Walt Disney was designing the original Jungle Cruise for Disneyland, he wanted live animals, but was advised against it because they would mainly hide during the day and guests wouldn't be able to see any. Kilimanjaro Safaris is the realization of the original intention for the Jungle Cruise. The methods of keeping the animals from hiding are fascinating, including hiding most of their food in visible areas so that the animals are trained to look where the safaris can see, and air conditioning in certain rocks. The Imagineers keep the animals in their designated areas (so none of them get eaten by others) by hidden barriers like ditches, or chain link on the ground (animals won't cross this for some reason). The whole thing is really amazing. The only thing that may vary your experience is how enthusiastic your driver is, or maybe how good a day they're having. I can't speak to comments that the ride is better in the early morning -- I've never ridden it anytime but then.
THe concept of a ride/safari/zoo all within one is brilliant. why other theme parks or zoos never came up with this idea amazes me. Disney has completely outdone itself, and this ride will meet and exceed all expecations. Here, you are able to travel to africa, and so on a safari. though some animals can walk infront or beside you, the potentially harmful ones cannot. you are protected from the lions, etc by invisible fences and barriers, though you do get to see them decently up close. you get to sit back and relax or take pictures while you tour guide gives you all the info and points out where to look. there is a story line as well, but it is only secondary (or twenthdary) to the animals. this ride allows acutal modified trucks to go on paths, not tracks. the best time for this ride is early in the morning, when the animals are first waking up. To see the sun stand right behind the lioness and tiger is amazing, and the giraffes walk right infront of you. amazing. it is a different kind of thrill from tower of terror or dinosaur, but it is a thrill like no others.
"Kilimanjaro Safaris" is perhaps the best ride ever created by Disney, and it is owed to its ability to blend what was great in Disney's past with what is great in Disney's present and perceivable future. It combines education and adventure so seamlessly that it truly is a knowledge adventure. Even moving through the queue, you are already being set up for this ride's powerful conservation message: stop poaching, and help protect wildlife. By the time you are onboard one of the 32-passenger Safai vehicles, you are already feeling inspired to help, and excited to get a look at what a perfect Africa would look like, and that's exactly what you are shown. There are essentially two stories to this ride. For one, you are chasing down poachers who have kidnapped a baby elephant, and the other one is that you are on a two week safari in Africa, looking for wildlife of all types while learning a great deal about those you spot from the onboard driver/guide. Gone almost completely are those timeless Disney attractions, but there is an exception, and you'll find it on this ride. The Animals are real, and can roam freely across the amazingly realistic wide open savannah's and forests, therefore no ride is exactly the same, which brings great adventure to the even less adventurous of the two storylines. The chasing down of poachers keeps the thrill element of the new Disney direction alive, but it is balanced so well with a purpose of good so that most weak children won't fear the adventure as much as truly hope that it will be successful. While the trucks rarely top 12MPH, you'd swear you are going at least 30 as you roar through the climax, hot on the poacher's heels - much the same as you think you're going the speed of light on Space Mountain when you actually never top 30MPH. The only negative of this attraction is a wildcard that can be as good as it is bad - the drivers. Since Disney has yet to find an animatronic that can drive a 9 ton vehicle, real drivers and safari guides give the show, and they aren't paid any more than an everyday ride operator would (meaning they aren't the same entertainment caliber as someone who would play Cinderella or Donald Duck). But there are as many fantastic drivers as there are average to bad ones, which is another way that this ride should promise to stay fresh. While Animal Kingdom is Disney's worst park, it is ironically home to two of Disney's best rides in history - Dinosaur, a whimsical blast through time, and Kilimajaro Safaris, a ride that would no doubt bring tears of joy to Walt Disney's eyes.
If you've never been to Africa, this is pretty darn close to what it's like to visit one of the big game parks, like Kruger in South Africa. Except for the corny poaching storyline. The animals are incredible and each ride is different because they will be doing different things at different times of the day. The animals are most active in the early morning and late afternoon, when it's cooler. This is a very bumpy ride because the roads are quite rutted. But the driver stops often so that riders can take photographs. It really is one of the best rides at AK. Now, if only Disney would drop that corny Big Red/Little Red Menaced by Poachers storyline, Kilimanjaro Safaris would be perfect.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm sure glad RAYROBBINS finally turned off his capslock... This is a superbly themed attraction, with a great queing area, music, and enthusiastic cast memebers. The excitement of the ride itself sort of depends on how many animals you get to see and what they are doing when you actually see them. Seeing the animals is cool and all, but most of the time they are just sitting around doing nothing. Which gets to be boring to look at... I suggest going right when the park opens, that way you can see the animals roaming around a little bit, plus they will be eating breakfast which is almost a gurantee that there will be many animals out! Do this ride more than once for different experiences!
The high thrill rating is due to the thrill of seeing all those animals up close. Go early and you can do it twice with little, if any, waiting. The animals are the story here. Bring lots of high-speed film. Always are great time.
An excellent look at animals - with a story! This attraction is not only educational, but also breathtaking - you'll be speechless upon looking around you at an endless savanaa...while being in on the action to catch poachers! Make sure to bring your cameras...and watch out for Big and Little Red!
this can be a great ride if you get a good driver and the animals are out. if not its still ok but not near as good.
One of my top 4 attractions in all of WDW. This is worth anywait.
This is an amazing attraction! You get to see many animals, some of which get extremelyclose to the vehicle (in my case, it was a giraffe that was barely a meter away). Disney's Imagineers outdid themselves to make it look like you are really on an African safari. Excellent attraction for all ages.
The Kilimanjaro Safaris is a great attraction of Animal Kingdom. In fact, it's one of the 3 worth-while attractions in the whole park. You get to see many beautiful and exotic animals in a great setting, even coming face to face with several non-threatening creatures. You're also on the lookout for some poachers after a few of the elephants. Watch out for the shaky bridge...think you'll make it over? Go and see. You see quite a bit and learn even more about the animals and plant life. Definitely worth checking out.
The Kilimanjaro Safari ride is one of the best attractions at the Animal Kingdom. You have to remember to go early in the morning because all the animals dont like to get out in the heat. Sometimes you get lucky and see a lot of animals, or there wont be many at all. The ride is very interesting, and the story features you going to chase after poachers. Its a really great attraction and you cant miss it when you go to Animal Kingdom!! Ride it!!!
This ride would be a lot better if Disney dropped the hokey poacher story line and let the guides do the talking. Let the beauty and wonder of the animals speak for themselves
GO EARLY TO AVOID THE WAIT ALSO THE ANIMALS ARE OUT AND MOVING AROUND IN THE AM.THE CM THAT HAS THE JOB TO SAY LITTLE SIMBA IS ALL RIGHT OVER AND OVER REALLY EARNS THE PAY.
No doubt this is the greatest attraction in the entire Animal Kingdom. The bumpy trip through the African Savanahs of Harambe Wildlife Preserve is well worth admission to the park alone. The live animals are the true stars of the ride and make it a unique experience each time you go on it. A must-see for all Animal Kingdom visitors.
My mum and dad have been on a real safari in Kenya, and they claimed that this ride was not much different. Once you are on the ride, you forget it is a ride, and end up believing you are actually on a real safari. We entered the park bang-on opening time, and headed straight for the ride, meaning we could get on with only a 10 minute wait, which is what I advise everyone to do, becuase later on in the day, the queuing time peaked at 3hrs. It is also not too hot in the morning, so more animals are out. This cannot really be classified as a thrill-ride, but there are a few unexpected suprises along the way - so watch out!!! You get to see all kinds of amimals, and the whole journey is narrated, so you know exactly what your looking at. Overall, this is a real adventure, suitable for all the family.