Technical question about the safari

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

kilaminjaro safari has several places where a series of chains are placed across the path. We were debating why they were there and wanted a CM or someone in the know to settle this. He thinks they are there to remove mud from the tires, while I think they are sensors to space the trucks appropriately.

 

[POOHsie]

I've been told the chains activate the animatronic animals as a safari truck approaches. After a few minutes the robot animals stop moving until the next activation.

 

[mesaboy2]

I'm thinking of The Far Side when the one cow (standing on two legs) yells to the other cows (also standing) "Car!". Of course, they look normal when the car drives by.

I agree with you, I think they have to do with vehicle spacing.

 

[disneyhorselover]

I always thought they were to keep the animals from using the path area to cross into different sections of the safari

 

[kmb584]

It's always been my understanding that the chains are there to prevent animals from crossing into another section.

 

[ModernArtist]

According to Wikipedia, as well as an article on Allears the chains are placed to prevent animals from crossing over the roads and bridges out of their assigned areas.

 

[BellsFam]

I've been told the chains activate the animatronic animals as a safari truck approaches. After a few minutes the robot animals stop moving until the next activation.

We were there in April and I think the alligators were not "functioning" properly...it was pretty apparent to us they were not real...

 

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

Thanks Bells, I thought the same thing. The lions were broke on our last trip and our guide told us they were sleeping.

 

[bear_mom]

There was a broken ostrich on our last ride. It wasn't programmed to stay off the path of the moving vehicle. Kept right on walking in front of the vehicle, messing up the timing.

On the other hand, the lions were working perfectly and because of the broken ostrich, we got to see the lions for a long time.

 

[Bounce_Tigger]

I always thought they were to keep the animals from using the path area to cross into different sections of the safari

Former Safari driver here. This is the correct answer. We are told, however, to tell guests who ask that it's to keep mud off the tires, so as to preserve the magic (the impression that the animals have complete free reign). The animals don't like the sensation of the chains so they don't cross. There are also wooden slats at times that have the same purpose.

 

[nilla]

Former Safari driver here. This is the correct answer. We are told, however, to tell guests who ask that it's to keep mud off the tires, so as to preserve the magic (the impression that the animals have complete free reign). The animals don't like the sensation of the chains so they don't cross. There are also wooden slats at times that have the same purpose.

The fact that there are no half-eaten zebras in the safari are what killed that "magic" for me

 

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

You missed the first version of the safari nilla; back when they put the lions food inside a fake zebra at nights.

 

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

Well not at night, but late in the afternoon. Apparently that was too realistic for some people.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

The fact that there are no half-eaten zebras in the safari are what killed that "magic" for me

You have to go to the Jungle Cruise to see this!

 

[rwdavis2]

The fact that there are no half-eaten zebras in the safari are what killed that "magic" for me

I always though that would make for a great attraction.

 

[nilla]

You have to go to the Jungle Cruise to see this!

Really? The skipper told me the "nice" lions were "taking care" of that zebra!

 

[nanaka]

You learn so much on this board. I am taking my family to WDW in September and was looking forward to the safari. I had no idea that the animals were fake

 

[pigletgirl]

You learn so much on this board. I am taking my family to WDW in September and was looking forward to the safari. I had no idea that the animals were fake

Nope, not fake.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We saw lots of broken animatronics that kept getting in the way of the trucks on our last safari (which was in December). If you're a big animatronic fan, I highly recommend visiting Disney in the winter months...those animatronics really seem to like to break down when the weather is cool. Our safari took 45 minutes due to all the breakdowns. A couple of giraffe's necks broke, with the result of their heads winding up right inside the truck! Then a few rhinos couldn't move out of the way of the truck fast enough, so we were just stuck sitting there. Must have just been stuck, because when one got unstuck, it moved really, really fast...and then we moved really, really fast to get out of its way!

Disney: neglecting animatronics at AK since 1998.

 

[avic77]

Unless things have changed they were all real when we went last