AK safari safety?

[michelle06]

Ok, I feel really stupid asking about this, but I can't get it out of my mind, so here goes.

I have not been to AK, only the other 3 parks. Figure we'll see AK on our next visit, hopefully next year.

If the animals at AK are allowed to roam freely, and animals can come right up to the vehicle (as advertised), how is it safe (either the park itself or Kilimanjaro safari)? I saw pictures of a giraffe next to the vehicle and that didn't bother me. But the pic of the rhino did. So, how is it that the animals can roam freely and guests not be in danger.

Obviously, I figure Disney has this figured it out, I would just like to understand it.

Thanks!

 

[brerrabbit]

The vehicle is very secure and very heavy. Any animals that would present a danger are actually seperated from the public in a manner you can't see, like the lions. All the other animals are docile and really pretty used to the vehicles. To my knowledge in all the years AK has been open they have not had a problem I know of.

 

[Lbg206]

Only the "safe" animals can get near you...birds, giraffe, a rhino here and there, etc. The lions, cheetahs, hippos and such can't get anywhere near you. You're prefectly safe in the vehicle so long as you don't plan on jumping out or anything. lol

As for the park they are al confined to the safari area and can't actualy roam out into the park. You'll be just fine. Have fun!!

 

[angryduck71]

Once when I was in the vehicle, a rhino was in the middle of the road! Now, they got him away - can't remember how - and I never felt threatened.

 

[prettyblueskies]

Try to keep in mind that you are with a CM for your entire trip and that they know what they're doing. They have experience on their side, and as stated above, the potentially dangerous animals cannot get to you. It might look like they could, but rest assured, there are many safety measures in place. Don't worry about it, just enjoy

 

[AintGonaGrowUp]

If you have netflix, I found "Disney Parks: Disney's Animal Kingdom" It showed diffrent things they do to keep the animals where they should be.

 

[GameDevLovesDisney]

My younger sister is a CM that drives the safaris. She says to date that only two guests have been eaten, so the odds are generally in your favor.


I'm kidding obviously...all animals that could pose a threat to guests in the safari vehicle are separated by barriers that are invisible from the guest perspective. In other words, little Tommy becoming Simba's mid-afternoon snack is not possible.

 

[MagicMe]

My younger sister is a CM that drives the safaris. She says to date that only two guests have been eaten, so the odds are generally in your favor.

 

[stargazertechie]

Only docile animals are able to approach the vehicles. Don't worry, you won't be petting any lions or hippos!

 

[rlahansler]

Was on the Safari 3 times last month and none of the animals came close. Yes, the harmful animals are securely kept at a distance as well!!!

 

[Brandis]

A friend of mine was on the opening crew for AK as a safari driver.

He said, in the beginning, the rhinos attacked the safari jeeps a few time but stopped when they got used to them. Apparently, the cars didn't move that much when the rhino bumped into it.

 

[AJKMOM]

My younger sister is a CM that drives the safaris. She says to date that only two guests have been eaten, so the odds are generally in your favor.


I'm kidding obviously...all animals that could pose a threat to guests in the safari vehicle are separated by barriers that are invisible from the guest perspective. In other words, little Tommy becoming Simba's mid-afternoon snack is not possible.

Thanks, I needed a chuckle today.

 

[John Tag]

Only thing we feel unsafe of on the Safari ride is the road conditions. Some day we feel that bridge may give out form under us....

Its a great ride, you will enjoy the ride. Best time to take ride is at rope drop and closing as the animals are most active.

 

[CTmommyx3]

My 9 year old was terrified to go on, she always though the animals were fake I guess!
So this was her first time on last month.
I told her all the animals will be too far away and it is safe and blah blah blah
she nearly jumped off the jeep when this HUGE rhino came so close you could have touched it.
She looked at me with a straight face and said see this is what I was afraid of.
In the end she said it was okay and would do it again

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

Only docile animals are able to approach the vehicles. Don't worry, you won't be petting any lions or hippos!

Last year some ostriches were pecking the heck out of a vehicle right next to us. They seemed very interested in the hood, but I wondered what would happen if they decided to peck the people . I had a professor in college that got beat up by one of the ostriches on his farm so I know they can be scary animals! LOL

 

[JoshuaShaw]

It's pretty safe. I've only been mauled by an animal once and Disney gave me a 25% off coupon for their gift stores.

 

[Rhonna]

A friend of mine was on the opening crew for AK as a safari driver.

He said, in the beginning, the rhinos attacked the safari jeeps a few time but stopped when they got used to them. Apparently, the cars didn't move that much when the rhino bumped into it.

Yes, what PP's have said about rhinos is not true. They are not "docile" or "safe" animals. They are shortsighted, quick tempered and unpredictable. Disney apparently has them accustomed to the vehicles. But you would certainly NOT want to deal with one on a true safari (I've been on one) or outside of a sturdy vehicle. In the wild, they will charge if you get too close.

Having said that, hippos kill more people in the wild than even lions or any other animal. That was a surprise to me.

Oh, and no we have never felt unsafe on the AK safari ride. It's great - go and enjoy!

 

[princess_ariel_85]

I'm a big scaredy cat and I felt 100% safe - though on entering the jeep I try to sit next to a tasty looking person in the hopes that should a lion escape they might not wanna eat me

It's a good experience and well worth the wait time.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

We were on the Safari one time and there was a Rhino jam in the middle of the road. We watched the game keepers come out in their pick up trucks and try to move the Rhinos along. At no time did I feel threatened or even think that I was in danger. I know that Rhinos can attack (I've seen Hitari) but as long as I stayed in the vehicle I trusted that Disney would take care of me. It was amazing to be so close.

 

[Babbletrish]

Remember way, way back when Animal Kingdom was first announced and everyone was joking that Animal Kingdom was the real life theme park that "Jurassic Park" prepared us for?

To reiterate what everyone beat me to: The ride vehicles are designed to make you safer than kittens and any potentially cranky animals are kept in their own space, where they can't get near the ride vehicles (or the gazelles for that matter, which they would probably find tastier than tourists), thanks to boundaries you won't even notice from the vehicles.

The rhinos and hippos and elephants may make you catch your breath a bit if they look close, but there aren't any chimpanzees or baboons or honey badgers or anything ferocious that isn't big enough to see coming from a ways away. Please don't seriously consider skipping this or the other real animal involving attractions; you'll see sights you wouldn't give up for all the 3-D bugs and audio-animatronic Yeti in the world.

Honestly, I feel safer riding through Kilimanjaro Safaris than I do riding through a flock of turkeys...

EDIT: One interesting thing to notice is that Disney has apparently flatly refused to "trim" their rhinos' horns. Which is something you hardly ever see in tame rhinos and totally awesome of them.