Fake animals??

[Boatingmom]

I recall several years ago going on a safari type ride in Animal Kingdom with fake animals anda "poacher" storyline. I thought it was Kilimanjaro Safaris and have never gone on the ride again because we thought it was a waste. Now I'm reading thatKLilimanjaro has real animals. Am I thinking of the same ride?

 

[mountdew1]

The only "fake" animals I can think of at AK are at Rainforest Cafe, and the baby elephant at the end of the Safari. Depending on when you went on the Safari there were differing number of elephants at the end, but during the rest of the ride, the animals are indeed real. They have varying activity levels depending upon times of day, so if they were being sluggish, they may have looked fake?

 

[pumpkinfish]

I recall several years ago going on a safari type ride in Animal Kingdom with fake animals anda "poacher" storyline. I thought it was Kilimanjaro Safaris and have never gone on the ride again because we thought it was a waste. Now I'm reading thatKLilimanjaro has real animals. Am I thinking of the same ride?

That is Kilimanjaro. There is a "fake" Little Red elephant in the back of truck that gets rescued from the poachers. But that's at the end of the ride. All the other animals are real...except for those darn ostrich eggs on the right hand side that never seem to hatch and are always in that same spot

 

[RangerPooh]

Could you be mixing up KS with Jungle Cruise? JC has the fake animals while KS has real and the pacher storyline. As the PPs said, the only fake animals are of Little Red at the end as well as the fake pilot also at the end.

 

[mel&me]

I recall several years ago going on a safari type ride in Animal Kingdom with fake animals anda "poacher" storyline. I thought it was Kilimanjaro Safaris and have never gone on the ride again because we thought it was a waste. Now I'm reading thatKLilimanjaro has real animals. Am I thinking of the same ride?

Like other have said, animals are real. You have to be mixing up rides JC with KS. I could not imagine you seeing all the animals and thinking they are fake.

 

[Boatingmom]

DS just confirmed that it was Kilimanjaro Safaris. Perhaps in the early days of AK there were fake animals or they were all sleeping. Maybe we'll have to try it again. Thanks!

 

[lovesmurfs]

I seem to remember reading somewhere (Unofficial Guide?) that initially the storyline on KS had a fake mama elephant lying dead on the tour, but that there was outcry and even though they kept it as part of the storyline, they removed the "carcass."

 

[Best Aunt]

I seem to recall a bunch of fake elephants when we went on this ride several years ago.

I believe the story line detracts from the ride, but I try to ignore it.

 

[Dolce27]

All of the animals were real when I went on it last December - even the elephants... with the exception of "Little Red". He is fake.

 

[indigoxtreme]

We were there in April the first year AK opened and I can vouch that all the animals were real, except the Mama elephant and the Little Red at the very end of the tory line.

 

[SGMCO]

I love the story line and I don't think the ride would be as
fun without it. The only fake animal there is, the little elepant.
I love that ride and think AK did an exellent job in creating a
safari experance. The only ride that had all fake animals is
Jungle Cruise in MK.

 

[dalt01]

DS just confirmed that it was Kilimanjaro Safaris. Perhaps in the early days of AK there were fake animals or they were all sleeping. Maybe we'll have to try it again. Thanks!

sorry they have never propped up any fake animals on KS even in the early days with the exception of the forementioned baby elephant. memorys have a way of going south on ya.

 

[danny1649]

Real all but Little Red the baby elephant at very end of ride is not real. Danny

 

[Matt'sMom]

Aside from the baby elephant in the back of the truck at the very end of the safari, all of the rest of the animals seen on KS are indeed real, live animals. Obviously, it would not be acceptable to pen a baby elephant in the back of a truck all day--hence this one exception.

Some of the set dressing are also replicated, but that is another subject entirely. There is a mock up of an ostrich nest, for example, so that the guides can provide appropriate educational information. Likewise, the ivory tusks and such at the poacher's camp site are fake, termite mounds are replicas, and a number of Live Oak trees have been groomed to look more like native African trees.

To the best of my knowledge, the only other fake elephant that ever appeared on the safari was the poached carcass of 'Big Red'. She was part of the original story line, and was present during cast member previews of the ride... but was removed before officially opening to the public (or very shortly thereafter, due to it being too upsetting for some riders). In all of the ride reviews I've heard since, you never actually see 'Big Red'--but still help to rescue her baby, 'Lil Red'. There is sometimes a mention of 'Big Red' having been injured by the poachers, but safely recovered.

 

[MouseMomx2]

I seem to remember reading somewhere (Unofficial Guide?) that initially the storyline on KS had a fake mama elephant lying dead on the tour, but that there was outcry and even though they kept it as part of the storyline, they removed the "carcass."

They never had a fake mama elephant. In the beginning the storyline had the unseen mama elephant (Big Red) dying and the baby (Little Red) being rescued. Even though you never saw the dead Big Red the storyline was upsetting to many. Now they have both of them surviving, with Little Red still visible in the back of the jeep.

As for the safari itself, aside from Little Red there have never been any fake animals. They have been real since Opening Day.

 

[mickeymousemom]

Just to repeat everyone else(cuz it makes me feel better ), there have NEVER been fake animals on the Safari. KS is as true as a safari as you can get in Central Florida(or in this country for that matter)! I do remember, thru the years, reading those goofy stories where guests heard others arguing over whether or not the animals were real. That's nuts, and it always cracked me up.... I just don't get where others minds are sometimes...

 

[inkkognito]

In theory I know the animals are real. In practice, I swear those darned cheetahs are fake, or rather not there at all, because they seem to know I'm coming and hide! One day my DH went to AK with friends, and I had to stay home and work. Guess what shows up on my cell phone? Pictures of the cheetahs prancing around in plain view...the one time I'm not there! I did get to see the lion standing up and roaring one time. Very weird sound in real life.

BTW, they don't call Little Red by name anymore in the storyline.

 

[jennipooh]

those darn ostrich eggs on the right hand side that never seem to hatch and are always in that same spot

Really, what is up with those eggs!?! We were there in December and ds(then 9) noticed that the ostriches had laid some "more" eggs..... then when we returned in August ds(now 10) said "Hey wait a minute....are those eggs even real!?!"

 

[Jessma9902]

Agreed... we went in June 1998, shortly after AK had opened, and the animals were indeed real. Not much has changed since our first ride there and we have enjoyed it each time since! Down with the poachers!!

 

[TiggerAllie]

My mom and aunt went to AK right around the opening day, and they have never been back because they had "too many fake animals" in the park in general. I distinctly remember a discussion of fake animals on the safari. They were surprised when I showed them pictures of the "new" real animals on the safari after going in 2002.