Is there anyone here that DOESN'T like Kilimanjaro Safaris?

[DJ Disney Kid]

This is one of my top 3 attractions, yet my brother HATES this attraction. Anyone else here not really enjoy the safari?

 

[Metro West]

The only things I didn't like about this attraction is the lack of animals on the day we went and the driver of the bus. I thought he was going to throw all of us out...way too reckless!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Mom also doesn't like it because of all the big bumps. It's too distracting for her. However, she has neck problems.

 

[Robo]

...on the day we went and the driver of the bus. I thought he was going to throw all of us out...way too reckless!

Gee, I hope we don't accidentally get that one BUMPY driver when WE go!

Poachers not only endanger animals, but they can cause bad driving habits.

(I'll bet he even went over that old rickety BRIDGE, too!)

 

[TuppenceABag]

I wouldn't say I hate it, but I really, really think that one time is enough for this ride. The whole "storyline" is just poorly executed IMO. Seeing the animals is the best part, but the guy breaking in with "updates" is just very annoying. I would rather we just be listening to the music as we go by the animals.

 

[meeshkamooshka]

for what it is..it's great... since you know it's a recreated safari it kind of takes the mistique away though....

on a real safari....I was in a car on a trail and a pack of wildabeast ran all around us as sunset neared....or the elephant dung on the road that left a stench in the air and a worry that there could be a rampage....or the baboons running around lloking at you with those fnag like teeth hoping you'll get out of your car so they can devour you.....or the growl of an animal as we walked ( and then briskly..as we fear for our lives) through an ancient cave dwelling...

I think you get the picture....

I guess thats why I do like the ride...it is much safer or more "predictable"
then a real safari...

As far as the drivers...thats the part I actually enjoy..like a comedy show thrown into the pot...

ANd the bumps..they are exciting!!!! and fun...bad though....I guess, if you have back problems...

D

 

[jmcdonnell04]

After many trips, we rarely see any animals. The scripted dialogue is old -- "no one calls them Thompson gazelles -- they're called T-O-M-M-I-E-S".
Our last trip in June, we sat right behind the driver and repeated the dialogue and cracked the driver up. "You must have been on this ride a few times" he said. Ironically, this was the best trip ever seeing animals and they were moving.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I certainly don't hate it, but it's not a priority attraction. We've only done it once, in 2002. I had a FP on a solo trip and ended up giving it away at the last minute; and when I took the kids for a day trip last year they didn't really care to go back on KS. I think that they consider it more of a zoo exhibit, and our local zoo has almost all the same animals anyway - and at the zoo we control how long we look at any given animal, whereas the KS truck rolls by at its own pace. For me, the whole poaching storyline is annoying and detracts from my enjoyment of the animals. I get the theme - I understand why Disney included it at AK - but wish it were more of a Jeff Corwin-type presentation of the animals' characteristics.

 

[peachgirl]

Not me, I love it!

I pay no attention to the storyline, it's being able to be so close to the animals that I love.

You can't get that in a zoo.

On our last trip we had to stop several times for animals that were crossing in front of us. We had both a giraffe and rhino literally within a couple of feet of the jeep. There were animals out everywhere.

You do have to go early in the morning to see them though. In the summer, by midmorning, it's too hot and they're smart enough to go to the shade even if we're not.

 

[meeshkamooshka]

very true peach girl ...gotta go right when it opens...thats when the animals are out for viewing...we went about an hour after it opened 10 am I guess...and we saw a good amount of activity...

 

[Avalanche]

Did it once and that was enough. Not that I hate it, just couldn't figure out what all the hype was about.

 

[faindrops27]

To me, to be honest. It was much to do about nothing. The rest of my family loved it!! I love animals. But, it just was not something that wowed me.

 

[smjj]

Once is enough for us as well. Its getting old and the animals always hide when we are there. How do they know??...smjj

 

[dalt01]

in the "unofficial guide" to WDW they use a lot of funny cartoons and one picture shows the animals hiding behind trees and saying shhh to each other and hiding under bushes and snickering as the ride vehicle goes by. i always think of that cartoon when i ride this. also my family always has me taking pictures which never come out very good because of the movement of the ride vehicle. click, bump, click, slam, click, shhhh.

 

[bluejasmine]

Gotta admit I dont really care for it anymore, I have done it three of four times, we walk right past it now, I would rather do Kali and then some of the rides in dinoland..

 

[twalton]

I wouldn't say I hate it, but I really, really think that one time is enough for this ride. The whole "storyline" is just poorly executed IMO. Seeing the animals is the best part, but the guy breaking in with "updates" is just very annoying. I would rather we just be listening to the music as we go by the animals.

I totally agree. I really like the premise of the ride...but I've never been able to figure out why the storyline is in there. Train the drivers to point out the animals and educate us a bit, let us sit back and enjoy the ride, and put some of that great African music on in the background for our enjoyment.

Even some of the younger kids I've ridden with not only know the storyline is fake, but stupid as well.

 

[peachgirl]

very true peach girl ...gotta go right when it opens...thats when the animals are out for viewing...we went about an hour after it opened 10 am I guess...and we saw a good amount of activity...

That's the key for sure!

It's the only reason I think emh in the am is worth it for the AK. We went right after they opened on an emh and I've never seen so many animals out. I wouldn't bother going on the safari if it were any time past 10 or 11 am.

 

[Robo]

Once is enough for us as well. Its getting old and the animals always hide when we are there. How do they know??...smjj

I can't figure out what you are saying.

How can it be that you say, "Once is enough for us" in one sentence and go on in the next with, "its getting old" and "animals always hide" in the next?

 

[smjj]

I can't figure out what you are saying.

How can it be that you say, "Once is enough for us" in one sentence and go on in the next with, "its getting old" and "animals always hide" in the next?

I mean just what I said, once is enough. We have ridden it twice. The second time was with family members who had not ridden it before..smjj

 

[DOOM1001]

I'll take Busch Garden's Rhino Rally over Kilimanjaro any day.At RR you see just as many animals(plus more close-up), the drivers in RR each come up with jokes and are much more entertaining than KJ's drivers who just read a script.At RR you get the whole water part of the ride where it goes into a river, much more imaginative than at KJ where the whole poacher thing should just be changed.I think Disney could make some changes to the ride as many people do seem to feel like if they've been on it once, it's not a must-do on future visits!!