Kilimanjaro Safari and AK ~ Not what I expected

[DisneyWorldWisher]

From what I had read on this board, I thought that KS was going to be one of my favorite attractions. I heard much hyping about it and heard that it was going to be great.

So we got to the AK a bit late (10:30 am actually!), but we ran to KS. Fortunately only a 10 minute wait, but we got fastpasses before getting into line. We waited for a bit and then got into the vehicle.

All I can say is: boring! It was a terribly uninteresting ride. There weren't too many animals, and the ones that were out were dead still. I could have sworn they were audio-animatronics. The only ones that moved was the lion and the flamingos. It was very dull.

The narrator had no enthusiam. 'Oh no. Poachers.' and she was very out of synch. As we passed Little Red she said 'I hope we can find Little Red in time' as the message from the African person came on saying we found Little Red.

Not to mention, it was a very bumpy ride that made my back hurt bad. And I have a very good back! We had no interest to ride it again even though the wait was 5 minutes and we had fastpasses. We tried to give them away but every one said 'The waits only 5 minutes. Thanks anyway', so they were to waste.

We also went to Pangani Forest Exploration...not too interesting. It wasn't very hot yet we only seen a couple of animals in this huge trail. I can see more animals walking at my local park/wildlife reserve! The only interesting things we seen were some gorillas, but they were asleep

Then later on we went to Maharjah, and we seen some bats, but they were asleep. Really, those were all we seen. Once again, I could have seen more animals at my local park or zoo.

The animal portion of AK was actually very dissapointing.
We enjoyed Tusker House alot, we liked Dinosaur and rode it twice because some nice CM gave us free fastpasses. We did see Flights Of Wonder...a very good show and the only 'Animal' thing I really liked.

We had a good time at Rafiki's...when my mother was petting a goat in the Affection Section, another goat snuck up behind her and took a huge mouthful of her shirt. We got a photo, but soon left that area!

We also seen the talking trash can who hilarously remarked on our photo taking of him, though some kids tried to tip it over. Plus I got a picture with Rafiki! And we listened to the Sounds Of The Rainforest and took the train back.

My mother and my father rode Everest at around four with a 10 minute wait - I chickened out at the end. They said I would have hated it and my mother looked petrified. So we went to Kali River River Rapids - no wait! We got soaked the first time, but there was no wait so we went again! And then again! And then...again. By that time the park had legally closed so we headed park to the parking lot.

I say, Animal Kingdom was very dissapointing, and most of the 'Animal' stuff was very uninteresting. I could see more at my local park or zoo. We did enjoy KRRR and Dinosaur though...Flights Of Wonder was nice...and we had a good time at Rafiki's...though we only spent a minute at the Affection Section and the rest at the Conservation Station.

Did I mention that Dinosaur and Kilimanjaro Safari hurt me physically? I got bad pain back from them, and during Kali the boat slammed into a wall and gave me a huge, huge bruise. My legs were also exhausted, and my parents said that Everest was also painful.

When we go again, we will do Dinosaur, try and do Festival Of The Lion King, go to Rafiki's, do Kali at the end of the day, and maybe squeeze in Flights Of Wonder again.

Does anyone feel like me about Animal Kingdom?

 

[marciemi]

Blasphemy! You can't say these things on this board!

Actually, I never saw the big deal about the Safari either. We lived a couple miles from the Detroit Zoo for the past 12 years before we moved this summer, and I also thought you saw many more animals and more activity during a day there. Only difference on the safari was that you got to sit and watch, not walk all day. Once or twice we saw something cool like a lion come fairly close and roar, but again, I've seen that at the zoo as well. A good guide could obviously make a difference, but there's nothing anyone can do to make the animals "participate" more!

Obviously you're not a coaster fan. We loved Primeval Whirl last time, but talk about your back hurting! Definitely stay aware from there if you're having back problems. We can't wait for EE this time, but we're huge coaster buffs so those 2 rides alone hopefully will make the park for us. None of us cared much for Dinosaur - it was rough and terrified my 5 year old so much on our 2000 visit that we completely avoided it on our 2005 visit, even though we got bonus fastpasses for it when we got our Primeval Whirl FP's.

We've never done Kali because have never (in 3 separate visits - all Dec or Jan) been to AK when it was above 52 degrees. Looking forward to trying this next summer on our trip (think I can safely say it will be warm enough in July?) We have done Grizzly Rapids Run in California Adventure and enjoyed it but even there it was probably upper 60's.

Lion King show is a definite must-do. Thrilled Tarzan Rocks is gone because that was the unanimous low point of our last trip from all the parks (my ears are still ringing and it was 2 years ago!).

 

[matt&jakesmom]

We did the safari once in the afternoon and learned to hit that 1st thing in the morning when the animals have been fed and are still walking around before it gets too hot. Yes it is a bumpy ride and it is posted as such. I say give it another try but 1st thing when park opens.

Festival of the Lion King is one not to be missed which it seems you did. Definately a must for your next trip. Did you do It's Tough To Be A Bug? That is one we like each time as well.

The rapid ride is fun and on our last trip we got to ride it over again without getting out 4 times. Yes a bit bumpy too. Now I think Dinosaur is much more bumpier for me than the rapids or the safari. Everyone is different.

 

[DisneyWorldWisher]

Well it's funny, Dinosaur wasn't too bad for me but my parents hated it bad. My father thought it was the roughest ride all vacation long!

Still though, it was only 11:00am and around 82 when we went on KS...shouldn't they have still been out?

 

[Praise2Him]

I love AK, so can't really relate, but I'm glad you're willing to go again.

One thing to remember is that the animals are real, so the next time they may be more active (hopefully!)

Definitely see the Jammin' Jungle Parade if you haven't seen it yet. It's very upbeat and happy with a cool song!

 

[wdwcoltsfan]

We have always enjoyed AK, but we've never viewed it as a replacement for a zoo. As mentioned before, it is best to view the animals first thing in the morning or closer to evening. The Maharajah Jungle Trek is one of our favorites because of the themeing. We have tigers at our zoo, but they are behind a noticeable partition and it's not nearly as beautiful.

We also enjoy the rides and the shows, although I'm not sad to see Tarzan Rocks being replaced. Dinosaur is one of our favorites of all the parks, but it is bumpy. I've never been injured on a ride and I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm not sure why you would want to go on Dinosaur again if it injured you the first time?

Next trip, I would suggest It's Tough to be a Bug, it is a great show! Sometimes, AK is best experienced at a slower pace where one can really absorb the beautiful theme and landscaping.

I hope your next visit is more enjoyable!


Rachel

 

[Northstar]

You were unlucky with the animals! But remember that 10-noon, when most people like to start their vacation day, is a really slow time for seeing animals do much besides sleep... that's naptime for most of them. KS is boring if you don't get to see many animals wandering around; I suppose that's why they have the bogus Little Red story, as something to distract us if there aren't critters to view. But it's an annoying distraction if there ARE animals, and it is pretty ho-hum if there aren't.

About the back problems...ouch! my DH finds a lot of the Disney rides in all the parks can hurt... they usually have a warning at the entrance and that's his clue to brace carefully.

We love AK but we don't have a comparable zoo anywhere nearby. We like the theming... the ruins in Asia, the marketplace in Africa... as well as the animal exhibits.

Sorry you had a disappointing time. Everybody's got their favorites and AK is one of ours, but you don't have to like it. More room for us while you're visiting your favorite parks, and we are creating more room for you by touring lots in AK. Vive la difference.

 

[UP Disney]

When we went on KS, a giraffe came up right beside the truck. You could have reached out and touched it. Not something that happens in a zoo. Another time we had to stop and wait for one that was standing in the middle of the road. The animals were everywhere the couple of times that we have been. I'm sorry that you didn't have a similar experience. My favorite was the baby elephant that we saw on one trip. However, it shows that everyone has different tastes and experiences. It is quite a bumpy ride.

 

[cleo]

I love AK too, so I can't relate either. It's a gentler experience, meant to be savored, and I think that does put some guests off. Animals will be animals, so the Safari is a hit-or-miss attraction, depending on several uncontrolable factors (heat, time of day, etc). But look at it this way...if you went on a REAL safari, you'd pay a lot more and see a lot less!

I believe there are warning signs all over Dinosaur and KS, indicating they are a jerky, bumpy attraction. And the huge rubber bumper that surrounds the rafts on Kali are pretty much a dead give-away it's going to hit the sides of the canal at some point.

I guess if you aren't into a slower experience, AK might not fit the bill for you. For us, it's worth visiting just to see the Imagineer's creativity in the landscaping, attraction theming and the whole feel of the place. We love it.

 

[kelleigh1]

We've always done the safari as soon as the park opened and see so many animals. My first trip to WDW, I wasn't that interested in Animal Kingdom and almost skipped it. But after going, I was so glad that I did. I really enjoy the safari, but I know that you have to do it first thing in order to see the most animals.

Sounds like you had a poor guide also, which can definitely impact the ride. Hopefully you'll be willing to try it again early in the morning and you'll get a better guide.

 

[DisneyWorldWisher]

When we went on KS, a giraffe came up right beside the truck. You could have reached out and touched it. Not something that happens in a zoo. Another time we had to stop and wait for one that was standing in the middle of the road. The animals were everywhere the couple of times that we have been. I'm sorry that you didn't have a similar experience. My favorite was the baby elephant that we saw on one trip. However, it shows that everyone has different tastes and experiences. It is quite a bumpy ride.

Actually, we did see a baby elephant and it's mother, but it wasn't too interesting. They were just standing completely still.

To Cleo, we do like slower experiences...we stayed there from 11:00 to closing so we gave it plenty of time! How slow do you need to take AK in?

 

[kvogel11202]

Actually, we did see a baby elephant and it's mother, but it wasn't too interesting. They were just standing completely still.

To Cleo, we do like slower experiences...we stayed there from 11:00 to closing so we gave it plenty of time! How slow do you need to take AK in?

I guess I'm confused...what is it you think animals do all day? Seems like you saw animals, they just didn't put on a show for you? Don't get me wrong, you don't have to like AK, and it was your experience, not mine, I just don't understand what you expected to see the animals doing? Animals spend most of their time sleeping. I have been on KS MANY times, and I have NEVER seen the Lions. I'm convinced they are myhtical creatures! It just seems like maybe you had a different picture in your mind about what AK was, and that's what disappointed you? Oh well, we can't all love everything, otherwise we'd all be the same! I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip! We love the Yacht Club, checking in 10/28!

 

[CheshireVal]

Actually, we did see a baby elephant and it's mother, but it wasn't too interesting. They were just standing completely still.

That's kinda what elephants tend to do, though. I'm confused as to what you expected to see them doing?


Circus tricks?

 

[Allison]

My view is the polar opposite. Animal Kingdom is our favorite park. We love the Safari, the trails and really most everything about it.

The good thing about Disney is because there are so many parks and so much to do everyone should be able to find something that suits their tastes.

 

[cleo]

To Cleo, we do like slower experiences...we stayed there from 11:00 to closing so we gave it plenty of time! How slow do you need to take AK in?

It sounds like you TOOK the park at a leisurely pace, it just also sounds like you didn't like the slower pace OF the park. I don't mean we walk slowly, I mean the park is a slower, quieter experience. It isn't as much about singing, dancing chipmunks, it's more about animals being animals, which they often do at a slow pace.

It isn't everyone's cup of tea. No harm in that. That's part of what makes Disney such a wonderful place....if you don't like one park you might like another, and everyone's taste is catered for.

 

[kimmikayb]

I guess I'm confused...what is it you think animals do all day? Seems like you saw animals, they just didn't put on a show for you? Don't get me wrong, you don't have to like AK, and it was your experience, not mine, I just don't understand what you expected to see the animals doing? Animals spend most of their time sleeping. I have been on KS MANY times, and I have NEVER seen the Lions. I'm convinced they are myhtical creatures! It just seems like maybe you had a different picture in your mind about what AK was, and that's what disappointed you? Oh well, we can't all love everything, otherwise we'd all be the same! I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip! We love the Yacht Club, checking in 10/28!

Song and dance? Riding a bicycle? Flying?

 

[Sleeping Becca]

We had the pleasure of visiting Maharajah Jungle Trek early one morning and it was absolutely amazing. The tigers were georgeous! They were running around and playing and wrestling with each other. It was a truely jaw dropping experience! I've been back several times since and have not had that experience again. The animals at AK are in fact real animals that are not trained to perform on demand, sometimes you luck out and sometimes you don't. Sorry you didn't enjoy AK, it is not my favorite park, but I do enjoy visiting.

 

[AdventureGuru]

I'm sorry to here you didnt have a great experience in time...we had a great CM and a great experience with this ride!!!

 

[phantom728]

From what I had read on this board, I thought that KS was going to be one of my favorite attractions. I heard much hyping about it and heard that it was going to be great.

So we got to the AK a bit late (10:30 am actually!), but we ran to KS. Fortunately only a 10 minute wait, but we got fastpasses before getting into line. We waited for a bit and then got into the vehicle.

All I can say is: boring! It was a terribly uninteresting ride. There weren't too many animals, and the ones that were out were dead still. I could have sworn they were audio-animatronics. The only ones that moved was the lion and the flamingos. It was very dull.

The narrator had no enthusiam. 'Oh no. Poachers.' and she was very out of synch. As we passed Little Red she said 'I hope we can find Little Red in time' as the message from the African person came on saying we found Little Red.

Not to mention, it was a very bumpy ride that made my back hurt bad. And I have a very good back! We had no interest to ride it again even though the wait was 5 minutes and we had fastpasses. We tried to give them away but every one said 'The waits only 5 minutes. Thanks anyway', so they were to waste.

We also went to Pangani Forest Exploration...not too interesting. It wasn't very hot yet we only seen a couple of animals in this huge trail. I can see more animals walking at my local park/wildlife reserve! The only interesting things we seen were some gorillas, but they were asleep

Then later on we went to Maharjah, and we seen some bats, but they were asleep. Really, those were all we seen. Once again, I could have seen more animals at my local park or zoo.

The animal portion of AK was actually very dissapointing.
We enjoyed Tusker House alot, we liked Dinosaur and rode it twice because some nice CM gave us free fastpasses. We did see Flights Of Wonder...a very good show and the only 'Animal' thing I really liked.

We had a good time at Rafiki's...when my mother was petting a goat in the Affection Section, another goat snuck up behind her and took a huge mouthful of her shirt. We got a photo, but soon left that area!

We also seen the talking trash can who hilarously remarked on our photo taking of him, though some kids tried to tip it over. Plus I got a picture with Rafiki! And we listened to the Sounds Of The Rainforest and took the train back.

My mother and my father rode Everest at around four with a 10 minute wait - I chickened out at the end. They said I would have hated it and my mother looked petrified. So we went to Kali River River Rapids - no wait! We got soaked the first time, but there was no wait so we went again! And then again! And then...again. By that time the park had legally closed so we headed park to the parking lot.

I say, Animal Kingdom was very dissapointing, and most of the 'Animal' stuff was very uninteresting. I could see more at my local park or zoo. We did enjoy KRRR and Dinosaur though...Flights Of Wonder was nice...and we had a good time at Rafiki's...though we only spent a minute at the Affection Section and the rest at the Conservation Station.

Did I mention that Dinosaur and Kilimanjaro Safari hurt me physically? I got bad pain back from them, and during Kali the boat slammed into a wall and gave me a huge, huge bruise. My legs were also exhausted, and my parents said that Everest was also painful.

When we go again, we will do Dinosaur, try and do Festival Of The Lion King, go to Rafiki's, do Kali at the end of the day, and maybe squeeze in Flights Of Wonder again.

Does anyone feel like me about Animal Kingdom?

We aren't crazy about AK either and we're very disappointed with the park when we first went there back in 2002. This trip we are only going there for EE, Dinosaur and Festival of the Lion King. If the new Nemo show is going then might try and see that, otherwise, this park holds little interest for us. It's a shame because we are animal lovers (esp DD) and this park has great potential, but it just hasn't been reached yet.

 

[DisneyWorldWisher]

I guess I'm confused...what is it you think animals do all day? Seems like you saw animals, they just didn't put on a show for you? Don't get me wrong, you don't have to like AK, and it was your experience, not mine, I just don't understand what you expected to see the animals doing? Animals spend most of their time sleeping. I have been on KS MANY times, and I have NEVER seen the Lions. I'm convinced they are myhtical creatures! It just seems like maybe you had a different picture in your mind about what AK was, and that's what disappointed you? Oh well, we can't all love everything, otherwise we'd all be the same! I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip! We love the Yacht Club, checking in 10/28!

I just pictured some kind of indictation that the animals were alive and real. The elephants were like statues! No movement at all! Completely still. And no, I don't mean Little Red and Big Red. All the animals were like statues...

At the zoo the animals are usually moving about and active. E.t.c the elephants are rubbing each others with their trunks, the tigers are playing...we only seen one kind of animal on all of Maharjah Jungle Trek!