Kilimanjaro Safari--many or few animals?

[laurajetter]

I just read some posts of a few people sharing their close encounters with animals while on the Kilimanjaro Safari, but I was wondering what the norm is. How many of you see a good number of animals while on this ride? Overall, have you been satisified by the amount (and closeness) of the wildlife, or has it ever been disappointing? They always show tons of animals on any video clips I've seen of that ride but I was wondering how accurate that portrayal really is.

I would think having an animal come right up to the car would be something that doesn't happen on a majority of the rides, but I hope that we don't end up hardly seeing any! (that's usually my luck when I go on rides like these!)

-Laura

 

[Disneyfanatic01]

Everytime I have been on the Safari, we have see a LOT of animals. Granted, we always run to the Safari first thing in the morning (try to go when AK opens for EMH) and usually get on the 1st or 2nd Safari vehicle of the day. It is best to go first thing in the morning, too, as most of the animals are out enjoying the "cooler" morning.

A tip that has always worked for DH and me to get there first...when entering the park, take the pathway to the left and run to get to Africa! On our Honeymoon, I was the first one to book it all the way back there and DH and I were the first ones on the ride!

HTH and good luck...it is a blast!
Korey

 

[figment95]

I've been on that ride many times and I usually see a good number of animals. It probably depends on what time of day it is and how hot it is. We have never had the animals come that close to the truck. Sometimes you have to really look to see the animals.

 

[cleo]

Hi laurajetter, and Welcome to the DIS!

If you time your safari for morning or early evening you are likely to see the animals at their most active. I have only been on the safari once when there were very few animals, and that was mid-day on a very hot day. You're likely to see a great many animals, though probably at a distance rather than up close.

The beauty of the attraction is that every time you ride it will be a different experience. I have been on safari once when a large animal (can't remember what kind!) crossed the road and we had to stop until he or she wandered out of the way. Typically though, you'll see the animals going about their day a bit further away.

 

[Twigs]

We usually get on this ride mid morning, and we have always seen a lot of animals. Some are hard to get a good look at if they are lying down or towards the back of the exhibit, but we haven't been disappointed. We have never experienced an animal coming up to the vehicle.

 

[Disneyfanatic01]

Oh yeah...we have had the Giraffe's come really, really close to us...on one of our trip a Giraffe even kinda poked his head in our vehicle as we were passing it! It was amazing!

Korey

 

[ehsween]

laurajetter,

I was one of the ones who posted my great up close experience with the ostrich and rhino chase. That was our first and only time on kilimanjaro and we definitely got lucky to have had that experience. Although, honestly, I thought it must be a quite common thing because things like that don't usually happen to me. I guess I'm finding out that it's not so common. Anyway, my point is that if it happened for me, then it could happen for you too! Maybe follow the advise of these more experienced people and go early in the morning. It makes sense that they'd be more active at that time.

Twigs,

The only animals that are in exhibits (the ones you spoke of with the hidden barriers) that don't allow them to come close to the vehicle are the animals that are dangerous such as tigers and lions and that sort of thing. Many of the animals are roaming around freely. That is how some people have had such close encounters. It's totally possible as I have the pictures to prove it!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I've been on the ride several times and have never been disappointed.

 

[Twigs]

ehsween, I had just come back to edit my post as I remembered that those barriers were for the dangerous animals!

 

[karemore]

DH and I were impressed with the number of animals we saw, and especially how close the giraffes were to our vehicle.

We rode first thing in the am.

Karen

 

[stingfancb]

We have been on the safari more times than I wish to count. (My DS favorite park is AK.) We have always seen many, many animals. We also try to get there first thing in the morning, but have been known to ride it again in the afternoon. We also enjoy trying to spot the animals off in the distance. The whole animal camoflage(sp?) thing.
Friends of ours went on our recommendation and swear they didn't see any animals. I flat out asked her if they slept through the ride.
I'm sure you'll have a great time. Say hello to "Little Red" for us (you'll understand).
Cindy

 

[KaityBsMom]

We did not see a large number of animals, but the ones we did were worth it. Except for some giraffe in the distance, all the animals we saw were fairly up-close. We also had the experience of being very close to a giraffe (as someone else posted) and having him try to stick his head in our vehicle. We were on twice, once in mid- morning and once in late afternoon, and both rides were very similar.

Can't wait to go back and see what happens the next time.

 

[Pluto]

We also have been several times and have never been dissappointed. If you go in the summer either ride the safari first thing in the morning or right after it rains. We went with a large group one time and one family was late to the park and it started raining well DM wanted to make sure her family did this ride so we went with them on it and by the time we got there and got on it was still drizzling and we saw more animals than we did that morning! So we always go first thing in the morning now and if we didn't see every animal then if if rains later in the day we head straight there!

 

[Phrank40]

During EMHs in May we went on Safari a little after 6. Of the dozen or so times we have done this attraction this was the first time I saw several lions pacing around at one time. Usually I might see one or part of one through the rocks.

Once on the savannah section of the ride one of the large animals, maybe giraffe, was in the middle of the road and wouldn't move. The vehicle had to sort of inch up towards the animal until he finally moved off the road.

Phrank

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I have ridden it twice, both times around 9:30. The first time we had to stop and wait for a rhino to get out of the way. The second time it was a hotter day so I was worried, but we still saw lots of animals. The highlight being both lions were awake and standing on their rocks!

 

[daisy112878]

I have been on this ride several times. We always see lots of animals. It is better to go early morning since it is cooler. The last three times I have been on it we've had to stop for animals being in the road. One time we had to stop for 25 minutes while they tried to get three rhinos out of the way. The truck kept inching up and the rhinos just looked at us. They had to call in the animals keepers to get them out of the way. It took ten people to finally move them out of the road. So you never know what you will encounter on this ride. It's always fun!!!