Right now, on to Rhino Rally itself. Having provided a brief resume earlier of what the ride is supposed to be, here is what it actually is from our sneak peek. (If you dont want to know the whole story and save some of the surprises for when you ride it yourself, look away now
)
The entrance to this new, multi-million dollar (it must have cost at least $30million in my book, quite possibly a lot more) ride is opposite the elephants enclosure in Nairobi (all the areas on BG are named after parts if Africa). The main icon outside is a big Land Rover, and you pass along a concrete walkway, impregnated with tyre tracks, leaf and animal markings, with a large, barred wooden fence down both sides. One side gives you a view into some of the animal enclosures (you should be able to see elephants and gazelles), while there are also some large rock outcrops and a waterfall, which all make for an exceedingly pleasant and quite open aspect to the entrance way. It has the authentic look and feel of an African savannah (and, having lived in various parts of southern Africa for seven years as a youngster, I have a pretty good idea of what it should look like
), albeit with no real separation from the rest of the park, so you can still see some of the rides outside, while the Skyway cable-car also passes directly overhead (providing a perfect view down into the whole of Rhino Rally). A fairly angry-flowing river is soon found to your right as you near the rides queuing area, which is marked by a series of steel barriers.
For fans of the Animal Kingdoms 110-acre Kilimanjaro Safari, the 16-acre RR lacks the wonderfully clever and intricately-themed African walkway, which brings you through the queuing area there. This is more open and less involving and it is difficult to know how the lines will build up here until it has been operating for a while. On a technical note, the ride can board around 1600 people an hour, which should make for a pretty steadily-moving line, but I would still head here first after arriving in the park.
The purpose-built Land Rovers are arranged in four rows of four seats, while the 17th passenger (the riders are actually referred to as ralliers from this point on) is actually the Navigator and sits next to the driver (and is usually given their own orders of what to do in case of an emergency!). Each seat has a lap-belt and, after you buckle up, it is off on the great East African safari rally, with some suitably over-the-top spiel from your driver. First, you go over a heavily-ridged, rickety new bridge (over the elephant section) and then down the other side into a gully, tipping first one way and then the other (a really authentic off-road driving experience, which feels quite dangerous!). Next, its through a water-filled gully as your driver guns the engine and bounces you through pretty fast (although the average speed is only a sedate 7mph!). Here you will pass through an antelope habitat, with Grant's gazelles, Zebras, flamingos and Cape Buffalo. There are more teeth-juddering bridges to cross, each getting progressively smaller as you get into uncharted territory, while you drive through a crocodile pool (no tricks here this is not the place to fall out!) and then past the rides feature creature the endangered white rhinoceros. It is estimated they will have three rhinos here at most and, if you are lucky, they can come within about 15 feet of your slow-moving vehicle.
Finally, with your navigator seemingly losing the plot (and your driver his way), you enter a very narrow gully with seemingly no way out until you reach what looks like a brand new pontoon bridge over the main part of the river, right next to a gentle waterfall. Naturally, the vehicle gets stuck on the bridge and the next thing you know there is a quick flash flood, which looks as if it will pour over the left hand side of your Land Rover (it actually falls just short, a little like the deluges you get in Catastrophe Canyon on MGMs Backlot Tour and the subway sequence of the Earthquake attraction at Universal Studios). Fairly disastrously, the flood pushes the pontoon bridge out into the wildly-swirling river and you spin off into its raging waters. Here, it really does seem that your bridge is out of control as you spin first one way and then the other, passing within inches of several rocky overhangs, while there is also the distinct possibility of a quick dousing from another waterfall! The trick, of course, is that the pontoon is on a rail-track under the water, and the whole illusion of careering out of control is exactly that, an illusion. There is absolutely no chance of your Land Rover heading for a watery grave although the sense of realism truly is terrific. Just as you are about to go over a small waterfall, the driver manages to jam the pontoon against some rocks and drive you out at full throttle! Then its over one more rickety bridge and you find the finish line. Hurrah! The whole journey is also marked by some great interaction and spiel from the driver, who really adds to the excitement (look out for Rocking John from England. Hes an absolute hoot!).
Certainly, having done it twice in quick succession, it is like no other ride Ive experienced. The obvious comparison is Kilimanjaro Safari, but it is ultimately a very different feel and style of ride. The driving part of the ride is a most authentic off-road experience, and you will genuinely feel you are on a real safari rally (albeit at slightly slower speeds!).
(Now go to Part III for the inside track from the people who built and work on the ride!)...
The entrance to this new, multi-million dollar (it must have cost at least $30million in my book, quite possibly a lot more) ride is opposite the elephants enclosure in Nairobi (all the areas on BG are named after parts if Africa). The main icon outside is a big Land Rover, and you pass along a concrete walkway, impregnated with tyre tracks, leaf and animal markings, with a large, barred wooden fence down both sides. One side gives you a view into some of the animal enclosures (you should be able to see elephants and gazelles), while there are also some large rock outcrops and a waterfall, which all make for an exceedingly pleasant and quite open aspect to the entrance way. It has the authentic look and feel of an African savannah (and, having lived in various parts of southern Africa for seven years as a youngster, I have a pretty good idea of what it should look like
), albeit with no real separation from the rest of the park, so you can still see some of the rides outside, while the Skyway cable-car also passes directly overhead (providing a perfect view down into the whole of Rhino Rally). A fairly angry-flowing river is soon found to your right as you near the rides queuing area, which is marked by a series of steel barriers.For fans of the Animal Kingdoms 110-acre Kilimanjaro Safari, the 16-acre RR lacks the wonderfully clever and intricately-themed African walkway, which brings you through the queuing area there. This is more open and less involving and it is difficult to know how the lines will build up here until it has been operating for a while. On a technical note, the ride can board around 1600 people an hour, which should make for a pretty steadily-moving line, but I would still head here first after arriving in the park.
The purpose-built Land Rovers are arranged in four rows of four seats, while the 17th passenger (the riders are actually referred to as ralliers from this point on) is actually the Navigator and sits next to the driver (and is usually given their own orders of what to do in case of an emergency!). Each seat has a lap-belt and, after you buckle up, it is off on the great East African safari rally, with some suitably over-the-top spiel from your driver. First, you go over a heavily-ridged, rickety new bridge (over the elephant section) and then down the other side into a gully, tipping first one way and then the other (a really authentic off-road driving experience, which feels quite dangerous!). Next, its through a water-filled gully as your driver guns the engine and bounces you through pretty fast (although the average speed is only a sedate 7mph!). Here you will pass through an antelope habitat, with Grant's gazelles, Zebras, flamingos and Cape Buffalo. There are more teeth-juddering bridges to cross, each getting progressively smaller as you get into uncharted territory, while you drive through a crocodile pool (no tricks here this is not the place to fall out!) and then past the rides feature creature the endangered white rhinoceros. It is estimated they will have three rhinos here at most and, if you are lucky, they can come within about 15 feet of your slow-moving vehicle.
Finally, with your navigator seemingly losing the plot (and your driver his way), you enter a very narrow gully with seemingly no way out until you reach what looks like a brand new pontoon bridge over the main part of the river, right next to a gentle waterfall. Naturally, the vehicle gets stuck on the bridge and the next thing you know there is a quick flash flood, which looks as if it will pour over the left hand side of your Land Rover (it actually falls just short, a little like the deluges you get in Catastrophe Canyon on MGMs Backlot Tour and the subway sequence of the Earthquake attraction at Universal Studios). Fairly disastrously, the flood pushes the pontoon bridge out into the wildly-swirling river and you spin off into its raging waters. Here, it really does seem that your bridge is out of control as you spin first one way and then the other, passing within inches of several rocky overhangs, while there is also the distinct possibility of a quick dousing from another waterfall! The trick, of course, is that the pontoon is on a rail-track under the water, and the whole illusion of careering out of control is exactly that, an illusion. There is absolutely no chance of your Land Rover heading for a watery grave although the sense of realism truly is terrific. Just as you are about to go over a small waterfall, the driver manages to jam the pontoon against some rocks and drive you out at full throttle! Then its over one more rickety bridge and you find the finish line. Hurrah! The whole journey is also marked by some great interaction and spiel from the driver, who really adds to the excitement (look out for Rocking John from England. Hes an absolute hoot!).
Certainly, having done it twice in quick succession, it is like no other ride Ive experienced. The obvious comparison is Kilimanjaro Safari, but it is ultimately a very different feel and style of ride. The driving part of the ride is a most authentic off-road experience, and you will genuinely feel you are on a real safari rally (albeit at slightly slower speeds!).
(Now go to Part III for the inside track from the people who built and work on the ride!)...
