Safari and the creaky bridge

[Boopuff]

So over the years I've ridden the Safari many times. A few times you reach the bridge, the car stops and Whopee! the bridge creaks and dips a bit. The last time we rode it nothing happened on the bridge. The previous time we got the full effect. Just wondering if it's at the discretion of the driver or is it purely random?

 

[robndani]

It happened in October... scared the crap out of my son! LOL (but not)

 

[hakepb]

Someone once said its up to the driver and their skill (if they approach at the right speed and stop at the correct place)

 

[beck00]

We were wondering the same thing. It didn't happen for us on either of our rides in November, and we were expecting it. Didn't realize it wasn't every time.

 

[PaintsWindColors]

I was reading a thread on Reddit where people were asked to give out secrets they knew from CMs that worked at WDW - and someone posted this response: "I briefly trained for Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney World. At one point on the ride, you go over a bridge with crocodiles underneath. As I was riding with no one in the truck other than my trainer, she felt free to tell me that if anyone were to stand up and fall into the crocodile pit, I was to drive away immediately so that others wouldn't have to see the carnage or try to rescue the person. The crocodiles are apparently fed from that bridge and anything that drops from there is food to them, and they are surprisingly fast." https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/..._who_have_worked_at_disney_world_what_behind/

No idea if this is true but I close my eyes every time.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

I was reading a thread on Reddit where people were asked to give out secrets they knew from CMs that worked at WDW - and someone posted this response: "I briefly trained for Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney World. At one point on the ride, you go over a bridge with crocodiles underneath. As I was riding with no one in the truck other than my trainer, she felt free to tell me that if anyone were to stand up and fall into the crocodile pit, I was to drive away immediately so that others wouldn't have to see the carnage or try to rescue the person. The crocodiles are apparently fed from that bridge and anything that drops from there is food to them, and they are surprisingly fast." https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/..._who_have_worked_at_disney_world_what_behind/

No idea if this is true but I close my eyes every time.

I once watched a croc-agator eat a deer, it was pretty cool to watch. I'm not sure if it was a crocodile or and alligator, I wasn't comfortable asking him after I saw what he did to that deer.

 

[g-dad66]

I always figured that when the bridge didn't break, it's because it was broken.

 

[BrittyRo]

I'm curious as well. Most of the time it doesn't do anything but in September we had the effect once! I love it when the effect "works" it really like adds that extra something to the ride!!

 

[zaccaglin]

A friend of mine used to drive the trucks. She said that the truck had to be perfectly aligned for a few secconds in order for the sensors to activate and move the bridge. If the truck wasn't perfectly in place there was a fear that only half the truck would be on the bridge and the other half on stationary ground and that it would give the wronge effect. She also said if her truck was behind they would simply just drive over it and not stop long enough for it to activate.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Oddly we were discussing this exact thing today. My daughter just loves the creaky bridge and a few days ago nothing happened and today we got the effect. She was bummed it didn't happen the previous time.

 

[Boopuff]

I'm thinking that since we were there during crazy spring break, the line was forever long, that they just didn't have time to pause the ride long enough to trigger the effect.

 

[KT0191]

That's interesting. I was wondering about this because last September, we went on it first thing in the morning and the bridge didn't move but we went on it later in the afternoon and it did the full effect.

 

[Sevey13]

Granted I've only ridden it four times, and also granted one of those times was with a clearly brand-new driver, but I've never been on it when there was an effect.

 

[Lothlórien]

If it is properly aligned and the attraction is not backed up/delayed from animals crossing, it works. If the driver does not hit the right spot or they need to move fast because trucks are backed up, they will skip it.

 

[JimmyV]

A bus driver told me that the reason the bridge doesn't work anymore is because it is broken and the only repairman who knows how to fix it is the Yeti. And he no longer works at WDW either.

 

[Gophers]

We were just there two weeks ago and the bridge worked. We thought it was something new since our two other trips nothing happened

 

[Hopeful8]

Happened on our trip last year and my DD does not want to do the Safari again because she is scared! I'm glad to read that it does not happen every time.

 

[KTSMOM]

I've ridden the Safari numerous times and never had the bridge shaking until this last trip. It took me by surprise for sure.

 

[Minnie222]

We just did it this March break and the bridge shakes. I was surprised and thought it was new as I haven't seen it in previous years.
That particular driver is nice and very experienced, with clear explanation on the animals, and allowing time for us to watch although there is a long line outside.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Sometimes it is functioning, sometimes it is broken. There is a stubby looking traffic signal in the woods on the right side of the truck. If it is red or green, then the system is working. If both lights are out, the effect is not functioning. Near the end of Feb the light was off and the bridge did not move.