What happened to the safari?

[Otterhead]

The "save the elephants!" story was completely ridiculous; I still hear people on the ride mocking it. I didn't mind the idea of having poaching reports on the radio, but "saving Little Red" by your driver going a bit faster -- rewarded with an animationic elephant right after you've just seen real, actual elephants -- was very fakey.

In my opinion, the best way to see the safari is at night, after dark. The animals are active and the savannah looks terrific. You don't need fake animals when you can see the real thing.

 

[marni1971]

Im my opinion the best time is dusk. Ambient light fills out the shadows nicely but it's not dark enough that the false lighting looks too false, it almost looks real.

Animals are out in abundance.

 

[MisterPenguin]

As you ran the geyser alley a jeep was visible through the trees to the right, pacing your vehicle and firing at you.

In effect it was a prop on a track that became a victim of the weather. The audio effects (engine, gun shots) continued for some time after the jeep stopped running.

Ah, so TGMM wasn't the only attraction that was shooting at you!

Maybe we can give some of the dolls in IaSWA guns to spice that ride up a bit!

 

[Ralphlaw]

Uh, when my kids were little, they loved the Safari and the story of Little Red. Let us all remember that we are (probably) adults writing on these boards, but young kids are a huge target audience of the guests. My kids found the little tension aspect of the safari to be fun and even emotional. Yeah, it could well be argued that it cheapened the safari, but elephants and giraffes in Florida in a mock Serengeti plain is already a contrivance.

Please remember that Disney suspends belief and "reality" to enhance the guest experience. I would hazard to say that every single attraction is a contrivance, from Dumbo to Swiss Family to Jungle Cruise to Spaceship Earth to Mission Space to Star Tours to Rock & Roller Coaster to Expedition Everest to Blizzard Beach and to Typhoon Lagoon. Some are amazing to adults, and some are geared toward children. I love them, and I like how a story line in a rather unpredictable (dependent on the vagaries of animal behavior) attraction still had a delightful little story that sent an environmental message AND gave us a happy ending AND was fun for the little kids, especially on a hot day when the animals did virtually nothing. Disney is about story-telling, and little Red was a great story.

 

[marni1971]

How did the Jeep Chase work?

I only ever rode this for the first time in 2013.. so never saw any of this. How was it all laid out?

And guess what. I have video that I forgot about of the jeep in action.

Its an old video (don't laugh) but around the 40 minute mark:

 

[thomas998]

Then how come http://conservationaction.co.za/media-articles/baby-elephants-zimbabwe-headed-chinese-zoos/

We were talking about poachers and now your bringing up government sanctioned relocation of elephants? Not seeing your point other than grasping at straws.

 

[Disney Analyst]

And guess what. I have video that I forgot about of the jeep in action.

Its an old video (don't laugh) but around the 40 minute mark:

The jeep was really neat. Was it only seen for the split second?

Didn't realize they had a plane and everything. Quite the elaborate end. Now I'm trying to remember what all that looks like today.

 

[21stamps]

I guess I'm in the camp that firmly misses and enjoyed the poacher storyline. While I can appreciate the safari tour; it's hardly a once in a lifetime experience. I can see animals at my local zoo and at the same leisurely pace albeit on foot instead of riding in a vehicle. My issue with the attraction is that the "Wow factor" is gone. effects have vanished. Instead the showmanship is left to the animals. Which much like a visit to my local zoo -- is a roll of the dice if you'll see them or not.

More could certainly be done to make the safari unlike any other. It should be a Disney attraction and IMO It no longer is. I'm not talking massive thrill ride here just something to brighten it up and make it more eventful. Same could be said for the nighttime safari.

Does this attraction have to have a plot? a story? a show? No. But I still think it should.

I actually agree with you. I know this is a huge No No on this site- but we skipped it last month.
Not because I didn't think we would enjoy it, I would have liked to, but we just didn't have enough time and had more important priorities that day. It's not the biggest "wow" attraction for me, or my kid.
We are zoo members at a fantastic zoo. We can see animals at any time. What we can't see is all of the wonderful street performers though. So, 2016-no safari for us.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Add me to the "it's better without the poaching story" crowd. However, they should have kept occasional radio messages and audio cues to enhance the immersion. It does feel a little bland now, but the ending chase scene was a really tough for the CMs to pull off without being cringey due to it being so forced.

 

[mwils8]

But if it introduced one single child (or adult) to the concept of what a poacher is, it added something positive to the world.

Except for those children who learn what a poacher is and respond with "I want to be a poacher when I grow up."

 

[BuddyThomas]

Except for those children who learn what a poacher is and respond with "I want to be a poacher when I grow up."

Unless they are Cheetos the Evil Clown's sons who kill wild animals for sport, I don't think it's an issue with kids wanting to grow up and be poachers. Yes I went there.

Ducks and runs.......

 

[MisterPenguin]

Unless they are Cheetos the Evil Clown's sons who kill wild animals for sport, I don't think it's an issue with kids wanting to grow up and be poachers. Yes I went there.

Ducks and runs.......

Maybe they'll want to grow up to be the clown because...

 

[BuddyThomas]

Maybe they'll want to grow up to be the clown because...

LOL - perfect.

 

[Nemo14]

The jeep was really neat. Was it only seen for the split second?

Didn't realize they had a plane and everything. Quite the elaborate end. Now I'm trying to remember what all that looks like today.

The plane was over at Mouse Surplus around 2008 or so. Not sure what ever became of it.

 

[Magicart87]

I guess it should strive to find a balance between the two concepts. The first poacher storyline was too intense. I agree. But the 2nd version was markedly better but preachy or silly.

If reworked; personally I think it should attempt to be completely automated. Bring back the radio music, back and forth walkie talkie chatter...etc. However, Instead of Poacher storyline they could rework it with a watered-down plot using the existing effects.

Arm-chair Imagineering Storyline: Help! Little Red has wondered off from his Pachyderm pack. His Mother Big Red is becoming restless. With the help our our "eye in the sky" search pilot, Wilson we manage to locate Little Red and it's up to us and another safari scout (in prop jeep on track) to help rescue him and return him home.

 

[Phonedave]

Add me to the "it's better without the poaching story" crowd. However, they should have kept occasional radio messages and audio cues to enhance the immersion. It does feel a little bland now, but the ending chase scene was a really tough for the CMs to pull off without being cringey due to it being so forced.

That is what watching the video reinforced for me. I remember it seeming forced, that the CM had to jam that whole story into about about 60 seconds - "OK the gate is smashed, we are going to chase them, look there is the camp, oh look Wilson caught them, lets go home", but I was not sure if it was just a memory or if it really was that way. Yep - thats how it was.

I did like the occassional radio communications, and if they wanted to keep a poaching message, they could have WIlson radio something like "I'm in the plane and it looks like the west gate has been forced open, can you drive over there and check it out?" and then the CM could "radio" back something like "The gate has been forced open, we will have to get a crew out here to repair it" then the CM could say something about poachers to the guests. Something along the lines of "I'm sorry folks, but this happens way too often. Poachers come onto the reserve, we do what we can, but we really need people to help spread the word, and protect these beautiful animals for furture generations to enjoy."


-dave

 

[tractor tipper]

Just back from 5 days at the parks. Don't know if mentioned in earlier posts, they have a one month old real live baby elephant. My guess is they don't need a little Red any more. The driver we had was really great. Didn't miss the poacher story at all.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Wait, Little Red was laid to waste with the rest of the old back stage props....

What's cool is that I happened to ride the safari ride on the last day that Little Red was part of the ride. Afterwards, the CM was telling me about how all the CMs there had planned a big party to commemorate the retirement of Little Red.

 

[J_Carioca]

Oh it sounds horrible... but it is completely devoid of reality. Poachers aren't going to go try and kill a baby elephant because it has no value to them. The poachers are looking for ivory which isn't going to be found on a baby elephant. The whole story was contrived to make you feel all sad because they were going to kill a baby elephant which ranks right up there with the typical PETA type story that either bends the truth or just flat out lies to try and get you to feel a certain way for a hidden agenda.

If the story had been realistic I wouldn't have been annoyed by it, but when they went over the top like some PETA commercial it just turned me off completely.

You seem to have no understanding of the issue of poaching in Africa. Poachers DO kill baby elephants (and rhinos) because the babies can sometimes be an impediment to getting at the adults. More often, babies are orphaned because their mothers have been killed, and then the babies die. So it is not in any way over the top to suggest that a baby elephant would die because of poachers. And baby rhinos are sometimes killed for their horns.

If you think that the original message is part of some kind of "hidden agenda", maybe you should do a little research before you post very inaccurate statements on message boards. Elephant populations are declining across Africa (and Asia, but for different reasons) at a rate that means they will be extinct in a matter of years. And it is because of poaching and the demand for elephant ivory, largely in Asia. This is not a matter of opinion, it is fact based by very solid science (the great elephant census being a recent example).

This is why AK should have kept the original storyline. Clearly there is a tremendous need to educate people about conservation and the threats facing countless species.

I do have a serious question for you, though - why do you go to AK if you're not concerned about wildlife?

By the way, elephant poaching is a conservation issue. PETA is not a conservation organization, it's an animal rights organization. They are not the same thing.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/12/elephants-on-the-path-to-extinction-the-facts

 

[J_Carioca]

We were talking about poachers and now your bringing up government sanctioned relocation of elephants? Not seeing your point other than grasping at straws.

Actually, you raised the issue in the first place by saying that it wouldn't be logical for baby elephants to be smuggled into Asia.

And using the term "government-sanctioned" as a synonym for something legal and acceptable is pretty laughable when the government you're talking about is Zimbabwe. Do a search on poaching and corruption.