Safari Changes

[imagineersrock]

You guys crack me up... I don't have the time right now, but I'll be back on the computer later this afternoon to try and clear some of this info up.

As for now, I'll say a lot of what I've read in this thread is false, but the origional poster generally seems to know what he's talking about.

 

[hokielutz]

Personally the "Story" on this ride just feels so forced. I'd enjoy it much more if it were just a safari where we see some cool animals. The animatronic at the end just looks so out of place amidst all the real animals.

I've felt some of the scenes at the end of the chase are a little too fake looking. Such as Wilson's hand out the plane... it really was poor.

I remember the automated jeep that ran on a separate track on the left side of the safari vehicle... but the last few years.... that effect isn't running anymore.

I just hope if changes are upcoming... it won't have a negative effect on the story. I know seeing the animals in their habitat is the main draw... but Disney is best at tying everything together in a story.

 

[Launchpad]

I like the idea of a story -- and the story they do use -- but with all the changes to the physical elements near the end of the ride it is just ridiculous. I miss seeing the speeding jeep of poachers behind the trees.

I really wish we got to see the dead elephant carcus that Jim Hill talked about. That's make the ride better. :sohappy:

 

[WDWFREAK53]

I really wish we got to see the dead elephant carcus that Jim Hill talked about. That's make the ride better. :sohappy:

...and hit home a lot more than just a pile of ivory tusks.

(How many kids would want to see that though?)

 

[ToTBellHop]

People like to come to Disney and escape the real world...not guilt-tripped into buying a pin for conservation (not that I don't completely support Disney's conservation efforts, but the average guest doesn't appreciate that being forced down his/her throat). Little Red getting lost, if that indeed is the new story, would be a lot more realistic and they could still keep it exciting and more frantic toward the end of the ride. Hopefully there is a little actual re-theming...not just a dialogue change.

 

[-SIR-]

I will agree that wilson in the plane looks incredibly fake and it makes that part of the ride incredibly cheesey.... I love the effects on the ride... the jeep, geysers, rickety bridge ... if they could make them all work every time it would be awesome.... I would say keep the conservation theme because its an important part of africa, get rid of the fake looking wilson in the plane, restore the effects and we are good.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Any chance they plus the attraction by adding (gasp) more animals?

Sorry, I just know that they had originally had plans for Hyenas and African Wild Dogs that were scrapped for financial reasons.

 

[hokielutz]

Any chance they plus the attraction by adding (gasp) more animals?

Sorry, I just know that they had originally had plans for Hyenas and African Wild Dogs that were scrapped for financial reasons.

I wouldn't mind a few more cheetahs. Its rare that I would get to see only one during the trip because they stay so darn'd close to the tree line.

 

[KevinRyanCole]

the script was alot less intense i suppose for the little ones.

I was 9 in 1998 and the ride scared the bejeebers out of me. So i could understand why they MAY change the script. Whether or not they do it, however......

 

[imagineersrock]

OK...

So you can say goodbye to Ms. Catherine Jobson. Warden Wilson will also trade in his plane for a rugged jeep.

:shrug: That's basically the rumor that's been around for a long long time, I'll believe it when I see it.

say hello to an extra row of seats in the safari trucks.

some friends who work over there have said that they are expecting a new script "within the next few months."

I've heard that this either a) will happen by summer or b) is an old rumor that refuses to die.

my source is that I sometimes work at DAK and it's pretty common knowledge to the safari operations team that it's going to happen. The prototype truck is out in plain view with the extra seats. Problem is, none of the docks can accomodate it yet.

One of the docks closed today for two weeks to make certain changes... :lookaroun

The cheetas have a new rock area to perch on...

.....They do?

BTW, has anyone ever seen the mandrills? I've ridden 100s of times and never once saw them...

Mandril sightings are pretty rare, but they're definitely out there.

I was at wdw from 2/9-2/15 and rode the safari ride at AK, they have changed the script it no longer has the "poacher" theme. little red gets lost from her mother, and the script has you trying to find her/him. the script was alot less intense i suppose for the little ones.

:lol: I was going to say I think you have a very creative imagination... but I read your second post, and from the sounds of it, the Wilson audio on the truck you were on was probably broken so the Driver decided to improvise with the storyline you described... But I can assure you, nothing has changed for now.

I wouldn't mind a few more cheetahs. Its rare that I would get to see only one during the trip because they stay so darn'd close to the tree line.

Have you been on safaris lately? There is a new group of cheetahs in this area, and they are younger (much more active) than the older ones were. You used to rarely see cheetahs--if at all... but the past few months, I'd say you now have at least a 50-60% chance of seeing them--and seeing them very well.

As far as "more animals" go... Keep in mind the baby white rhino who is not on show yet, then another Giraffe is pregnant and expected to give birth in the very near future, there is a fairly new male sable antelope out on show, and there should be a bunch of new tommies out on show in the not-so-distant future also.

 

[dxwwf3]

How is the message fading away by adding a new row of seats to the vehicles? Am I missing something?

If you think that is what I was saying, then I guess you are missing something :lol:

The story may not be changing all that much (if at all...it could just be a change of Wilson being in a jeep vs. a plane and chasing the poachers rather than the poachers being in the jeep)...we don't know what's changing (if anything) so don't jump to the "the feel and message is fading away" before you see what it's all about.

I dunno, I never bought the fact that poachers in a jeep driving through a jungle could be caught by a few people in a plane that needs a lot of room to land and then hop in a jeep to catch them...I dunno, it just seems that a Jeep could definitely be well out of sight before the people in the plane even transferring into their ground vehicle.

I'm just going from what the Jim Hill article that started all of this was saying. And don't try to read more into my post than what is there. It seems every new park starts out with deep message behind it and then it slowly fades away. And I think it's a sad time what that park goes into a transition away from its original "message". It doesn't mean it's the end of the world or the park is even changing for the worse, but if you can't tell that the overall environment of the the AK has changed since 98, then you haven't been to the park that much. Not saying it's for the worse at all, because the park has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years and is on the verge of becoming the #3 park attendance wise.

And just because you didn't buy the story of KS doesn't mean that someone else didn't. I personally found the back story to the attraction the best part about it and if the rumors come true I will be sad to see that element leave. Again NOT the end of the world, but I don't remember saying that this would be a life damaging change if it were to happen. Maybe I'M missing something? :lol:

 

[EpcotMark]

If you think that is what I was saying, then I guess you are missing something :lol:



I'm just going from what the Jim Hill article that started all of this was saying. And don't try to read more into my post than what is there. It seems every new park starts out with deep message behind it and then it slowly fades away. And I think it's a sad time what that park goes into a transition away from its original "message". It doesn't mean it's the end of the world or the park is even changing for the worse, but if you can't tell that the overall environment of the the AK has changed since 98, then you haven't been to the park that much. Not saying it's for the worse at all, because the park has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years and is on the verge of becoming the #3 park attendance wise.

And just because you didn't buy the story of KS doesn't mean that someone else didn't. I personally found the back story to the attraction the best part about it and if the rumors come true I will be sad to see that element leave. Again NOT the end of the world, but I don't remember saying that this would be a life damaging change if it were to happen. Maybe I'M missing something? :lol:

Jim Hill has no credibility or legitimacy. He's just a glorified BLOG page calling himself media.:snore:

 

[MJMcBride]

My 2 cents. Dump the whole poachers thing. It was a waste of time

 

[Hakunamatata]

My 2 cents. Dump the whole poachers thing. It was a waste of time

It is more likely and believable that Little Red could get lost, over and over and over, hundreds of times a day, vs, there being the same poachers, who use the same camp, and it just so happens that the warden in flying with whats her name, every time you get on the attraction. I just hope they dont take out the radio music portion of the attraction....I love that song.

 

[hcswingfield]

My 2 cents. Dump the whole poachers thing. It was a waste of time

Agreed. The ride would be just fine with the cast members talking about the animals on exhibit. We took the sunrise safari a couple of years ago. It was so wonderful to be able to look at the animals and get information about the animals and the history of the exhibit without the added layer of the hard-to-believe poacher plotline.

 

[piglet*florida]

Hey if any of you are safari drivers could you answer a question for me? Do you work at any other attraction or are you exclusively a safari driver? Thanks!

 

[Liverstealer]

Ok, so there's got to be some clarification, because things seem to be getting out of hand on here.

1. Yes, they are adding another row of seats to the trucks
2. Yes, one of the docks is now closed off so they can add an extra gate for the new row.
3. Mrs. Jobson being cut out of the script is not 100% confirmed as of yet, but it is likely.
4. Again not entirely confirmed, but Wilson will be in a jeep and his role "speaking" to Simba One may be reduced.
5. The poacher aspect of the ride is NOT leaving. The whole point of the ride is to educate people about conservation action and that includes stopping the poachers.
6. The poachers will still be after Little/Big Red, but they will escape...supposedly more realistic (although LR will still be rescued).
7. Cheetahs are right before the lion enclosure on your left and have been very active on my rounds.
8. Baby giraffe due any day now.
9. Introductions being held, then baby rhino and tommies will be out.

that's all i have to say about that.
10. Don't like the whole storyline thing? Then take backstage safari, everything is turned off and a very knowledgeable guide speak instead.

 

[jakeman]

As a former safari driver in the summer of '99, I can attest to the notion that the message of conservation is fading from the park.

In my opinion, this is a good thing though. The seriousness has given way to a more lighthearted atmosphere.

When I was conducting tours no jokes or deviations from the script were allow. More that staying in character you had to stay on message.

I worked there for 3 summers over the course of 4 years. Each time I went back the restrictions got looser and looser.

I agree that the story feels forced. For my own personal nostalgic reason I would not like to see it changed. It was a big part of my college experience. I even met my wife there. Even with all this, I would reluctantly welcome the change, because when it is all said and done, a majority of the guest don't listen to the story and have no idea why you are barrelling down the road at 12 mph trying to fling them out of the truck.

Additionally, over the years the focus has been less and less on the story. When I started the warden was a shift and you wore the green warden outfit and you caught the poachers with a gun. Then after 9/11, the gun was removed, so you caught them by throwing a radio at them (j/k). Then it was just another part of the rotation and there was no more "warden shift". Now there is no more cast member there at all.

I would rather them change the story than to commit to the present one halfway.

 

[jmatt]

Personally, while I consider myself a conservationist at heart, I'm sick to death of being guilt tripped anytime anyone has anything to say about a species or a habitat. I like to watch nature shows on television in HD, but the moment the focus switches from "isn't nature great" to "aren't people awful" I find something else to watch.

It's getting to the point where I can't even check the bloody weather without a sermon.

We get it. Enough already.

 

[disneyworld66]

I like the whole poachers theme. Its more exicting than:LR gets lost, everyone goes looking, LR is found, Now get out of my truck.