Boats around Animal Kingdom

[montyz81]

So I have a question. I know there used to be boat rides that you could take around the Animal Kingdom. Looking on the map you can still see the docs and in fact the boats that they used (looks like there are 4 and they are still in the water at the docs back stage. Why did they stop using them? I can't see them being used as a way to get to the other side of the park easy, but I bet they were a great/relaxing ride!

Reminds me of the Swan Boats at the MK

 

[DisneyJoe]

Very slow load and unload process, ride was long, created long lines, this was the same reason the Swan Boats stopped.

 

[Master Yoda]

Very slow load and unload process, ride was long, created long lines, this was the same reason the Swan Boats stopped.

To add to this they were complained about incessantly by guests. Mosts guests expected something akin to the Jungle Cruise. When guests found out they were nothing more than transportation after waiting in an hour long line they would give guest services an earful.

 

[Spikerdink]

In one of the tours I took everything that the above posters said was true - plus that the boatride had little for the rider to 'see' - it did not go past any animals so all the people saw was vegetation. Had the ride on the boats gone past a few animal habitats - elephants, rhinos, etc more people would not have been so unhappy.

 

[muteki]

I remember riding them and yeah, there wasn't much to see but the same stuff you would see walking down any of the footpaths (sometimes less). Weren't all that great transportation wise either, the route didn't take you anywhere you couldn't get to faster by walking.

In contrast, the friendship boats at Epcot are quicker than walking (if you don't wait on them) and offer a unique view from the lagoon.

 

[montyz81]

I remember riding them and yeah, there wasn't much to see but the same stuff you would see walking down any of the footpaths (sometimes less). Weren't all that great transportation wise either, the route didn't take you anywhere you couldn't get to faster by walking.

In contrast, the friendship boats at Epcot are quicker than walking (if you don't wait on them) and offer a unique view from the lagoon.

In my 30 years of going to Epcot, I have never taken them across the lagoon. I always think that if I end up on the other side, which direction do I have to go in which in my mind is much harder then the first initial decision coming out of future world. I know it sounds silly, but i know that once I get back round to future world, I wouldn't want to continue up to the boat docs again. I am goign to have to try it someday though.

 

[muteki]

In my 30 years of going to Epcot, I have never taken them across the lagoon. I always think that if I end up on the other side, which direction do I have to go in which in my mind is much harder then the first initial decision coming out of future world. I know it sounds silly, but i know that once I get back round to future world, I wouldn't want to continue up to the boat docs again. I am goign to have to try it someday though.

We don't use them most of the time we have gone there, but when dining reservations or other plans disrupt our usual path, they come in handy.

 

[zurgandfriend]

In my 30 years of going to Epcot, I have never taken them across the lagoon. I always think that if I end up on the other side, which direction do I have to go in which in my mind is much harder then the first initial decision coming out of future world. I know it sounds silly, but i know that once I get back round to future world, I wouldn't want to continue up to the boat docs again. I am goign to have to try it someday though.

We have never used they either, we would much rather walk around the World Showcase and see what's happening.

 

[montyz81]

We don't use them most of the time we have gone there, but when dining reservations or other plans disrupt our usual path, they come in handy.

great point, never thought of that. I have only ever had to rush to Le Celliar from Futur World.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

So I have a question. I know there used to be boat rides that you could take around the Animal Kingdom. Looking on the map you can still see the docs and in fact the boats that they used (looks like there are 4 and they are still in the water at the docs back stage. Why did they stop using them? I can't see them being used as a way to get to the other side of the park easy, but I bet they were a great/relaxing ride!

Reminds me of the Swan Boats at the MK

There is a video of it's Last incarnation The Radio Disney River Cruise...While interesting to see the Beastly Kingdom Dragon Cave in action and the other effects working ...The worst of this thing is that the audio sounds really annoying like bashing your head into a rock annoying...Plus.. Why would I want to hear We will Rock you in AK...Really?

 

[RonAnnArbor]

The boats were bizarre -- its not true there was nothing to see -- they had created some special-effect type things throughout, and you got to go closer to some things than you get by foot -- but since you could get on/off at any of the stops, it was a logistics nightmare -- if you got on, and got good seats, one normally rode all the way around (not getting off) and then on the second loop getting off at the stop you wanted...that means that people waiting to get on would wait and wait and wait, while sometimes only 4 -5 people would be able to get on at your stop. Plus, once you go on, you had horrible seats and you waited for someone to get off so that you could slide over. It was all misbegotten, like much of AK was when it first opened...