AK Safari Questions....

dopeylover

dopeylover

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I had a weird dream last night after planning my trip to the zoo with my DD, and I woke up this morning thinking about Animal Kingdom Safari.

I know there are barriers in place to keep certain animals separate, but do you know if one of them has ever crossed over? Has a lion ever moseyed over to the zebras? Have any of them wandered off the actual safari area? I know it's protected, but it feels so open!

Also, I was thinking if there have ever been REALLY close encounters with animals and guests? I remember our last trip we had an amazing experience with a giraffe thisclose to our jeep, and it was incredible! I was happy it was only a giraffe though! :D I know the animals are much more weary of us then we are of them, but I wonder what the protocol is if something is too close for comfort? What is something really irritated a lion? I know the easy answer is, "Well, they CM would speed away!" but they can be very fast! Does anyone know the protocol?

Sorry if this is rambling...lack of sleep and pregnancy brain are not a good mix!
 
Figgy1

Figgy1

Well-Known Member
dopeylover said:
I had a weird dream last night after planning my trip to the zoo with my DD, and I woke up this morning thinking about Animal Kingdom Safari.

I know there are barriers in place to keep certain animals separate, but do you know if one of them has ever crossed over? Has a lion ever moseyed over to the zebras? Have any of them wandered off the actual safari area? I know it's protected, but it feels so open!

Also, I was thinking if there have ever been REALLY close encounters with animals and guests? I remember our last trip we had an amazing experience with a giraffe thisclose to our jeep, and it was incredible! I was happy it was only a giraffe though! :D I know the animals are much more weary of us then we are of them, but I wonder what the protocol is if something is too close for comfort? What is something really irritated a lion? I know the easy answer is, "Well, they CM would speed away!" but they can be very fast! Does anyone know the protocol?

Sorry if this is rambling...lack of sleep and pregnancy brain are not a good mix!
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Congrats!!!!!!!! I'm sure Disney is very careful about such things! Now get some rest for you and the baby!
 
MattC

MattC

Well-Known Member
We have had some close encounters in the savanna area. But nothing TOO close. As far as the big cats, I'm sure it is close to impossible, or completely impossible, for them to access the open area with other animals and us. I think the design of the big cat areas and the savanna hides the barriers well and there is actually a lot more space there than what appears to be.
 
Tip Top Club

Tip Top Club

Well-Known Member
There have been a few times over the years when things cross over, but it's mostly harmless. Back when it first opened the Colobus Monkey's used to get out all the time, That's why they are now located in a fully fenced in area in Pangani, and birds from the Flights of Wonder show fly off course all the time, but they are usually tracked down.

Obviously since most of the animals and the trucks share space, close encounters happen every day. Whether it's a giraffe trying to stick his head in, a mother rhino getting mad at the trucks for no particular reason or whatnot, but they try to keep a little distance. The only thing that would disrupt the show is if one gets in the road, and then they have to wait for the keepers to come and get them out of the way!

Hope these answered your questions!
 
dopeylover

dopeylover

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks guys! Its one of my favorites in WDW, I'd love to do the backstage tour, maybe I'd get to see for myself!

I'm not really afraid of any of the animals, except those GIANT bats in the Jungle Trek! I know they're vegetarians, but if one of those got up close and personal with me, I'd pass out. I'm a tremendous animal lover, but I have my limits on certain things. :)
 
BoarderPhreak

BoarderPhreak

Well-Known Member
If there are ANY doubts about safety... Next time you're on the AK-bound bus - right after you make the right turn (short of AKL) to get into the park's bus load/unload area, look at all the infrastructure - namely the FENCES with barbed wire everywhere on the left. And that's to keep the public out! I would imagine the animals are even more critical.
 
Mrs. Jobson

Mrs. Jobson

Active Member
To answer your question about animals getting out, well that's hard to answer. "Getting out" is not what you think. Yes, there have been instances when certain animals wonder out of their designated areas but not in a guest area. When I was working there a Cheetah got "out" of his enclosure. He was young and just had been introduced. He got out of his enclosure by jumping over his mote. He wondered into the West Savannah where the White Rhinos are. There was a mommy and new born Rhino and the baby had never seen a Cheetah and went right over to him and tried to play with him. Mom was none too happy. As drivers we had proper safety protocols that was followed and got guests out of the area quickly and the animal were placed back into the enclosure. There is no possible way a Lion can get out though. Their "Mote" is huge. It's something like you would see at a zoo. A deep concrete ditch that is not visible to guests.

I have seen instances were some of hoofed stock have gotten out of their area. There are different parts to the Safari and they are broken up by cattle guards, water areas and electric wire. There are even walls and gates that can closed. As a guest you are very safe high up on those Safari trucks.

Dopeylover? How far along are you? I am 29 weeks with #2. I am having the worst time sleeping too. Been having some weird dreams. How about you? Hope you are feeling ok!;)
 
dopeylover

dopeylover

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Mrs. Jobson said:
To answer your question about animals getting out, well that's hard to answer. "Getting out" is not what you think. Yes, there have been instances when certain animals wonder out of their designated areas but not in a guest area. When I was working there a Cheetah got "out" of his enclosure. He was young and just had been introduced. He got out of his enclosure by jumping over his mote. He wondered into the West Savannah where the White Rhinos are. There was a mommy and new born Rhino and the baby had never seen a Cheetah and went right over to him and tried to play with him. Mom was none too happy. As drivers we had proper safety protocols that was followed and got guests out of the area quickly and the animal were placed back into the enclosure. There is no possible way a Lion can get out though. Their "Mote" is huge. It's something like you would see at a zoo. A deep concrete ditch that is not visible to guests.

I have seen instances were some of hoofed stock have gotten out of their area. There are different parts to the Safari and they are broken up by cattle guards, water areas and electric wire. There are even walls and gates that can closed. As a guest you are very safe high up on those Safari trucks.

Dopeylover? How far along are you? I am 29 weeks with #2. I am having the worst time sleeping too. Been having some weird dreams. How about you? Hope you are feeling ok!;)
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Thanks for all the info.! I always thought Disney would do nothing but a great job in terms of animal and guest safety, but I always wondered, esp. b/c there was an incident at our local zoo last year where due to error a male gorilla got out! All ended up being fine, but I live right by the zoo, and people were panicked for awhile, lol!

I am only 14 weeks along! I too am having weird dreams! I wake up EVERY morning at 3am, and my hips are killing me!
 
DfromATX

DfromATX

Well-Known Member
I saw a documentary about it a while back. They have all kinds of "tricks" to keep the animals where they are and in view for our entertainment, invisible borders and enticements you could say.
 
litaljohn

litaljohn

Well-Known Member
DfromATX said:
I saw a documentary about it a while back. They have all kinds of "tricks" to keep the animals where they are and in view for our entertainment, invisible borders and enticements you could say.
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they also "trick the animals to believe in the barriers as well. I know one backstage tour we had an elephant specialist ( clearly with the time she spent on them) and was showing us all how big their night pen was and how it didn't stop one female elephant from trashing it like it was nothing and going back out to the ride area one night. I dunno why but I loved the the cheetah essentially had a dog house in the back , across from the rhino pen.

but I will also say thankfully that animals that could get remotely close I guests were all selected specifically because they don't really pose any dangers. people may think those things are easy to plan out, however most Jersey residents who ever went to six flags can probably agree its important to get right. I can't even estimate the damage I've seen done by poor animal placement where they become aggressive and overly aggressive destructive, and I dare say evil, primates. I'm fairly certain the primates had a deal worked out with local mechanics trying to see what they could wreck.

Disney is also great in having great talent around them in the park. again as someone pointed out that there's a Netflix video on the park, Disney was the first to prove that those giant bats can be trained. just as Disney was involved in finding out dolphins actually give themselves unique names. (CNN had an article on it a few months ago)

the only truly awful thing Disney has done regarding animals themselves is that they made some areas do low key people miss them and dot even know they are there. I was thrilled to see the new park maps help address that quite a bit.
 

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