Big Kilimanjaro Safaris Changes on the Horizons?

[wdwmagic]

Sorry, only one per year. Quality over quanity.

BTW, I sent it. Steve probably looks like this . Followed by this :ROFLOL:

I don't know if you have any specific source on what you sent me, or whether it's just your idea. I really don't think any of that is happening.

They are making some tweeks to the story to accommodate the tour (details I posted here http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...rience-heading-to-Disney's-Animal-Kingdom.htm)

I understand the changes are relatively minor.

 

[Lucky]

As to your point about the guides getting bored, I actually think the story stifles them. Most of them are very knowledgeable about the animals, and I'd much rather listen and learn from them then have to watch them "act" out a poacher story. They only seem to look bored when they have to muster the fake enthusiasm to say "You guys want to help the Warden catch some poachers?"

Not everything needs to have an elaborate backstory. Can't the safari just be about seeing animals? If not, then it's frightening that people don't have the requisite attention spans to sit and enjoy something without the visual stimulation of a poacher chase.

I agree.

 

[jt04]

Because we're trying to accommodate 13 people's schedules and that
was the only time that we could do it?
Because we're already booked and changing it would be massively difficult, we've been working on it for 8 months?

And what is wrong with reading some news that makes you go "oh oh" and then writing a little note about it? What's wrong with asking if anyone has a little more information?

Hey, I know that time of year is a roll of the dice. BUT as other people have pointed out, KS is one of the anchor attractions at AK--with that down, wow. If they can't take EE offline, they certainly shouldn't be able to take this offline. In my opinion, KS, "is" AK. Never thought in a million years that they'd take the animals offline.

Anyway, thanks for your indignance and feigned superiority. It hasn't helped a whit.

I didn't sense he was aiming that at you particularly. I think some of us get tired of the endless posts everytime a refurb is announced of how it is screwing up their vacation. Or how it will be complete just in time for their visit. It gets redundant.

I don't know if you have any specific source on what you sent me, or whether it's just your idea. I really don't think any of that is happening.

They are making some tweeks to the story to accommodate the tour (details I posted here http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...rience-heading-to-Disney's-Animal-Kingdom.htm)

I understand the changes are relatively minor.

That makes sense and it is possible the rumor is being exaggerated as it gets passed along. I'll post what I thought they might be going to do eventually if that appears to be the case. I definitely like my idea over the current poacher story configuration.

 

[Tom]

Can we please get one thread where multiple people aren't complaining about an attraction being down for someone's 'first ever' trip?

Seriously. If you're planning a vacation around someone's first visit, why on Earth would you book it for a time that, historically, numerous large attractions have been down in the past.

Splash Mountain has been a HUGE point of contention with me. They close it at the same time EVERY YEAR. And people complain about it every year but insist on going at that same time. If you want to ride it that badly, book your vacation for a different time of year. It's that simple.

Sorry. I forgot to pack my "sarcasm" eyes. It was late and when I typed that first paragraph, it was funny in my head, but not all of those ideas fell out into my keyboard.

We always go in early Jan and am used to Splash being closed. We scooted the trip up to Feb (we're DVC and don't have kids, so we go when nobody else goes and it's not 9000 degrees). I never imagined that they'd actually close one of 3 E-tickets in AK for a substantial amount of time.

But you have to understand, it's all about ME and MY happiness. The world revolves around ME and MY vacation :lol:

 

[fosse76]

I think the poacher story simply needs to be reworked. Like someone else said, without the story the ride just feels like a heavily themed drive through safari.

Why does it need to be any more than that? That's all it is.

 

[Hakunamatata]

But you have to understand, it's all about ME and MY happiness. The world revolves around ME and MY vacation :lol:

I like the way you think. :ROFLOL:

 

[fosse76]

That makes sense and it is possible the rumor is being exaggerated as it gets passed along. I'll post what I thought they might be going to do eventually if that appears to be the case. I definitely like my idea over the current poacher story configuration.

I remember when I worked at Six Flags, maintenance would often "make up" what new ride we were getting for the next season just to see how far it would spread and how far-fetched it would get. Of course, there were some in maintenance who would quash that and tell you what was really happening.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is how Disney's leaks certain information to generate excitement...it's more fun to have "insider" information than to read a press release.

 

[jt04]

I remember when I worked at Six Flags, maintenance would often "make up" what new ride we were getting for the next season just to see how far it would spread and how far-fetched it would get. Of course, there were some in maintenance who would quash that and tell you what was really happening.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is how Disney's leaks certain information to generate excitement...it's more fun to have "insider" information than to read a press release.

I think they may use trial balloons too. Which would keep things interesting around here!

Gotta go :wave:

 

[Mrs. Jobson]

Agreed. The poacher story and fake plotline is very cheesy, and it's rather poorly conveyed to the audience on top of its cheesiness.

As if all of those wonderful animals weren't enough of a plotline. Just let the animals be the stars of the show, and ditch the fake 1990's preachy plotline. Maybe add some onboard flat screens that can show where the animals live in Africa, and other animal and/or Africa facts during the slower travel-time portions of the ride. And if certain animals don't show up, activate some additional info on the screens.

Make it far more educational and interactive than it is, without the bad acting and the cheap animatronics.

Wow! That hurt a little bit. I wouldn't call it bad acting at all and the onboard flat screens would take away from the show elements. I don't think that would be a good idea. Just remember the original post. This is only speculation about the refurb.

 

[wdwmagic]

Agreed. The poacher story and fake plotline is very cheesy, and it's rather poorly conveyed to the audience on top of its cheesiness.

As if all of those wonderful animals weren't enough of a plotline. Just let the animals be the stars of the show, and ditch the fake 1990's preachy plotline. Maybe add some onboard flat screens that can show where the animals live in Africa, and other animal and/or Africa facts during the slower travel-time portions of the ride. And if certain animals don't show up, activate some additional info on the screens.

Make it far more educational and interactive than it is, without the bad acting and the cheap animatronics.

Adding screens is the last thing it needs. Talk about reducing the roles of the live animals. If we go with screens, why not just get rid of the whole ride and sit infront a screen for 20 minutes.

I expect KS to get a few minor tweaks to accommodate the tour, nothing big.

 

[JustInTime]

Adding screens is the last thing it needs. Talk about reducing the roles of the live animals. If we go with screens, why not just get rid of the whole ride and sit infront a screen for 20 minutes.

I expect KS to get a few minor tweaks to accommodate the tour, nothing big.

GOOD! That article seemed so cheap. I will take your word over the article any day.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I remember when I worked at Six Flags, maintenance would often "make up" what new ride we were getting for the next season just to see how far it would spread and how far-fetched it would get. Of course, there were some in maintenance who would quash that and tell you what was really happening.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is how Disney's leaks certain information to generate excitement...it's more fun to have "insider" information than to read a press release.

Problem with that is that the impact of doing that is miniscule. Well over 99.9% of Disneys park guests likely never even know that there is a group of people in the world that spend alot of time hanging on every scrap of information that hits media channels these days. Not saying that this is a bad thing, just saying that starting rumors to promote interest has little to no real impact. I would dare say that an article in the Orlando News about a bus wreck is more widely viewed than a rumor started on a message board.

 

[RunnerEd]

I really don't think the screen thing will happen simply for maintenance reasons alone. Could you imagine how often the monitors would be down after running 10+ hours a day, seven days a week exposed to the elements (especially the heat/humidity from May-Sept) combined with the very rough ride that they would have to make? Those things wouldn't last a month I'd bet!

Put some more of the music in and I'd be happy with the driver/guides helping us spot animals.

 

[imagineer boy]

Why does it need to be any more than that? That's all it is.

Because its Disney.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I hear they're adding a Yeti.

I heard it was a dragon. :fork:

Finally, Beastly Kingdomme is happening! :ROFLOL:

 

[Phonedave]

I never liked the poacher story anyway, It never made sense to me.

I booked a 2 week safari, we go out on a safari, we chase and catch a poacher 20 minutes into our safari - now we have to cut it short - why ? Turn around, and keep going.

Maybe if they had fake steam come out of the truck radiator, then I could understand why.

They could re-work the story, cut out some of the chatter (kill the radio station), and it would be better.

-dave

 

[SleepingMonk]

NO SCREENS!

The last thing we need is WDW taking the cheap shortcut refurb route and just slapping TVs on something.

And please.....how about another radio station on that dang truck stereo.

 

[MiklCraw4d]

Not sure if you've missed them or what, but there have been a lot of threads over the years where people have discussed (at great length) the "story" in Kiliminjaro Safaris. Most feel it's unnecessary.

As to your point about the guides getting bored, I actually think the story stifles them. Most of them are very knowledgeable about the animals, and I'd much rather listen and learn from them then have to watch them "act" out a poacher story. They only seem to look bored when they have to muster the fake enthusiasm to say "You guys want to help the Warden catch some poachers?"

Not everything needs to have an elaborate backstory. Can't the safari just be about seeing animals? If not, then it's frightening that people don't have the requisite attention spans to sit and enjoy something without the visual stimulation of a poacher chase.

I agree with this 100%. Being in Africa on safari is "story" enough. The draw of KS is the animals - people are riding to see the animals, not for some thrill ride poacher adventure. It never fails that there are some animals really close the the vehicles at the end of the ride, providing some great photo op, but we have to leave because of the "story". "Do you want to help out the Warden?" "Umm..."

I'm sure the CMs would much rather be talking about the animals than hamming it up about poachers. Not to mention that ever since soft openings, the ending of the ride has been really slapped together. Remember when they had to position a CM out there to hold an AK-47 on the "poachers"? "LITTLE RED IS OK!" Does the poacher Jeep even work any more?

 

[SleepingMonk]

.... a CM out there to hold an AK-47 on the "poachers''?

:ROFLOL:

Sorry I missed that one!

 

[MiklCraw4d]

I don't know if you have any specific source on what you sent me, or whether it's just your idea.

Oh, I think I know the answer!