-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Kilimanjaro Safaris Construction?
- Thread starter dove_
- Start date
Check out the concept art and construction photos in the link above, it will be very much visible to the safaris vehicles. There will be a tweek to the storyline on the trucks to cover this however.
While I hate the idea of these structures being visible on the safari (I don't care if it is true-to-life...so is vagrancy but there aren't any panhandlers sitting on the curbs on Main Street), from what I saw of the construction, they aren't really intrusive and should blend well enough.
Captain Hank
Well-Known Member
There will be some elements very visible to the ride vehicles, especially in the Safi river area and West Savannah. There are currently a few partially-constructed towers for rope bridges up in Safi, with some of the ropes already up. There is also some construction going on near the top of Savannah Overlook. The viewing platform in West Savannah seems to be getting fairly close to finished. It looks very different from the concept art, but in a good way.
hpyhnt 1000
Well-Known Member
That sounds reassuring; the concept art wasn't very promising.
First off, thanks for the link, I must have been searching for the wrong thing.
No one I know (including me) is thrilled about these structures going up. From our point of view (the ones who really care, at least), it's hard enough to keep up the illusion that you're in Africa on a safari. Construction immediately shatters that. It's good to hear that other people agree they're out of the way, because what is out of the way for guests feels like it's jumping in our faces when you're a driver.
No one I know (including me) is thrilled about these structures going up. From our point of view (the ones who really care, at least), it's hard enough to keep up the illusion that you're in Africa on a safari. Construction immediately shatters that. It's good to hear that other people agree they're out of the way, because what is out of the way for guests feels like it's jumping in our faces when you're a driver.
Sonny Eclipse
New Member
I went on the ride on Monday and wasn't real thrilled to see the structures there. Here's a quick shot of some of them that I grabbed on the way by.
Pioneer Hall
Well-Known Member
Personally I don't see the big problem with this, especially now that the towers look like they actually belong on a Savannah. In an actual wildlife preserve people would have this opportunity, so why not use that to add to the realism. If Disney is going to adjust the story, while giving guests a new experience then why be so cynical about it.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
Agreed. In the concept art, admittedly, they looked pretty bad, but the finished product seems to be on theme. No big deal to me...and it's extra money for Disney. Maybe they can afford to buy a couple more Christmas trees for next year...
Pioneer Hall
Well-Known Member
I agree. The concept art made it look like they were putting pop up tents in the safari and I was a little worried as well. The actual construction looks like it is themed very well and will fit in nicely with the rest of the safari. This is also going to allow guests to experience the safari in a new and seemingly incredible way. I for one am very excited for my tour next month.
Also, those structures aren't exactly next to the rode...they're pretty far off (the ones pictured, at least). So they aren't really intrusive. But as I said above, it shouldn't matter if it is true-to-life. This isn't life. It's a theme park facsimile. What next? Homeless people on Main Street? Should we have Sally Struthers parade a brigade of malnutritioned Ethiopians in "Africa?" Disney is supposed to be idealised nature. This is definitely a money-grab, since you can't even bring along your own camera.
While you are right to a degree, keep in mind that the whole idealism thing is more Magic Kingdom. Disney's Animal Kingdom has always played up the realistic angle. After all there are poachers in Disney's version of Africa. Even then though, I don't understand how a few structures is the same thing as homeless people on Main Street.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Really? You are equating these new safari huts to homeless bums on Main Street USA? I think these new Kilimanjaro Safari structures look very well themed. To me they look exactly like natural-material huts and native structures. Perfect.
What I think does not look like Africa is when Disney lets CM's out on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride in new American pickup trucks. Like this picture taken from the Kilimanjaro Safari ride vehicle this week by PhilharMagician...
Nothing says "We must be in Africa!" like a white guy kicking back in a late-model Chevy pickup truck, with the fancy LS trim and the Goodyear white-letter tires! Yeehaw!
Captain Hank
Well-Known Member
Usually, the Animal Programs trucks have a Harambe reserve logo on them, to better fit in with the theme. However, due to new animal introductions and the construction, there have been lots more trucks on the reserve than normal, presumably more than they had with the reserve logo. It really does annoy me that the one in the picture very clearly has the Walt Disney World logo on it (not so much in the picture, but in person). Regardless of whether or not they have the reserve logo, I'll try to explain them away by saying that they're "wardens on patrol."Really? You are equating these new safari huts to homeless bums on Main Street USA? I think these new Kilimanjaro Safari structures look very well themed. To me they look exactly like natural-material huts and native structures. Perfect.
What I think does not look like Africa is when Disney lets CM's out on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride in new American pickup trucks. Like this picture taken from the Kilimanjaro Safari ride vehicle this week by PhilharMagician...
Nothing says "We must be in Africa!" like a white guy kicking back in a late-model Chevy pickup truck, with the fancy LS trim and the Goodyear white-letter tires! Yeehaw!
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
They are closer to the ride than you think. I saw them last week as well, and this is only the front view. Over by the Flamingo pond, you see the opposite side of the huts. Like 20 feet away. Tops. Pretty darn close on that side. I thought I had taken a picture of that view but apparently not.
We also noticed the walkway for the hippo trek visable along the top of their pool. (From the walkway viewing area)
Really? You are equating these new safari huts to homeless bums on Main Street USA? I think these new Kilimanjaro Safari structures look very well themed. To me they look exactly like natural-material huts and native structures. Perfect.
What I think does not look like Africa is when Disney lets CM's out on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride in new American pickup trucks. Like this picture taken from the Kilimanjaro Safari ride vehicle this week by PhilharMagician...
Nothing says "We must be in Africa!" like a white guy kicking back in a late-model Chevy pickup truck, with the fancy LS trim and the Goodyear white-letter tires! Yeehaw!
My wife an I joked about the same thing a few times. We keep seeing the rare elusive dark green American pickup truck in its natural environment. They were all over the place last week. I think we saw 2 or 3 each time we did the Safari.
Really? You are equating these new safari huts to homeless bums on Main Street USA? I think these new Kilimanjaro Safari structures look very well themed. To me they look exactly like natural-material huts and native structures. Perfect.
What I think does not look like Africa is when Disney lets CM's out on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride in new American pickup trucks. Like this picture taken from the Kilimanjaro Safari ride vehicle this week by PhilharMagician...
Nothing says "We must be in Africa!" like a white guy kicking back in a late-model Chevy pickup truck, with the fancy LS trim and the Goodyear white-letter tires! Yeehaw!
For the record, that's an Animal Programs (Ground Warden) truck. Most of them have the Harambe Wildlife Reserve logo on the side and mud all over them. They need to be out there to observe the animals and for feeding. This must have been a new truck (they get way more wear and tear than most vehicles), that hasn't been themed yet. Still not very obtrusive. I usually make a point to show how we have lots of wardens on the reserve to watch out for the animals.
muteki
Well-Known Member
We did too, an excavator right next to the ride vehicle pathway. Thought the camo-netting was a bit funny as well.