Kilimanjaro Safaris deserves more praise

[UNCgolf]

Top Tier
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure 4.81
Rise of the Resistance (DLR) 4.79
Radiator Springs Racers 4.78
Avatar Flight of Passage 4.77
Rise of the Resistance (HS) 4.75
VelociCoaster 4.73

There's a lot of overlapping confidence intervals among the top group, especially in teens, young adults, and the "over 30" crowd. Even if you have a favorite, most people would agree these are all very good attractions.

Second Tier
Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind 4.70
Kilimanjaro Safaris 4.69
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (DLR) 4.68
Expedition Everest 4.65
Fantasmic! 4.65
Happily Ever After 4.63
Diagon Alley 4.63
IncrediCoaster 4.62
Toy Story Mania 4.62

Interesting that Forbidden Journey doesn't make the list with how much praise it's received -- I personally don't love it, so I'm in agreement that it's not among the best of the best, but I wonder why. Maybe it gives too many people motion sickness/makes them uncomfortable because of the way the Kuka arm tosses you around.

Anyways, as to the topic of this thread, this backs up that the Safari is clearly considered one of the top attractions in Orlando by guests.

 

[SplashJacket]

Top Tier
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure 4.81
Rise of the Resistance (DLR) 4.79
Radiator Springs Racers 4.78
Avatar Flight of Passage 4.77
Rise of the Resistance (HS) 4.75
VelociCoaster 4.73

There's a lot of overlapping confidence intervals among the top group, especially in teens, young adults, and the "over 30" crowd. Even if you have a favorite, most people would agree these are all very good attractions.

Second Tier
Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind 4.70
Kilimanjaro Safaris 4.69
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (DLR) 4.68
Expedition Everest 4.65
Fantasmic! 4.65
Happily Ever After 4.63
Diagon Alley 4.63
IncrediCoaster 4.62
Toy Story Mania 4.62

Very interesting. Interesting that RSR is still so high (albeit, very warranted).

DLR's Big Thunder and IncrediCoaster seem very high... Seems like they're due for a new world-class coaster, if you ask me...

Also worth noting that every Top Tier ride is IP-based, while Big Thunder, Kilimanjaro, and Everest are the only attractions lacking IP that cracked the list. May just be representative of generally new rides = ip rides.

 

[SplashJacket]

Interesting that Forbidden Journey doesn't make the list with how much praise it's received -- I personally don't love it, so I'm in agreement that it's not among the best of the best, but I wonder why. Maybe it gives too many people motion sickness/makes them uncomfortable because of the way the Kuka arm tosses you around.

Anyways, as to the topic of this thread, this backs up that the Safari is clearly considered one of the top attractions in Orlando by guests.

To me, FJ is the tale of two rides. The screen domes and the sets. If the ride was purely sets it would easily be one of the best rides in the world, but the screen domes (while technically impressive) are utterly terrible.

It doesn't help that the domes have aged poorly, but they just detract so much. Hence why I'm so excited for the Monster's Dark ride that won't have the domes, I see it easily popping into this top echelon. Same for MoM.

 

[TalkToEthan]

Interesting that Forbidden Journey doesn't make the list with how much praise it's received -- I personally don't love it,

And by rights it really shouldn’t get stellar reviews………it jerks us, it turns us in most uncomfortable ways and the screen clarity needs work.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Expedition Everest 4.65

You mean people actually like the "nondescript coaster themed to India or whatever"?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Also worth noting that every Top Tier ride is IP-based, while Big Thunder, Kilimanjaro, and Everest are the only attractions lacking IP that cracked the list. May just be representative of generally new rides = ip rides.

Incredicoaster was also without IP for most of its life span, and then only cheaply made so recently.

That any non IP rides rank so high goes against Disney's own IP philosophy. 3 of the IP attractions are also not theirs.

The most consistent element is the type of ride. Out of the 11 listed, 6 are roller coasters.

(I'm not counting Diagon Alley as a ride, but it has a coaster too)

 

[UNCgolf]

To me, FJ is the tale of two rides. The screen domes and the sets. If the ride was purely sets it would easily be one of the best rides in the world, but the screen domes (while technically impressive) are utterly terrible.

It doesn't help that the domes have aged poorly, but they just detract so much. Hence why I'm so excited for the Monster's Dark ride that won't have the domes, I see it easily popping into this top echelon. Same for MoM.

Yeah, while I didn't physically enjoy riding FJ (it tosses the rider around way too much; it was unpleasant), the non-simulator parts were quite good.

The simulator parts are awful and boring, though, and that's basically half of the ride.

 

[Doberge]

Also worth noting that every Top Tier ride is IP-based, while Big Thunder, Kilimanjaro, and Everest are the only attractions lacking IP that cracked the list. May just be representative of generally new rides = ip rides.

I think the last part nails it. I'm not up to speed with Universal but FOP and Guardians and Rise all show that Disney has created great attractions in the last 7 years and that IP doesn't seem to hurt or help as much as the quality of the attraction itself. IP can't save a bad attraction, or so we saw with Fast and Furious Supercharged.

 

[Magicart87]

I think the last part nails it. I'm not up to speed with Universal but FOP and Guardians and Rise all show that Disney has created great attractions in the last 7 years and that IP doesn't seem to hurt or help as much as the quality of the attraction itself. IP can't save a bad attraction, or so we saw with Fast and Furious Supercharged.

:cough: Villain Con :cough:

 

[UNCgolf]

Also worth noting that every Top Tier ride is IP-based, while Big Thunder, Kilimanjaro, and Everest are the only attractions lacking IP that cracked the list. May just be representative of generally new rides = ip rides.

I think it's mostly this -- all of those attractions opened in the last 7 years, so there's the combination of newer technology and just general newness. I imagine some of those ratings will be lower in 15-20 years as other, newer attractions take those spots.

The IP helps to varying degrees. I think Velocicoaster would probably rate similarly highly with no IP at all, as it has very little impact on the ride experience, and I'm not sure Guardians would lose much either with the IP removed as long as it kept the music. I think it's a much bigger help to Rise and Hagrid's.

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

Yeah, while I didn't physically enjoy riding FJ (it tosses the rider around way too much; it was unpleasant), the non-simulator parts were quite good.

The simulator parts are awful and boring, though, and that's basically half of the ride.

Every time I ride it I think of how much potential it has. Something I’ve noticed is that the audio is often not synced to the ride, and if the ride emergency stops, all of your screens will sometimes be out of sync. Just an issue that physical sets don’t really have.

On a different note, I love Kilimanjaro Safaris and Animal Kingdom Lodge. To me, what makes a Disney ride different from other parks is how transportive they are. Kilimanjaro Safaris makes me feel like I’m in Africa, even though I go on it all the time and am a local. Same reason why BTMRR is one of my favorite rides. I like Disney’s IP, but what sets Disney apart to me has always been the fact that they completely transport you to a different place.

 

[UNCgolf]

Every time I ride it I think of how much potential it has. Something I’ve noticed is that the audio is often not synced to the ride, and if the ride emergency stops, all of your screens will sometimes be out of sync. Just an issue that physical sets don’t really have.

On a different note, I love Kilimanjaro Safaris and Animal Kingdom Lodge. To me, what makes a Disney ride different from other parks is how transportive they are. Kilimanjaro Safaris makes me feel like I’m in Africa, even though I go on it all the time and am a local. Same reason why BTMRR is one of my favorite rides. I like Disney’s IP, but what sets Disney apart to me has always been the fact that they completely transport you to a different place.

I'm similar -- that's probably why I like Na'vi River Journey so much more than other people seem to. It's very transportive.

 

[Magicart87]

I'm similar -- that's probably why I like Na'vi River Journey so much more than other people seem to. It's very transportive.

Not literally though.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Anyways, as to the topic of this thread, this backs up that the Safari is clearly considered one of the top attractions in Orlando by guests.

KS is the highest rated classic ride. All the higher scoring experiences are brand new, the past few years or so, except for RSR, which is still only 13 years old.

Which makes me dream, what if they had build the Asian boat ride too...

 

[Mark Dunne]

Great attraction, although i wish they'd stop for like 10-20 seconds when the lions are really visible, just to get a good shot, but i get it has to keep moving, i guess you want to take safari photo's, go to Africa, but we love this ride, its the heart of animal kingdom. Taking my mum in 2025 ( for her 75th ) she's never been to Disneyworld, and this is top of her list of attractions to do. may even walk the tree trek that they have as an extra.

 

[Magicart87]

I'd probably give this one higher marks if they could sub-in a new story and more effects to make up for the hours or days when the animals are off doing animal things and hidden from view. When we last road Kilimanjaro we saw a total of 5 animal species. The rest of the sojourn was a a self-guided tour of vegetation and grass.

 

[Henry Mystic]

Top Tier
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure 4.81
Rise of the Resistance (DLR) 4.79
Radiator Springs Racers 4.78
Avatar Flight of Passage 4.77
Rise of the Resistance (HS) 4.75
VelociCoaster 4.73

There's a lot of overlapping confidence intervals among the top group, especially in teens, young adults, and the "over 30" crowd. Even if you have a favorite, most people would agree these are all very good attractions.

Second Tier
Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind 4.70
Kilimanjaro Safaris 4.69
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (DLR) 4.68
Expedition Everest 4.65
Fantasmic! 4.65
Happily Ever After 4.63
Diagon Alley 4.63
IncrediCoaster 4.62
Toy Story Mania 4.62

Thanks for this info. Very, very impressive.

Strange seeing IncrediCoaster (aka California Screamin') and DLR's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad on the list. I mean, they're both great for their own reasons but I never thought the consensus was that it was that good.

Whereas the collective ommissions of HWS' Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones Adventure, World of Color, and USH's Studio Tour are more impactful.

Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge is also an excellent attraction and come to think of it, it could be up there as well, but I know it doesn't have the best guest satisfaction scores, so that lines up.

Do you have the metrics for Disneyland Paris as well to compare?

I'd imagine OG Space Mountain: From the Earth to the Moon, Big Thunder Mountain, Crush's Coaster, Tower of Terror (WDS), and maybe even Pirates (DLP) score the highest.

 

[Henry Mystic]

KS is the highest rated classic ride. All the higher scoring experiences are brand new, the past few years or so, except for RSR, which is still only 13 years old.

Which makes me dream, what if they had build the Asian boat ride too...

Yes! Imagine the park with some variation of Tiger River Run, and then the incoming Tropical Americans and the Lion King Land to Animal Kingdom and how a terrific park it would've been.

 

[Magicart87]

Yes! Imagine the park with some variation of Tiger River Run, and then the incoming Tropical Americans and the Lion King Land to Animal Kingdom and how a terrific park it would've been.

Oh if only we had Tiger River Run! Kali River Rapids, now there's an attraction that probably WOULD improve with IP.

 

[SplashJacket]

Oh if only we had Tiger River Run! Kali River Rapids, now there's an attraction that probably WOULD improve with IP.

Kali is just a mixture of too barren, too tame, too short.

Fails in all cylinders. Doesn't even get you that wet...