Poor DAK! Recent Trip Observations

[jmuboy]

I have to say that the detail and landscape in DAK is some of the best work WDI has ever done. Sadly, during my visit last week I noticed some issues I hope WDW addresses at this wonderful park.

Here are some of my observations and comments / questions:

The effects on Everest are very annoying. I could forgive Disney for the issues with the Yeti if everything else worked. But no waterfall 1. No snow (mist) effect on the peaks. No bird on a stick - which is an effect so basic and simple Walt could have done it 55 years ago at DL and he would have done it better. I don't get it. There has to be some reason why Disney spent untold millions on this ride only to neglect it just 3 years into its life!

Kilimanjaro Safaris. Noticed the thatched roof on the KS station roof is literally washing or blowing away. Huge chunks are missing. So much so that a new "under roof" on the inside. Look up and you will see the metal sheeting they have installed (I presume to prevent leaks). Any ideas whats going on and if repairs are planned. Out on the Safari, the Animatronic truck driven by the poachers was missing but the gun fire is still there. Has this element been removed or just left broken like everything else. Little Red trunk wasn't moving. It looked like a still figure. Finally, all the real zebra were completely missing from the savanna. Weird.

Over in Dinosaur (please Disney - restore the Countdown to Extinction name which was at least creative!!!!!!) the only big issue (besides the name of the ride) was the running Carnotaur was not working.

Finally, and NOT in TDO's control, the dead vegetation at DAK. The park literally "glows" a light brown as you approach the park. I assume the cold weather has devastated the landscape in this park. I know Disney really did spend a lot of the landscape here and really installed some wonderful and exotic vegetation. I really hope TDO is will to invest in repairing what mother nature can't bring back to life this summer.

 

[WDW Vacationer]

The cold killed most if the vegetation in all parks. They are working on it.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Though I am sure your complaints are valid, I wonder if that's the nature (hah!) of DAK's vegetation...It's very wild, so I would image that some dead plants do pop up. Hope they get on them.

Good point that E:E's snow effect was done in DL, though! :lol: That's laughable.

 

[Jasonflz]

Nobody even remembers the movie Dinosaur anymore. Stop promoting it.

(Michael Eisner left forever ago)

 

[jeffk410]

I like the dead vegetation showing that its real : ) haha.. but yah some of that is not in their control. I do agree with E:E tho...

 

[Yanks07]

I agree on EE, when we rode last week my kids asked when they removed the Yeti, :lol: those strobes give me a headache too. The other things you mentioned just don't make sense why they are not working. :shrug:

 

[krankenstein]

DAK is having a lot of maintenance problems recently. It really upsets me how far my favorite park has fallen.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Nobody even remembers the movie Dinosaur anymore. Stop promoting it.

(Michael Eisner left forever ago)

I believe the reason everyone forgot it is because they stopped advertising it. Ironically, it performed better than most of what Disney is pushing these days besides Alice, Pirates and Pixar stuff, even if it didn't make a profit.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dinosaur.htm

In 2009 dollars here's what the totals would be:

Domestic: $186 million
Foreign: $286 million
Total: $472 million

But since Disney isn't interested much in the film anymore, they might as well bring back the old name.

AK doesn't sound like it's holding up very well. Disney's apparently too scared about the affects of capacity if they close anything, but they aren't doing anything to raise capacity. If that's the case then they shouldn't be waiting any longer to start construction.

 

[fillerup]

Finally, all the real zebra were completely missing from the savanna. Weird.

If zebras in the wild identify one of their members as being in some way weak, sick or vulnerable, they will kill it so that it doesn't attract predators.

This has apparently happened in the DAK "herd", so the animals have been given an extended time out on the Northern (non-public) Savanna.

 

[marni1971]

I believe the Kili Jeep was removed a long time ago, but the sound effects wern`t. The rails are still intact behind the bushes.

Dinosaur - I assume the Carno was down for maintainence. I have to disagree on this being the only big issue though; that attraction takes the prize for most effects deactivated over the years. Like a lot of things it could be so much better with not a lot of outlay.

 

[drew81]

If zebras in the wild identify one of their members as being in some way weak, sick or vulnerable, they will kill it so that it doesn't attract predators.

This has apparently happened in the DAK "herd", so the animals have been given an extended time out on the Northern (non-public) Savanna.

I know at one point they moved the Zebras to Animal Kingdom Lodge because they weren't getting along with the Thompson's Gazelles. I did see them this past February, but they were quite far away. They were on the left hand side(across the water)before you entered the Elephant area.

 

[EpcotServo]

Good point that E:E's snow effect was done in DL, though! :lol: That's laughable.

What? No it wasn't.

 

[_Scar]

I have to say that the detail and landscape in DAK is some of the best work WDI has ever done. Sadly, during my visit last week I noticed some issues I hope WDW addresses at this wonderful park.

Here are some of my observations and comments / questions:

The effects on Everest are very annoying. I could forgive Disney for the issues with the Yeti if everything else worked. But no waterfall 1. No snow (mist) effect on the peaks. No bird on a stick - which is an effect so basic and simple Walt could have done it 55 years ago at DL and he would have done it better. I don't get it. There has to be some reason why Disney spent untold millions on this ride only to neglect it just 3 years into its life!

Kilimanjaro Safaris. Noticed the thatched roof on the KS station roof is literally washing or blowing away. Huge chunks are missing. So much so that a new "under roof" on the inside. Look up and you will see the metal sheeting they have installed (I presume to prevent leaks). Any ideas whats going on and if repairs are planned. Out on the Safari, the Animatronic truck driven by the poachers was missing but the gun fire is still there. Has this element been removed or just left broken like everything else. Little Red trunk wasn't moving. It looked like a still figure. Finally, all the real zebra were completely missing from the savanna. Weird.

Over in Dinosaur (please Disney - restore the Countdown to Extinction name which was at least creative!!!!!!) the only big issue (besides the name of the ride) was the running Carnotaur was not working.

Finally, and NOT in TDO's control, the dead vegetation at DAK. The park literally "glows" a light brown as you approach the park. I assume the cold weather has devastated the landscape in this park. I know Disney really did spend a lot of the landscape here and really installed some wonderful and exotic vegetation. I really hope TDO is will to invest in repairing what mother nature can't bring back to life this summer.

EE and Dino's effects arern't 100%, but everything else you complained about is a little 'eh'.

Dinosaur's name shouldn't make the attraction more or less enjoyable. It's just a name.

I notices KJS roof my last trip and I got the impression it wasn't supposed to be perfect by any means and I've never questioned it since. Maybe it was supposed to be, but got damaged. Who knows? It seemed to fit with the rest of the themed town and all flowed for me at least. Also, the zebras have been out of the safari for a while now.

And, being a Floridian, this is my worst Winter ever. A lot of my lawn's vegetation are dead and it has been consistently cold here for months. Just last Friday there was frost on my car window and that never happens. I can only imagine how many trees have been lost in the world ):

 

[ChrisFL]

And, being a Floridian, this is my worst Winter ever. A lot of my lawn's vegetation are dead and it has been consistently cold here for months. Just last Friday there was frost on my car window and that never happens. I can only imagine how many trees have been lost in the world ):

Agreed, this winter has not been good for vegetation anywhere, it's not easy to just immediately replace ALL of the dead trees, plants, etc.

The other points are valid though.

 

[artfromvt]

ineffective effects

I just returned from a Disney trip 8 days ago and noticed similar problems with effects in all parks. The barrier in Test Track was stuck open. The mist scene in Pirates was missing. The bridge on the Safari was stable (instead of shaking). Everest was a disaster (stopped twice, strobe light was down...). On the plus side, Dinosaur had the running dino working perfectly. Actually, it was the best shape I had seen the attraction in for the last five years.
I agree that it is a shame that Disney invests millions in new attractions but does not seem to have the budget to keep them properly in service. In addition to the missing effects, we also had break-downs on Everest, Haunted Mansion, TTA and Test Track. Actually, I don't mind breakdowns so much. On Haunted Mansion it really gave us a chance to look at all the detail. However, the missing effects are irksome.
All that aside, I can't wait to go back!

 

[SirGoofy]

The bridge on the Safari was stable (instead of shaking).

That's an effect that is all time/crowd level dependent, as far as I know. Sometimes they use it, sometimes they don't.

 

[jmuboy]

I know at one point they moved the Zebras to Animal Kingdom Lodge because they weren't getting along with the Thompson's Gazelles. I did see them this past February, but they were quite far away. They were on the left hand side(across the water)before you entered the Elephant area.

Will the zebras ever return to the savanna?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Nobody even remembers the movie Dinosaur anymore. Stop promoting it.

(Michael Eisner left forever ago)

Iger mentioned a while ago that he wouldn't force synergy with movies and the theme parks if the movie wasn't deemed a franchise. Dinosaur is by no means a franchise - Disney has proven in the past that box office members are not the determining factor of a franchise, it's whether they arbitrarily decide it's a franchise or not. I would love to see a major refurb of Dinosaur and have it re-open as Countdown to Extinction.

If zebras in the wild identify one of their members as being in some way weak, sick or vulnerable, they will kill it so that it doesn't attract predators.

This has apparently happened in the DAK "herd", so the animals have been given an extended time out on the Northern (non-public) Savanna.

Yes, the Zebras are now in the area by the red clay pits before the elephants. It seems that for the most part they are not on show, although I did see them out in early February. If you want to see Zebras, they have a few over at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

 

[imagineer boy]

Iger mentioned a while ago that he wouldn't force synergy with movies and the theme parks if the movie wasn't deemed a franchise. Dinosaur is by no means a franchise - Disney has proven in the past that box office members are not the determining factor of a franchise, it's whether they arbitrarily decide it's a franchise or not. I would love to see a major refurb of Dinosaur and have it re-open as Countdown to Extinction.

Agreed. And it was a very crappy and forced tie-in too. It really has nothing to do with the long forgotten movie other than just two of the dinosaurs in it.

 

[trr1]

I hope Devine was not hurt by the frost:lookaroun