So...about that big dead elephant in the room....

[FettFan]

The story: Before Animal Kingdom was opened to the general public, cast members were given their usual sneak peak of the park and its rides. Kilimanjaro Safaris was at its prime...a most hardcore "feces gets REAL" prime...

During the old Kilimanjaro Safaris ride that you and I knew as casual guests, we would get a warning from Ranger Wilson, flying aerial reconnaissance: poachers are in the area, keep your eyes out. Shortly after, we got a more dire message: the mother elephant, Big Red, was found shot but alive, and the baby, Little Red was taken....and then you were off to help Wilson catch the poachers and save the infant.

But...that was the edited version. Before the park opened, the original Safari tour had your vehicle actually finding the (ultra realistic) body of Big Red, killed by the poachers, ostensibly for her ivory tusks...but they fled fast without their prize when they heard your vehicle approaching.

Spoiler: Click For Image of Big Red (some may find this disturbing)

Photo Credit goes to The MickeyWiki

Riders were aghast and complained loudly to park operations...and the prop was quickly removed before the park's grand opening.

So...what happened to it?

Was the ghastly prop destroyed? Or is Disney keeping it crated away in a corner of Hangar 51?

 

[NiarrNDisney]

Yikes That's just a bit graphic!

FAIL!

 

[Tom]

Interesting

 

[Chef Mickey]

Sometimes, a little shock isn't the worst thing for people to see. Reality isn't always pretty but we can learn more from it at times.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Amazing to actually see a picture.

 

[WDIFanBoy]

Wow, I never knew that. It's pretty crazy, but I'm glad they did tests before it officially opened. At least they corrected their mistake, huh?

 

[Tom]

Sometimes, a little shock isn't the worst thing for people to see. Reality isn't always pretty but we can learn more from it at times.

Unfortunately, the unwillingness to hurt anyone's feelings has taken over. Alien Encounter was too scary, so we get the ridiculous Stitch version. Pirates....well....we know that story.

AK, of all parks, is as close to real life as Disney parks get. The safari told a story that actually sent a message about a real problem. A little shock treatment would have really hammered the message home.

They still have a pride of lions eating a Zebra for lunch at the Jungle Cruise, but I guess it's not exactly graphic.

 

[Daniel Johnson]

It's not that disturbing to me, but not much does disturb me. It does drive home the change needed for poaching. But, it's a theme park, I bet the compaint department would have been busy if that display was left...

Great pic find!

 

[draybook]

If anyone finds that graphic then I hope they never find the National Geographic channel, or Animal Planet or Discovery. Or YouTube, or any other video site that shows what really happens in the wild.....

 

[G00fyDad]

To answer the original question...

That prop was likely destroyed since it is never going to be used on anything because of the very reason it was removed in the first place.

 

[mergatroid]

They also had some problems with the planned picnic area near the oasis which I believe they scrapped

 

[marni1971]

Truth hurts

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I think it's "scary" in a good way, but not the kind of thing that I'd want to see over and over. If you were writing a movie or a TV episode, I think it would be great; theme parks are different. I'm not sure I can quite put it into words, but there's a big difference between going to Alien Encounter to be scared (being scared is normally negative, but it's done in a fun way), and going to the Safari to see a dead elephant every time. It just makes you sad. I don't think the signature E-ticket in a park should make people sad. It would be kind like if Test Track had a bloody car crash scene as an anti-drunk-driving message.

Cool to finally see a picture.

 

[jakeman]

So...what happened to it?

It was moved backstage near the training course for the drivers.

I would assume it's been left to the elements and if so, there is probably not much left of it by now.

 

[copcarguyp71]

If anyone finds that graphic then I hope they never find the National Geographic channel, or Animal Planet or Discovery. Or YouTube, or any other video site that shows what really happens in the wild.....

The Kardashians or reruns of Jersey Shore could traumatize just about anyone for life...a dead plastic elephant...well I just picture a lot of parents having to do a lot of explaining about real life which is what we all go to Disney to leave behind. It would be a good lesson but one I don't think people expect on a Disney vacation.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Foolish for them to even consider using that prop in the first place. They just wanted to ramp up the shock factor to make us overly aware of Elephant poaching. Hit us hard. They werent thinking.
Disney was always selective about what scenes he gave us. Some things were not necessary. In Bambi we heard the shot that took down the deer but we were not shown the body. It was enough to assume that there was a deer killed and didnt need the extra shock factor. Our emotions for Bambis loss was still felt. In Old Yeller we saw the young boy approaching the penned up Yeller with his rifle, heard the shot but were not shown Old Yellers body. We knew from the grieving boy that the job was done. Some things dont need to be thrown in our face/shown to get the point across.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Amazing to finally see the infamous picture as I recall posts here about it. But, after looking at it...Is it me or does it look like just a statue that looks like it fell over during a bad wind storm...

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Unfortunately, the unwillingness to hurt anyone's feelings has taken over. Alien Encounter was too scary, so we get the ridiculous Stitch version. Pirates....well....we know that story.

AK, of all parks, is as close to real life as Disney parks get. The safari told a story that actually sent a message about a real problem. A little shock treatment would have really hammered the message home.

They still have a pride of lions eating a Zebra for lunch at the Jungle Cruise, but I guess it's not exactly graphic.

Kind of off topic but when you mentioned Pirates I thought of it....I actually like the scene better now in Pirates of the women chasing the Pirates. I think it is a funnier gag to the attraction.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Maybe they'll bring back the corpse of Big Red like the Hatbox Ghost, if it becomes popular enough.

 

[draybook]

The ironic piece is that Disney made that movie, I think it was Earth or something like that about 6 or 7 years ago, had a scene of a gazelle being torn to shreds....