What happened to the safari?

[Bairstow]

Oh it sounds horrible... but it is completely devoid of reality. Poachers aren't going to go try and kill a baby elephant because it has no value to them. The poachers are looking for ivory which isn't going to be found on a baby elephant. The whole story was contrived to make you feel all sad because they were going to kill a baby elephant which ranks right up there with the typical PETA type story that either bends the truth or just flat out lies to try and get you to feel a certain way for a hidden agenda.

I think the premise is the the poachers planned on taking the younger animal off the preserve to sell it. How is that not plausible?

http://www.takepart.com/article/201...d-fueling-deadly-black-market-baby-pachyderms

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

The shift was made to make it a 'photo safari' where any 'shooting' was done by a camera lens, not a gun. Any actual shooting of animals, whether done by the bad guys (poachers) or not, was simply sending the wrong message, according to Disney. I suppose that they didn't even want to acknowledge that poaching exists.

I'm fine without an extravagant back story, or without Disney trying to teach me a 'valuable' lesson. Just show me some animals and nice landscapes.

 

[Bairstow]

The shift was made to make it a 'photo safari' where any 'shooting' was done by a camera lens, not a gun. Any actual shooting of animals, whether done by the bad guys (poachers) or not, was simply sending the wrong message, according to Disney. I suppose that they didn't even want to acknowledge that poaching exists.

There still anti-poaching posters all over Harambe, including the new Marketplace expansion.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Another change is they stopped trying to teach us the "African words" for things. When I saw that, I though, "Oh, good. I would love to learn African. I already speak European and Asian."

 

[Kevin_W]

I miss the music on the radio. I think that's basically the last thing that was phased out.

I guess AM/FM radios aren't safari authentic?

The last time I rode (well after the poaching storyline was removed), they still tuned into the radio. Has that changed?

We didn't ride this at all when my daughter was 4-5 years old. She was convinced that the bridge was going to collapse.

 

[AshaNeOmah]

The last time I rode (well after the poaching storyline was removed), they still tuned into the radio. Has that changed?

We didn't ride this at all when my daughter was 4-5 years old. She was convinced that the bridge was going to collapse.

There's a chance I'm wrong, but I've ridden it three times in the latter half of 2016 and don't remember the radio and the music. That song always stood out to me as being... peaceful? I loved it.

 

[Otterhead]

I suppose that they didn't even want to acknowledge that poaching exists. I'm fine without an extravagant back story, or without Disney trying to teach me a 'valuable' lesson.

There's still a strong anti-poaching element to the ride. It's mentioned before, during, and afterwards. I'm very okay with that valuable lesson.

 

[networkpro]

There's a chance I'm wrong, but I've ridden it three times in the latter half of 2016 and don't remember the radio and the music. That song always stood out to me as being... peaceful? I loved it.

It's Hapa Duniani

 

[Princess Leia]

Another change is they stopped trying to teach us the "African words" for things. When I saw that, I though, "Oh, good. I would love to learn African. I already speak European and Asian."

In this country, we speak American

 

[thomas998]

I think the premise is the the poachers planned on taking the younger animal off the preserve to sell it. How is that not plausible?

http://www.takepart.com/article/201...d-fueling-deadly-black-market-baby-pachyderms

Except the ride is set in East Africa, there is no market for baby elephants in East Africa the market you reference is in Thailand several thousands of miles away. So no it isn't plausible. Even if a poacher were to capture a baby elephant in Africa and try to ship it to Thailand the cost would make it prohibitively expensive to do. If you wanted to enter the elephant market it would be much easier for a person to buy them in India which is much closer to Thailand cuts the transportation cost significantly making it more profitable to buy them in India legally than to poach them in Africa and try to move them... Not to mention the fact that African elephants are the same as the Asian elephants that they have a market for in Thailand.

 

[pax_65]

And Little Red sits backstage...

Shortly after he was removed my family and I ran the "Expedition Everest Challenge" - a nighttime 5K with obstacle course and scavenger hunt. It was a lot of fun. A piece of the course went backstage and we ran past Little Red, and I remember my kids were so excited to see him! Great memory. Thanks for sharing the photo.

 

[pax_65]

Now it just feels like a better version of what I can get from Busch Gardens or a nice zoo

 

[Pi on my Cake]

Exactly! Animal Kingdom is "not a zoo." But now the safari is just a better version of a regular zoo safari ride.

But I digress. It's still an amazing ride and it is fantastic seeing all the animals. I may miss the old version and think it gave the ride a lot of character, but that does come down to opinion and opinions seem pretty split. Maybe I just had bad drivers over summer that hurt the experience even more too.

 

[Phonedave]

One thing that the poaching story did do is provide a reason why your supposed 2 week safari is cut so short. Not a good explination mind you (I paid for two weeks, I want two weeks) but still an explination.


-dave

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨︎ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

I guess I'm in the camp that firmly misses and enjoyed the poacher storyline. While I can appreciate the safari tour; it's hardly a once in a lifetime experience. I can see animals at my local zoo and at the same leisurely pace albeit on foot instead of riding in a vehicle. My issue with the attraction is that the "Wow factor" is gone. effects have vanished. Instead the showmanship is left to the animals. Which much like a visit to my local zoo -- is a roll of the dice if you'll see them or not.

More could certainly be done to make the safari unlike any other. It should be a Disney attraction and IMO It no longer is. I'm not talking massive thrill ride here just something to brighten it up and make it more eventful. Same could be said for the nighttime safari.

Does this attraction have to have a plot? a story? a show? No. But I still think it should.

 

[Disney Analyst]

How did the Jeep Chase work?

I only ever rode this for the first time in 2013.. so never saw any of this. How was it all laid out?

 

[Bairstow]

Except the ride is set in East Africa, there is no market for baby elephants in East Africa the market you reference is in Thailand several thousands of miles away. So no it isn't plausible. Even if a poacher were to capture a baby elephant in Africa and try to ship it to Thailand the cost would make it prohibitively expensive to do. If you wanted to enter the elephant market it would be much easier for a person to buy them in India which is much closer to Thailand cuts the transportation cost significantly making it more profitable to buy them in India legally than to poach them in Africa and try to move them... Not to mention the fact that African elephants are the same as the Asian elephants that they have a market for in Thailand.

Then how come http://conservationaction.co.za/media-articles/baby-elephants-zimbabwe-headed-chinese-zoos/

 

[Kevin_W]

There's a chance I'm wrong, but I've ridden it three times in the latter half of 2016 and don't remember the radio and the music. That song always stood out to me as being... peaceful? I loved it.

Agreed - I love the music!

 

[marni1971]

How did the Jeep Chase work?

I only ever rode this for the first time in 2013.. so never saw any of this. How was it all laid out?

As you ran the geyser alley a jeep was visible through the trees to the right, pacing your vehicle and firing at you.

In effect it was a prop on a track that became a victim of the weather. The audio effects (engine, gun shots) continued for some time after the jeep stopped running.

Here's a rather poor still image of the jeep, seen above the wing mirror:

 

[Disney Analyst]

As you ran the geyser alley a jeep was visible through the trees to the right, pacing your vehicle and firing at you.

In effect it was a prop on a track that became a victim of the weather. The audio effects (engine, gun shots) continued for some time after the jeep stopped running.

Sounds neat. I love the safari regardless. Such a unique incredible attraction.