Changes coming to the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Feb 102012 Filed under: Disney, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Posted by: Matt Roseboom
Say your last goodbye to Little Red. Today the Disney Parks Blog announced some changes are coming to the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Starting this spring, Disney Imagineers will begin the removal of some of the end show elements, including the Audio-Animatronic elephant known as Little Red, to make room for more live animals.
While most of the safari ride offers guests a view of real live animals, towards the end of guests’ “two-week” journey, their safari truck goes on a fast chase, looking for poachers. Guests pass the poachers’ camp, which shows some elephant tusks on the ground, then a truck that houses the “saved baby elephant” named Little Red (pictured above). This part of the ride will be going away to make room for more animals, specifically zebras. The area will be reconstructed into savannah space and feature a new animal watering hole.
The refurbishment is scheduled to begin this spring and be completed by fall. The ride will stay open during construction. No further details were given about the storyline changes, but the attraction is said to still feature a strong conservation message.
Jud
February 10th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
I like it! Always thought the poacher story was a bit of a bummer to end the ride on… and that the animatronics was lacking after the real thing.
Sam
February 10th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
What!? The ride has plenty of live animals already. Why take away the disney magic at the end. If it ain’t broken why fix it….Adding zebras won’t make this ride better in my opinion. Leave it the way it is.
Reid
February 10th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Hurray! I never liked that ending of the ride at all, no matter what form it was in (remember when the jeep would drive by you on the hillside, or the plane pilot waving at you? all very cheesy). I know Disney likes to create stories behind their attractions, but this one is real animals in their habitats. The fake storyline of saving “Little Red” just never fit well.
Shaene
February 11th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
I will miss Little Red, but I think the changes are probably gonna be good. Will be really interesting to see what they add to the storyline as no one tells a story like Disney!
Corinne
February 12th, 2012 at 2:25 am
Little Red should be moved to Jungle Cruise.