Originally Posted By sjhym333 Last week the final parts of the old poacher storyline were removed from Kilimanjaro Safari's. The jeep with Little Red was removed...not without a final photo with the safari drivers I understand...and the poachers camp is now gone. Got to ride KS today and here is my observations. I didn't realize that Warden Wilson was absent until after we passed the croc pool. At that point I realized the whole story line was gone. Not sure if the drivers have been told to do this but the Safari was very slow moving with many stops along the way. There was a definite traffic jam throughout the attraction. Not really a bad thing since the animals seemed to be out in full force. But there were several times that we just stopped for waiting for traffic ahead to move. We also sat a good five minutes waiting to get into unload. The area towards the end of the attraction where you went thru the gate to catch the poachers has been completely sodded. A very low cut grass has been added with some more landscaping. The area looks great and the driver told us that the reserve will be introducing zebras into the area soon. The geysers were on in full force...probably the most I have ever seen. The Animal Kingdom was not too busy today. 20 min wait for Expedition Everest, 10 min for the Safari, 5 mins for ITTBAB. The longest line was for Kali River at 30 mins. They were on the sidewalks outside Finding Nemo asking people to come inside. We walked onto Dinosaur. Everytime I ride this attraction it reminds me what a missed opportunity this was. Even with most of the effects working there are just too many dark areas with nothing going on. It would be a wonderful attraction with some upgrades. We also practically walked onto Primeveal Whirl. Very rough ride and I am still not a fan of the carnival feel of the whole thing. I don't think I have seen this in the WDW section but Soarin on both coasts was shut down for a while last week when the CM in the theater realized that there were guest who had exited their seats before takeoff and were standing at the exit doors. The report is that this happened here in Orlando. Having worked Soarin I can tell you that this is not the first time this has happened. About 4 years ago a similar incident happened which resulted in 2 CM's being terminated and a third reprimanded. Also, the safety walk that the CM's make was changed to include a final pass by all 3 loading CM's by the seating rows before the CM enables their flight. The final CM to exit the theater (the seats closest to the exit doors) does a final check looking down the aisle of all three vehicles to make sure that it is clear. The CM who sits at the console has video cameras showing the theater and they have the final check before launching. How a guest got themselves and a child out of their seatbelts and to the exit door without being seen is beyond me, but Disney is lucky that someone hasn't been killed. Once again it amazes me what a guest can and will do.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I'm glad they've removed that storyline from Kilamanjaro Safaris. It was a needless distraction IMHO.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb I'm glad the poacher story line is gone, but I will miss Wilson telling the driver the Thompson's gazzelles are *Tommies*. I'll also miss the blurb of music when they "turn on the radio".
Originally Posted By sjhym333 There is still the music moment. It is in a different place and very low.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper While I won't miss the storyline, I think getting rid of Wilson is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. He was a nice part of the attraction. <<I'm glad the poacher story line is gone, but I will miss Wilson telling the driver the Thompson's gazzelles are *Tommies*. I'll also miss the blurb of music when they "turn on the radio".>> Well, the Tommies are going off the safari, so it won't make sense anyway.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 I went on the attraction to see the animals so losing this storyline isn't that big.
Originally Posted By SeventyOne <I went on the attraction to see the animals so losing this storyline isn't that big.> I agree. After years of "Nahtazu," Disney seems to be waking up to the fact that maybe a high-quality zoo isn't that bad a thing after all.
Originally Posted By Manfried I am glad the politically correct idiocy is finally disappearing from a theme park where you're supposed to be having fun. Now if we could just set fire to that cabin again.
Originally Posted By TP2000 I agree with Manfried. This "plotline" seemed so forced and so PC and so dated. It was written as if it was meant to appeal to newly indoctrinated 3rd graders or well-meaning but slightly inept housewives who watched PBS one night about poaching in Africa and now felt they were experts. It's just a theme park, not a re-education camp. Disney should just stick with the middle brow wit and warm hospitality and set it to a toe-tapping Sherman Brothers theme song, and leave the PC preachiness to Junior College professors slyly flirting with the coed in the front row.
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn Any updates with Kali River Rapids getting rid of the whole slash & burn nonsense?
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper ^^^^The slash and burn nonsense is the only remotely exciting part of that ride.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 "It's just a theme park, not a re-education camp." Disney theme parks have always had an educational aspect to them. Why shouldn't Animal Kingdom? And what's so wrong with reminding people about the importance of protecting the natural environment? I've never understood why this is such a contentious issue. Reminding us that it's important to protect wildlife from poaching shouldn't be something that offends anyone - expect poachers. I will agree that Kilimanjaro Safari's storyline was pretty cheesy, and not done all that well, but that's not really the topic's fault. It was just poorly scripted.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<And what's so wrong with reminding people about the importance of protecting the natural environment? I've never understood why this is such a contentious issue. Reminding us that it's important to protect wildlife from poaching shouldn't be something that offends anyone - expect poachers. >> There's a difference between a meld of education and entertainment and beating one over the head with a message. EPCOT was the latter. It struck a great balance. DAK, however, has never found that balance, IMO. It's too focused on reminding us about conservation at every turn it doesn't allow its fun elements to breath.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<It's too focused on reminding us about conservation at every turn it doesn't allow its fun elements to breath.>> Maybe, but off the top of my head, I can only really think of two main attractions that involve conservation - the Safari and the Rapids Ride. I guess you could add Rafiki's Planet Watch too, but I honestly haven't been back there since the park opened years ago, so I can't really speak to what's there now. But other than that, most of the rest of the attractions at the park are pretty "conservation-free", right? Personally, I don't think the message is the problem. The problem is that the attractions really aren't that good - other than the Safari - and even that had a pretty bad script.
Originally Posted By TP2000 I thought Epcot in the 1980's was a great example of Disney doing edutainment stuff. DAK in the late 1990's just ladled the message on mediocre rides, and thus it felt forced and unnecesary and fell flat. The opening day roster of rides at DAK circa 1998-99 are still pretty bad, mostly because their stories and plotlines are poorly conceived and came from a weird PC place instead of genuine showmanship. Kali, Dinosaur, the useless train to Conservation Station with its static county fair displays. The trails and the Safari were well done, and Bugs Life is a great 3-D movie that is witty and warm (because it's hardcore Pixar, not circa 1998 Disney). Dinorama was painful to see, and Everest was good but has fallen from grace due to its lack of maintenance and broken effects and Disco Yeti. The other attractions haven't aged well at all, especially Kali and Conservation Station. The Safaris was holding its head above water but starting to fade, so hopefully this light retheme and rethink of the ride will help. Glad to see the forced plotline is long gone!
Originally Posted By Manfried "Reminding us that it's important to protect wildlife from poaching shouldn't be something that offends anyone - expect poachers." Oh the pious and politically correct... Can you just hear the sound of the organ and heavenly choir singing. Please step down off that high horse and thank you for visiting laughingplace.com. Now please gather your personal belongings and make sure you watch out for any spammers along the way.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<Please step down off that high horse and thank you for visiting laughingplace.com.>> Visiting? Please. I've been "visiting" for over ten years. I may not post much anymore, but I'm hardly a newbie. But thanks for the attitude.
