Kwaherini Little Red and Warden Wilson Matua!

 Kilimanjaro Safari is the anchor attraction for Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  This twenty minute safari trip through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve is one of the hallmarks of the Animal Kingdom because it does what the park is meant to do: put animals center stage.  These animals are real; they are living, breathing examples of different species from parts of Africa.  This safari was an opening day attraction in 1998 when the Animal Kingdom first started welcoming guests, and the ride is never the same, which definitely increases re-ride ability.  

Sorry Big Red!

As of the past few weeks, the safari has been changing yet again.  The Little Red Audio-Animatronic has been removed from the ride’s finale in preparation for a new animal habitat.  Zebras will in the not too distant future be making their home in Little Red’s former home.  Now, truly to understand the evolution of this ride, one must re-visit its past. 

The safari did not always have the same storyline that it most recently possessed. In the very beginning, this ride actually featured a more prominent anti-poaching message to its riders.  Warden Wilson Matua and his research assistant, Ms. Jobson, had much more pronounced roles in this version of the safari as well.  Wilson and Ms. Jobson were on a plane flying over the Reserve, and they would often talk to you via the castmember’s radio device as you journeyed in your safari vehicle.  As you continued your exploration and viewing of various animals, Wilson would get increasingly more concerned about poaching on the Reserve.  As ready and willing members of the Safari team, you, the riders, were encouraged to help Wilson hunt down the poachers.  In the initial cast previews and test/adjust time period for the ride, a giant carcass of a slaughtered Big Red (the mother elephant) could be viewed in the tall grass near a busted gate into the Reserve.  Big Red was missing her tusks, and this could be attributed to poaching.  This figure was soon removed due to the many complaints received at guest relations.

After rushing through the broken gate, you truck moved quite roughly as you encountered the uneven terrain and the small geysers in the area.  You were even chased by a jeep that fired shots at your safari vehicle.  In the end, Little Red was saved, and a castmember standing next to Little Red informed you that all was well.

Over the years, this storyline has been continually tweaked in order to make the Little Red story change and eventually evaporate all together from the plot of the ride.  Most recently, Little Red played a part in the story, but it was an exceedingly small part, which involved her placement at the end of the ride and a quick pass from the safari vehicle through the poachers’ camp.  The castmember at the end of the ride near Little Red’s escape vehicle is now also absent.

During a short trip to WDW last weekend, we discovered that Little Red had been totally removed from the ride.  Now, there is much construction going on in this space to ready it for the zebras that will soon make their home here.  From my point of view, the loss of the Little Red storyline does not make me sad at all.  I was enjoying the safari so much last time, that I didn’t even realize that we hadn’t heard the nervous and concerned voice of Wilson Matua over the radio.  Our amiable driver, Rich, reminded us all about Wilson and told us that Wilson had retired from his work on the Reserve.  All in all, I don’t think that Little Red will be missed too much, but it is always interesting to look back at what was and what will be on our favorite Disney attractions. 

Very soon, we will be making a lengthy week-long trip to the World, and we are going to experience the Wild Africa Trek, so we will get to see the Reserve on a very intimate level.  I can’t wait to let you know how awesome it is!  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!