Memory 311 – Reliving a Kilimanjaro Safaris ride, in Walt Disney World’s: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Please put on your headphones to fully immerse yourself in another one of my Walt Disney World memories. You will feel like you are in Animal Kingdom with us, as we set off in our open-air vehicle for a guided tour of a lush African savanna—and spot real animals roaming free.

The holiday season may not have officially started, but we have already begun playing Christmas music in our home. Although we have not yet decorated, we plan to do so after Thanksgiving. This time of year is always special, and it brings back memories of the 2021 holiday season when we were in the parks listening to the music and watching the performers celebrate the holidays. Today’s memory may not have a strong holiday theme, but it is relatable for anyone who has visited the parks.

Today’s memory takes us back to a Tuesday afternoon in December 2021. As you may recall from our last memory, we had just finished riding Expedition Everest for the second time and then headed from Asia to Africa. We are aware that our time to see live animals in the parks is limited, so we are trying to find the right balance between that and watching the stage shows.

For now, we joined the queue for Kilimanjaro Safaris and slowly made our way through the standby queue. Along the way, we saw animals in their habitats, heard the sounds of the animals added to the queue, and maybe even caught the sound of a safari truck rounding a bend nearby. This was definitely our longest wait of the day so far, but don’t worry, I’ve condensed the experience down to a few key moments that will transport you there with us. Finally, it was our turn to hop on the safari truck, and we were thrilled. We sat in the back row, which was great for hearing the guide with very little engine noise but way more dust. Overall, it was an amazing adventure. As we returned from our Safari, our planning was now messed up because of our wait, and we realized that we had come up with a new plan of what to do next.

So again, for that best experience, make sure you are wearing your favorite headphones to really place yourself in this binaural memory.