10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Kali River Rapids

This is Animal Kingdom’s surest way to get wet during a hot day at the park! One of my all-time favorite Animal Kingdom attractions, Kali River Rapids will be fun for the whole family and guests of all ages. Here are 10 things you probably don’t know about Kali River Rapids!

1. The Disney Touch

Disney has created the ride to be themed as being a journey down the Chakranadi River, courtesy of “Kali Rapids Expeditions”. Keeping up with the theme of environmental protection and conserving mother nature, themes of the ride deal with illegal logging.

2. Queue with a twist

In keeping up with the theme against illegal logging, there are chainsaw sounds heard in the forest near the queue area. Television screen explain the company’s mission: to show the area’s natural beauty and demonstrate environmentally friendly ways to bring revenue to the village.

3. Fun Raft Names

There are 20 circular boat/rafts. Each 12-person raft has its own unique name. Some of these include names such as “Kathmandoozy”, “Himalayan Hummer”, “Manaslu Slammer”, and “Sherpa Surfer”.

4. Tiger Rapids Run

Before the ride originally opened on March 18th, 1999, it was supposed to be named Tiger Rapids Run due to the animal portion that the ride was supposed to include.

5. A Disney First

This was Disney’s first attempt at a river rapids type of ride. Later on, Kali River Rapids was joined by Grizzly River Run at Disney California Adventure.

6. Spiced Scents

As the ride initially begins to incline, breathe in the smells of native Indian jasmine and ginger that have been infused into the mist. Later on, when the illegal logging is being shown, you will smell smoke in the air.

7. New Heights

The ride initially begins by going up a 90 foot hill on a conveyor belt. As the ride progresses, the rafts begin their descent back down. All of this culminates to the grand finale drop that splashes you down around 20 to 30 feet.

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8. Prayer Ribbons

In the queue, there is a wall covered in ribbons, as well as bells hanging from the rafters. Each ribbons symbolizes a prayer made, and the bells symbolize a prayer that has been answered. Disney does not remove any of the ribbons due to the belief that if a ribbon is removed, the prayer won’t be answered.

9. An Animal Adventure?

The original plan for Kali River Rapids was for it to act as sort of a counterbalance between the African Safari. The ride was supposed to be a sort of a safari where guests could observe elephants, antelope, etc. Yet, Imagineers feared that the animals would be frightened by the screaming guests and that the ride would be moving to fast to fully appreciate the animals, so the animal portion was pulled.

10. What’s in a Name

The name “Kali” comes from the Hindu goddess Kali. The goddess Kali represents the destructive forces in nature which coincides with the dangers of deforestation and illegal logging.

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