Railroad at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Boilermaker · Post by **Boilermaker** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:30 am

I don't recall ever seeing any discussion of the trains at Animal Kingdom. I would be very interested in hearing what the community thinks. I know the locomotives are steam outline and trains are themed more European than anything else, but what of the ride itself? Does the train run around the perimeter of the park like the DLRR? Are there multiple stations that allow the RR to be used as an inner-park transportation system? Please, tell us more.

Post by **Steve** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:00 am

Actually, there was a topic on the Wildlife Express at Animal Kingdom a while back. But I don't believe that answers to all of your questions were found there.

No, the train doesn't run around the perimeter of the park. There are only two stations, one in Africa, and the other at Rafiki's Planet Watch, which used to be known as Conservation Station. Really the only purpose of the train is to transport you from one to the other. And there is no other way to get to Rafiki's Planet Watch, either. Take the train, or don't go at all.

In theory, it is pretty good if you are a rail fan, forcing guests to take the train to get to part of the park. But if you don't like to wait, even the short amount of time that it takes for the train to come, then you don't have any other option to get to that part of the park. Granted, most guests would tell you that Rafiki's Planet Watch is not the most exciting part of the park. And in truth, we have skipped it on our last several visits. Just not worth the time and the effort to get back there.

The scenery along the way isn't that much either. You do see a little bit of grasslands and jungle-like areas, and you also get to see some of the backstage facilities for the animals along the way. But that's pretty much it.

And then there are many other comments in the other topic mentioned above, so I would encourage you to read those as well.

Cannonball7 · Post by **Cannonball7** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:08 pm

I actually caught a good shot of the Wildlife Express on my recent trip to the park...

Post by **Steve** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:46 am

Nice shot! I never have seen that locomotive, only the red one. Of course, I've only been on that railway twice - we usually pass it up.

Post by **Steve DeGaetano** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:59 am

Looks like the engine is due for a serious rehab! Just look at that rust!

(Yes, I know they're supposed to look that way...)

Locoboy5150 · Post by **Locoboy5150** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:07 pm

Nice photo! I always had problems getting good photos of those Wildlife Express locomotives because the poles for the boarding platform roof at the Harambe Station were in the way.

Cannonball7 · Post by **Cannonball7** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:39 pm

Here are a couple more shots that show the engine and the coaches:

No. 4 Fan · Post by **No. 4 Fan** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:41 am

They strive so much at Animal Kingdom to show things in a bit more "realistic" fashion. Things look like they've been standing for decades, much worse for the wear. Nothing looks like it's been kept up in the way you traditionally expect things at Disney to be, all in the name of being realistic. Yet, with all that "realism," they opted for steam outline engines. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Cannonball7 · Post by **Cannonball7** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:30 am

It sounds like a parking tram when it approaches the station. Very sad.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:08 pm

Yeah I wasn't that impressed by the railroad the last time I was there. The Railroad would have been so much nicer if it had been used as a way of getting around the park. Since the park is so large in the first place having a train around the park would have been a faster way to move from one side of the park to another.