Credit: DisneyKali River Rapids at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park has shut down once again for its annual multi-month refurbishment period.
According to the Disney World website, the river raft ride will be closed from now until April 1, 2021.
Check it out:
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This same event happened last year and we reported that the 2020 refurbishment was expected to last from January through March 20. Walt Disney World Resort, however, temporarily closed from March 20 through mid-July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Disney World officials have not confirmed why the 2021 refurbishment is expected to last longer than last year’s maintenance.
Kali River Rapids is one of the oldest attractions at Animal Kingdom, first opening on March 18, 1999. Along with Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom and Frozen Ever After at EPCOT, it is one of the popular water rides found at Disney World’s four theme parks.
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Disney World describes the thrilling attraction on its website as:
Set out on a thrilling whitewater adventure through a lush jungle in the heart of Asia.
Raft Down a Rip-Roaring River
Skim across an erupting geyser, drift below a canopy of lush vegetation and be whisked along fast-moving rapids. Graze gushing waterfalls and bedrock amid the raging current. Then, as the harmony of nature is disrupted, you’ll plummet down a dramatic 20-foot slope!
You Will Get Wet
You will surely get splashed on this attraction—and you may even get soaked. Guests wishing to remain dry are encouraged to bring a waterproof poncho, extra clothes or a towel to dry off.
Lockers for mobile devices and other items you want to stay dry are located across from the entrance to Kali River Rapids and are available during your ride (on a first-come, first-served basis).
Yes, it is Florida, but even at the heart of the Sunshine State, it can get cold with temperatures falling well into the 40s in January and February and arguably staying too low for such a water ride through the beginning of March. This is why it has a seasonal closure, just like Walt Disney World’s water parks Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.
If this is routine, why is it news?
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All of us here at Inside the Magic continue to report on ride closures because we want our readers to go into their next Walt Disney World vacation with the proper expectations. For many would-be Guests, an entire Disney Park day is centered around being able to experience one attraction and one attraction closure can affect the wait times found at others that are open. So, when any attraction is set to be closed for multiple months at a time — as in not just another hour-long or one-day technical issue — it becomes imperative to inform Guests on the updated experience they can expect.
As it stands now, all of the other attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are scheduled to remain open, including Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR, and Avatar: Flight of Passage.
If you are planning a Spring trip to Animal Kingdom, or anywhere else at the Walt Disney World Resort, our friends at Academy Travel are standing by ready to help you make this next trip as magical as possible. Click here to learn more and to receive your free, no-obligation quote today!
Do you like Kali River Rapids? How does it rank among your favorite Animal Kingdom attractions? Let us know in the comments!