Credit: DisneyAn incident unfolded at Disney’s Animal Kingdom yesterday when a guest exited their ride vehicle during Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Opened on Earth Day in 1998, Kilimanjaro Safaris remains one of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s signature attractions. The sprawling ride takes guests through the fictional Harambe Wildlife Reserve, where they encounter more than 30 species including lions, elephants, giraffes, and rhinos across 110 acres of savanna.
Unlike traditional Disney attractions, Kilimanjaro Safaris operates with live animals and ever-changing ride conditions, meaning no two journeys are exactly alike. Disney has previously paused the attraction due to animal crossings, weather conditions, and guest safety incidents involving ride vehicles.
Yesterday, one such incident involved a guest who decided to leave their vehicle halfway through the attraction.
Guest Clambers Into Off-Limits Area of Kilimanjaro Safaris
TikToker @itsedwinlv shared a video from Animal Kingdom on May 5 that showed a guest climbing out of the vehicle and running towards shrubbery to use the bathroom mid-ride.
@itsedwinlv So this happened today at Animal Kingdom during the Safari Ride
In the background, other guests can be heard remarking “they’re gonna kick him out of the park now” while another safari vehicle is held behind the truck. The man’s daughter is also shown looking on in shock, as well as calling, “Daddy, hurry up, they’re waiting for you.”
Eventually, the man runs back to the truck and climbs back onto the side of the truck while insisting, “Sorry, I had to.” He was then summoned to the front by a Disney cast member, where he was presumably reprimanded.
While not shown on video, it’s safe to say that the man was later removed from the park – and, most likely, trespassed from Disney property.
A Pattern of Guest Behavior at Disney
It goes without saying that exiting a ride vehicle is dangerous at the best of times. However, on Kilimanjaro Safaris, guests are traveling through an open wildlife reserve populated by large and potentially unpredictable animals, making Disney’s strict safety rules especially important.
It’s not clear at what point during the attraction the guest exited his vehicle, or whether doing so placed him in any immediate danger from its animal residents.
We’ve previously seen guests pull similar stunts on attractions such as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover at Magic Kingdom, and Autopia at Disneyland Park.
Most famously, a guest exited their boat on “it’s a small world” and stripped naked in 2023. The guest in question was arrested and later found to have drugs in their system at the time of the incident.
Disney has long enforced strict rules around guests exiting ride vehicles due to the serious safety risks involved. Sudden stops, moving ride systems, restricted backstage areas, and, in the case of Kilimanjaro Safaris, live animals, can quickly turn a rule violation into a dangerous situation for both guests and cast members.
Have you ever witnessed anything this wild at Disney?
