The only thing better than one crane at Animal Kingdom is two cranes at Animal Kingdom. And we’re not talking about birds. Today, Kali River Rapids closed for refurbishment. Plugged-in Disney fans will say that an October refurbishment for Kali River Rapids sounds a bit weird, and you’d be right. Walt Disney World moved the traditional early-year Kali River Rapids refurbishment to October after it was announced that the rest of DinoLand USA, including the DINOSAUR attraction, would permanently close on February 2nd. Here’s a look at the brand new crane from our visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this morning.
Kali River Rapids Now Closed for Refurbishment
A telescopic crane could be spotted from around the eastern half of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, likely doing some early backstage work during the refurbishment. We’ll speculate a bit on what we think the crane could be used for in a minute, but first, some photos.
This first photo comes from the DinoLand USA side of the Discovery River Amphitheater, looking north toward the direction of Kali River Rapids.
Other viewpoints for the crane include the gibbon enclosures near the entrance to the Kali River Rapids attraction.
The crane was an imposing presence in the Maharajah Jungle Trek, notably near the Tiger exhibits. It’s this particular vantage point that makes me think that the crane was removing Kali River Rapids rafts from the nearby backstage pool/maintenance area for refurbishment. Walt Disney World has not offered details of the refurbishment.
Of course, signage is covered at the main entrance to the ride, and there are construction walls blocking walkways at the ride entrance and exit.
Walt Disney World has not yet announced a reopening date for Kali River Rapids, but the ride will reopen sometime in December. Kali River Rapids refurbishments typically include draining the rapids trough for maintenance activities within the ride path and in show scenes.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
