Trips to Walt Disney World are supposed to be magical experiences that you'll remember for a lifetime, but a few lucky guests to Walt Disney World this week got to witness something extra special as a giraffe in the Kilimanjaro Safari at Disney's Animal Kingdom gave birth this week, and guests on the attraction during the event actually were able to witness it happening.
The safari trucks that were carrying guests within view of the event slowed down to give everybody a view at the remarkable event taking place. From all accounts, the labor occurred without incident and it appears that several ride vehicles got to see the birth at various stages, so there were many making sure that everything turned out ok.
This is the second baby giraffe to be born in the Kilimanjaro Safari in less than a year. In October, a female calf was born, who, thanks to votes from Disney fans, has been named Amira, Swahili for princess.
According to Heavy, The Kilimanjaro Safari attraction was closed for a time following the birth, likely so that Disney cast members could tend to the mother and baby. The attraction has since reopened (and has about a 60 minute wait time as of this writing if you're curious). Disney parks has since confirmed the newborn is a boy.
While the Kilimanjaro Safari isn't the most popular attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom anymore, that would be Flight of Passage in the Avatar-themed land, it once was, and it's still a major draw. Modified jeeps take guests into a recreation of African wilderness, on a piece of land that is, by itself, larger than the square footage of the entirety of Disneyland in California.
Every ride of the safari is truly unique as the animals roam about the space with some degree of freedom, so you never quite know what you'll see. The freedom is not absolute, as there are barriers keeping certain animals within certain spaces, but the creative Disney Imagineers have made sure these barriers aren't visible to the guests, so everything looks wide open. It's the closest most of us will get to an actual African safari, and it fits the bill quite nicely.
Unfortunately, if you've got a vacation planned to Walt Disney World and you're hoping to catch a glimpse of the newborn, that won't be possible. Mother and child will be kept behind the scenes for the next month or two so the pair can nurse and bond properly. Then they'll be let out for the world to see.
