It’s not every day Guests visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, experience hail.
Florida is known for the sunshine and thunderstorms throughout the summer, but the air temperature rarely drops low enough for hail to fall from the sky.
Guests recently experienced this rare moment when visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom and even caught the unexpected weather on video.
Hailing At Disney World
One Walt Disney World Guest was visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom during a thunderstorm and decided to ride on Kilimanjaro Safari. This attraction allows guests to feel like they are on an authentic African safari as they ride through different land areas and spot various species of animals.
As they rode through the safaris, and as torrential rain poured down, surprisingly enough, the animals were out and about as they seemed to love the rain. Within minutes of boarding the attraction, the Guest noticed it began to hail!
@jaydeym Highly recommend riding the safari during a storm because almost all of the animals are out!! #kilimanjarosafaris #kilimanjarosafari #disneysafari #kilimanjarosafaridisney #disneyanimalkingdom #disneysanimalkingdom #disneyannualpassholder #dak #animalkingdom #animalkingdomlodge #animalkingdomdisney #disneyparks #waltdisneyworld #waltdisneyworldparks #disneyresort #parkhopping #florida #floridastorms #floridarain #animalkingdomsafari #animalkingdomrides #animals #disneycollegeprogram #dcp #dcp2023 #disneycastmember ♬ original sound – Jayde Carla Morrissette
The Guest even caught a piece of hail in her hand, which looked about an inch wide — something very usual for Florida.
“Highly recommend riding the safari during a storm because almost all of the animals are out!!” the TikTok user captioned the video, to which many replied, agreeing with her. “That’s the best time to ride it!” one fan wrote as another chimed in, “They get super active closer to the evening too.”
And a Disney Cast Member also had a tip for future Disney World Guests, writing, “Cute tip from a dak cm, the best time to go on is during feeding times 🥰🥰 usually the last couple of safaris!”
More On Kilimanjaro Safaris
The Kilimanjaro Safaris is an attraction located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom inside Walt Disney World Resort. Disney World describes the ride as, “Explore the Harambe Wildlife Reserve, home to over 30 species living in 110 acres of picturesque open plains, shady forest landscapes, and rocky wetlands. Your rugged safari vehicle is driven by an expert guide, who helps point out animals and shares fascinating wildlife facts during this extraordinary 18-minute expedition.”
Guests should keep their eyes peeled because a variety of animals roam throughout the land, ranging from hyenas to elephants to lions and more. Disney World shared, “Spot a lounging hippopotamus nestled in a peaceful pond. Behold a regal lion sunbathing on a rocky perch. Drive past a towering giraffe grazing on the tall trees or a white rhino relaxing in the cool mud. Other amazing animals you may encounter include cheetahs, crocodiles, elephants, hyenas, zebras—and so many more!”
Every time a Guest rides the Kilimanjaro Safaris, they are guaranteed to have a different experience. “Since animals have minds of their own, every expedition is a unique and unforgettable experience,” Disney shared. “Keep your eyes open and have a camera ready—you never know what you’ll see on a Kilimanjaro Safaris outing.”
