We love Kali River Rapids on a hot day for a quick cooldown . PHOTO BY LAURIE SAPP
WATER , WATER EVERYWHERE … FOR NOW As enchanting as the queue might be , it doesn ’ t hold a candle — or a smashedbamboo paintbrush — to the experience of the ride itself . Guests climb aboard a large raft that seats up to 12 riders in pairs of two , each carrying a Kali Rapids Expeditions-branded lifesaver and a unique name . You might ride aboard the Irrawaddy Daddy , the Thamel Teacup , or the Khatmandoozy , for instance .
Things start slow as you climb up that impressive hill under the blue sky and dense vegetation that is characteristic of Florida itself and the Asian areas where the story is set . As you sit back , breathe deeply and enjoy the scents of Indian jasmine and ginger , which are infused into the sprays of water that warn you things are about to get rowdy — but reasonable .
After cresting the hill , you and your party will travel down the river , swinging around curves , buffeted by waves , and always with the view of Expedition Everest looming in the background . Unlike the metal rails and hard wooden logs that make Splash Mountain so intense , Kali River Rapids is constructed with bounceable rubber … which makes for a gentle-enough-for-kiddos ride experience but also means you never know where on the boat you ’ ll end up . As the raft spins and turns , you ’ ll pass through multiple jets of water , including some friendly fire from overly excited elephants . The warning sign is right : You ’ ll definitely get wet , and you may indeed end up soaked . Good thing that powerful Florida sun makes it a refreshing experience !
But whether you walk off the ride dripping or only gently misted , you ’ ll have experienced with your own senses the power and preciousness of our natural resources : the water we can ’ t live without and the trees we use for everything from fuel to shelter . Along that rushing river , you ’ ll have seen the knocked-down , hacked-out remains of the tropical hardwood forests destroyed in both this Disney fiction and our real world .
This just goes to show you : Important lessons can still be fun to learn if they ’ re designed well . What you do with that knowledge ? Well , that part is entirely up to you .