Ride: Kali River Rapids

Set out on a thrilling whitewater adventure through a lush jungle in the heart of Asia.

Ride Information

Composite Review (4.5 / 5)

Kali River Rapids is a highly popular white-water rafting attraction located in the Asia section of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Based on a representative set of Google Reviews, the consensus among guests is clear: it is a welcome and necessary dose of relief on a hot Florida day, with the main draw being the almost guaranteed possibility of getting absolutely soaked.

The Experience and Atmosphere

The attraction is praised for its exceptional Disney-level storytelling. The queue winds through beautifully detailed ruins, artifacts, and offices of the fictional Kali Rapids Expeditions, which sets a compelling narrative about the dangers of illegal logging in the jungle. Many consider the queue to be "one of the best, most beautiful details in all of Animal Kingdom!"

Once aboard the circular, 12-person raft, the journey takes riders through mild rapids, past a scene of deforestation and smoldering embers, and then culminates in the key feature: a thrilling 20-25 foot drop that creates a massive splash. The constant, unpredictable spinning of the raft ensures that every ride is different and that the soaking is a random game of chance.

What Visitors Are Saying

• Getting Wet
  • Pros: "The Kali Rapids is a great option if you're looking to get absolutely soaked in the middle of a hot day." "Getting soaked in the Florida heat is a welcome relief."
  • Cons: The soaking is random. Some lament that they "came off Kali with nothing more than a sprinkle," while others report being "completely soaked from head to toe!"
• Ride Duration
  • Main Complaint: The ride is considered too short. It is typically 3-5 minutes on the water, which many guests find disproportionate to the long standby wait times (often 60+ minutes).
  • "The main part of the experience is way too short. And to be honest, as far as raft rides go, it's not very wild."
• Logistics
  • Pro: "The line moves pretty quickly because the ride floats keep moving around a rotating platform."
  • Con: The load/unload process requires quick action: "It can be a little stressing though as the group has to move quickly to get in, get seated, and seatbelts secured."

Essential Tips

• Protect Your Items: Be warned, the center storage compartment on the raft is not reliably waterproof and "gets wetter and wetter" as the day goes on. It is highly recommended to bring a plastic bag or waterproof case for mobile devices and cameras or use the nearby complimentary lockers (available for a limited time).
• Dress for the Drench: Many experienced guests wear a poncho, but even this may not save your shoes and feet from getting soaked. A recurring tip is to "bring a change of clothes to AK just for this ride," or at least wear quick-drying materials and appropriate footwear, as "there's nothing more uncomfortable than walking around half a day in the Florida heat in sopping wet sneakers."
• It often closes seasonally for refurbishment during cooler months.

Reference

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/kali-river-rapids/