The Wildlife Express Train is an attraction located in [[Disney's Animal Kingdom]]
{{Infobox Disney ride |
| image=WildlifeWildlife2.jpg| caption='''The Wildlife Express Train in the statiotakes guests between Africa and Rafiki's Planet Watch.'''
| land=Rafaki's Planet Watch, Africa
| opened=April 22, 1998
| speed_mph= 10
| custom_label_1= Duration
| custom_value_1= 12 <br>Minutes (Roundtrip)
| custom_label_2= Capacity per Train
| custom_value_2= 250| custom_label_3= Disney Genie +| custom_value_3= No}}The Wildlife Express Train is an attraction located in [[Disney's Animal Kingdom]]. The train travels from [[Africa]] to [[Rafiki's Planet Watch]]==Attraction History==Early plans for Disney's Animal Kingdom called for a steam engine railway which would have taken guests through the Savannah plains. This idea was modified however, when concerns about the safety of the animals was raised. Instead, Disney decided to create a steam engine that would take guests from the Village of Harambe in the Africa section of the park to Conservation Station. Imagineer George McGinnis came out of retirement to design the locomotives for the attraction<ref name= "book"/>. They were designed to give guests the impression that the trains had been traveling through Africa for a hundred years, collecting grime and rust along the way<ref name= "book"/>. According to Imagineer Joe Rhode:
==Attraction Description and History==The Wildlife Express Train is {{Quotation| We're creating a locomotive steam engine look for vehicles that takes guests from the village of Harambe would be seen today in Africa to Rafiki's Planet Watch and vice versa. The train takes guests on a 1.2 mile circuit, along a narrow path between Africa and Asia. Along the way, guests can get a backstage view of the animal care facilities where the park's animals are kept overnight. According to Disney, “The three engines and two sets of cars belonging to the Wildlife Express line were built long after their original use in 1997 only a few miles from William Shakespeare's cottage Europe in Stratford-on-Avon by the model-railroad firm of Severn Lamb, Ltd., at Alchester, England.”late 1800s<ref name= "book"/>}}
Early plans for Animal Kingdom called for a steam engine railway which would have taken guests through the Savannah plains. The idea was changed however after concerns about rail cars and engines themselves were built in 1997 Stratford-on-Avon by the safety model-railroad firm of Severn Lamb, Ltd., at Alcester, England <ref name= "parksblog"> https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/11/where-at-disney-parks-can-you-find-13/?comment_sort=asc </ref>. Production of the animals locomotives was raisedoverseen by Imagineers Bob Harpur and Joel Fritsche<ref name= "book"/>. Since the Wildlife Express Train opened Finally, on April 22, 1998, no significant changes have happened to the attractionWildlife Express Train opened with the rest of Disney's Animal Kingdom.
==Fun Facts and Trivia==* According to the attraction's backstoryOn October 11, 2018, the Wildlife Express Train is a part closed along with the rest of Rafiki's Planet Watch <ref> https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/rafikis-planet-watch/news/21sep2018-rafikis-planet-watch-permanently-closing-in-october.htm </ref>. The attraction reopened on July 11, 2019, with a new narration that showcases the fictional Eastern Star Railwayrelationship between Walt Disney and nature <ref> https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/rafikis-planet-watch/news/11jul2019-photos---animation-experience-at-conservation-station-opens-at-disneys-animal-kingdom.htm </ref>.
* Harambe ==Attraction Description==The Wildlife Express Train is Swahili for "coming together"a locomotive steam engine that takes guests from the village of Harambe in [[Africa]] to Rafiki's Planet Watch and vice versa. The train takes guests on a 1.2 mile circuit, along a narrow path between Africa and Asia <ref> http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/animal-kingdom/attractions/wildlife-express-train/ </ref>. Along the way, guests can get a backstage view of the animal care facilities where the park's animals are kept overnight.
==Fun Facts and Trivia==* On According to the way from Rafikiattraction's Planet Watch to Africabackstory, guests can get the Wildlife Express Train is a glimpse part of the backstage behind Asiafictional Eastern Star Railway <ref name= "Jack"> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2009/07/rafikis_planet_watch_the_forgo.html </ref>.
* It takes seven minutes to get On the way from Harambe, Africa to Rafiki's Planet Watchto Africa, but only five minutes to make guests can get a glimpse of the return tripbackstage behind Asia <ref name= "Jack"/>.
* On top of the trainsIt takes seven minutes to get from Harambe to Rafiki's Planet Watch, red and green bins can be found. These are meant but only five minutes to represent make the luggage that passengers have brought aboard the trainreturn trip <ref> http://www. disneytrivia.net/park_pages/wdw_ak_attractions_africa_wet.php </ref>. * The color of the bins is a good way to tell builder’s plates on the trains apartsay that the engines were built in 1926 by Beyer Peacock of Gorton Foundry, Manchester <ref> http://amusementpics.com/TPTWDW.html </ref>.
* The engine with On top of the serial number 02594 has been named trains, red and green bins can be found. These are meant to represent the Rluggage that passengers have brought aboard the train. Baba Harpoor in honor The color of Imagineer Bob Harpur.the bins is a good way to tell the trains apart <ref name==References==http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/wdw/parks"Jack"/ak_wetrain>.html
* The trains used on the Wildlife Express have the serial numbers 02594, 04982 and 00174 <ref> http://touringplansamusementpics.com/animal-kingdomTPTWDW.html </attractions/wildlife-express-train-africa-stationref>.
http* The train with the serial number 02594 has been named the R. Baba Harpoor in honor of Imagineer Bob Harpur <ref name= "book"> https://disneyworldbooks.disney.gogoogle.com/parks/animalbooks?id=BupsDEZOLYUC&pg=PA385&lpg=PA385&dq=Animal+Kingdom+R.+Baba+Harpoor+i&source=bl&ots=dj3EIUI5qL&sig=674U7Iu6qAIcdHi1pc21LWtW-kingdom/attractions/wildlife-express-trainsE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwibj5WnltPMAhUJIcAKHZT_BvIQ6AEIKDAC#v=onepage&q=Animal%20Kingdom%20R.%20Baba%20Harpoor%20i&f=false </ref>. ==References==
