A man got off the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom mid-ride to urinate in the bushes — in full view of other guests, cast members, the animals, and his own young child. A video shows the man running several yards from the stopped vehicle into the surrounding vegetation while a second truck waits behind. As he climbs back in, he says: “I’m super sorry, I had to.”
The cast member driving the truck had other plans. “Don’t climb back up there,” she told him. “Come over here.”
The original video, posted by Edwin Valencap (@itsedwinlv), has since amassed 3.2 million views.
In the background, multiple guests can be heard muttering that he’s going to get kicked out of the park. Then the camera pans to the man’s young son, who looks visibly confused.
Self-proclaimed theme park enthusiast and expert Peter Petrella (@peterpetrella) posted a commentary video that has since gone viral. In it Petrella breaks down exactly why this was so much worse than your average theme park rule violation.
What is the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride?
The Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is an open-air ride through 110 acres of savanna-style habitat. There are all kinds of animals: giraffes, zebras, elephants, rhinos, and more. They roam relatively freely and the vehicles are open on the sides, so there’s little separation between guests and the wildlife.
As one TikToker commented, “The animals are desensitized, NOT domesticated.”
That distinction matters. Herbivores like giraffes and zebras can walk directly up to the vehicles and, while they aren’t predators, any startled large animal is capable of causing serious harm. The carnivores (lions and cheetahs) are kept separated from the trucks by hidden barriers. That’s one reason why people should not hop out of the vehicle and run towards the bushes.
Dad seen as a bad example
The part of the video that has stuck with most people isn’t the man, but the child who had to witness his dad’s behavior.
In the background of the original clip, a young voice can be heard: “Daddy, hurry up, they are waiting for you!”
Petrella didn’t mince words.
“Not only is the actual thing that you’re doing incredibly disrespectful, incredibly dangerous — you’re knowingly doing it in front of your little kid,” he said. “As a parent, you’re supposed to be an example. I am horrified for the child that has to experience this kind of a life, because the fact that the man was so confidently able to do this means that he likely does a lot worse back home.”
What should he have done?
The most common response: just hold it.
“People kept saying ‘what was he supposed to do?!’” wrote lionkingheidi. “Uhh freaking HOLD IT.” Tinkerbellsflight agreed, “‘I had to! I had to!’ No, sir, you absolutely did not have to.”
Athenasayswoof noted, “That was a long pee, that means he knew he had to go beforehand.” Minnies.nail.nook echoed the same, writing, “If he had to go that bad mid-ride, he needed to go WELL BEFORE the ride started.”
Audreeday chimed in, “I would literally rather piss my pants instead of getting me and my children lifetime bans.”
Emilyod1011 cut straight to the consequences: “That’s a lifetime ban right there.”
Ladysteel207 suggested it may even be worse than a lifetime ban from Disney, “Well those are indecent exposure charges too.”
Weebmom45 flung a stray at another theme park, “That’s Six Flags behavior.”
“Touching every single pole after touching his pole is crazy work,” Impasia joked.
Several comments kept coming back to the son. “That poor baby had to listen to everyone talk about his daddy,” wrote leannerileyy. Ajandmomma said, “That poor kid’s whole day/trip ruined.”
And somewhere in the background of the original video, an unidentified guest can be heard asking the question on everyone’s mind: “Is he gonna wash his hands?” (Narrator: He did not.)
What happened next?
The original video cuts off before any official consequences are shown. According to WDW News Today, Disney has not confirmed the guest’s identity or whether he was banned. One can assume a lifetime ban from Walt Disney World is the typical consequence for exiting a ride vehicle or urinating in public.
Disney, Valencap, and Petrella did not respond to requests for comment.
