Hi Yvette! Kilimanjaro Safari is my absolute favorite ride at the Animal Kingdom. I have MANY favorites, so this is saying a lot ;)
I can understand why reading the "warnings" would cause you to think twice. My youngest daughter first rode the Safari at 3 months old in my arms. Her sister was 2 1/2 at the time. Since then, between our 5 kids, they have ridden at the following ages: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11...almost every age up to 17. :)
The ride is in open-air safari type vehicle as you can see in this photo :
Safari . It
can be quite bumpy at times, as you are riding on a dirt road. To me, that is half the fun as it makes it very authentic. There are even a few spots that intentionally jostle you around (I won't spoil it for you). They recommend that adults sit on the outside edges of the bench seats, with children towards the middle. Our youngest kids generally end up split between my lap and my husband's so they can get a birds-eye-view of the animals (just be sure to hold on tight).
No two Safari rides are ever the same, and you will likely see different animals if you go in the morning versus the afternoon. It is hard to describe the look of wonder in a child's eyes when she first sees a REAL giraffe crazing in the fields, or the excitement when she spots a big elephant "like Dumbo". If I were you, I'd ride it twice...starting and ending the day on this captivating ride.
Have a Magical vacation with your little girl!