Rafiki's Planet Watch Temporarily Closing In Animal Kingdom This Month

Disney have announced the temporary closure of Rafiki’s Planet Watch to make way for the new Bluey attraction due to open this summer. The closure begins on 23rd February and will affect your park planning, especially if you have any little ones or were planning on using a trip to Conservation Station for a relax.

What’s Closing?

The whole of Rafiki’s Planet Watch is closing on 23rd February 2026, to make the changes needed for the new Bluey attraction. The following attractions will be closed:

• Conservation Station

• Wildlife Express

• Affection Section

• The Animation Experience at Conservation Station

On their website Disney state that all these attractions:

Disney have not provided a reopening date at this time, so the length of the closure is unknown; it is possible it could be until the summer season.

How This Affects Your Planning And Park Days

This is the second land closure in Animal Kingdom in February 2026, following the closure of DINOSAUR and Dinoland USA. These closures are necessary for the development of Animal Kingdom, however closing two lands at the same time is going to impact your park day.

For families, Rafiki’s Planet Watch provides a quieter area which is perfect for families and people looking to indulge in a bit of drawing. A quieter and more educational area, families with younger children will be looking for an area to relax.

There is not a replacement for Affection Station, as there is not a similar experience in any other Disney Park in Orlando. More time on the animal trails and treks will help you to interact with animals, but you just won’t be able to touch them.

The trails are often quieter too, but may be busier at this time with the closed areas.

What Will Happen Next

To keep your planning accurate, keep an eye out for the following key pieces of information Disney is likely to publish next:

• The reopening timeline for Rafiki’s Planet Watch area

• Whether the Bluey experience will require a virtual queue, (unknown at this stage)

• Any updates on what happens to Animation Experience going forward as it may be moving

Magic In A Minute

From 23rd February 2026, Animal Kingdom's Rafiki’s Planet Watch will close temporarily to create a new Bluey adventure opening in summer 2026. So, if Rafiki's Planet Watch is on your list, plan to do it before the 23rd February or be ready to swap it out.