The Random CLOSURE That Happens at Disney's Animal Kingdom Every Day

This area of Animal Kingdom closes early EVERY day, for a very good reason…

Animal Kingdom

Ever since opening in 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has always had different operating hours compared to Disney World’s other parks, thanks to the needs of the park’s live animals. Even with expansions like Pandora: The World of Avatar, certain areas of the park still operate on their own hours, including one area that closes EARLY every single day.

Case in point: The Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch is one of the most interesting areas in the park. Dedicated to the park’s conservation message, the area offers guests a behind-the-scenes look at Animal Kingdom’s inner workings, including access to:

Veterinary Treatment Room where guests can “get a close-up look at the place we care for the animals—and even glimpse a procedure in progress.”
Nutrition Center: Where guests “watch experts prepare meals for the park residents.
Amphibian, Reptile and Invertebrate Windows: Where guests can “creep over to see some tarantulas, scorpions, millipedes and snakes.”
Science Center: Where guests can “check out what our resident scientists are working on.”

Animal care center

The area also includes a petting zoo, an animation attraction, and occasionally meet and greets including with the area’s namesake.

Rafiki!

The area is the ONLY Animal Kingdom land not directly connected to Discovery Island. Instead, guests can only access the Conservation Station through the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, which departs from Harambe.

Wildlife Express

The last daily train departs from Harambe Station at 4:30 PM, and the area CLOSES to guests at 5:00, which is earlier than the rest of the Animal Kingdom theme park. The early closure time is related to the needs of the animals who are cared for and on display in the area.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch

Make sure you stop by Conservation Station next time you’re at Animal Kingdom… as long as you do so early enough! Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Disney’s hours.