Exciting news for Bluey fans at Disney World — with a small trade-off.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has announced MORE closures affecting parts of the park. While we’re still reeling from the loss of DinoLand U.S.A., Disney’s already looking ahead for preparations to begin for a brand-new Bluey meet and greet experience coming soon. While this update opens the door for something exciting, it also means a few familiar offerings will be unavailable for a period of time.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is gearing up for some changes this year, and part of that involves temporarily closing a couple of beloved park experiences. In an effort to make way for a new Bluey meet and greet and play experience coming in Summer 2026, Disney recently announced that the Affection Section and the Wildlife Express Train will be temporarily closing on February 23rd as preparations get underway.
The Bluey experience will feature opportunities to play, dance, and interact with Bluey and Bingo, along with elements inspired by Bluey episodes, and is expected to debut at Conservation Station within Rafiki’s Planet Watch later this Summer. Disney has shared that the experience will include Australian-themed elements and a meet and greet with Bluey and Bingo themselves!
To support this new offering, parts of the current Rafiki’s Planet Watch area are being temporarily closed starting on February 23rd. These closures will include the Affection Section (Animal Kingdom’s only petting zoo, where you can interact with animals) and the Wildlife Express Train (the heritage railroad that takes you between Harambe Station and Rafiki’s Planet Watch).
The closures have raised mixed reactions among Disney fans. Many longtime fans appreciate the animal interactions and quieter experience that Rafiki’s Planet Watch offers, which is a contrast to the busier trails and attractions elsewhere in the park, and are hopeful that Disney will find a way to blend the new Bluey experience with the existing offerings rather than replace them entirely.
At this time, Disney has not confirmed specific reopening dates for the Affection Section or the Wildlife Express Train, nor have they announced how much of Rafiki’s Planet Watch will be reimagined for Bluey. The Animation Experience will also be closing as part of these changes. If you’re planning visits to Animal Kingdom this spring and summer, we recommend keeping an eye on our latest updates and further announcements about these closures and when you can expect to see them reopen.
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How do you feel about the changes happening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Tell us in the comments below!
Sooo I guess there will be no way to access Rafiki during this time 😩 The train ride is the first thing we do when entering AK. This stinks as we will be there in early March.
More IP over what makes the park unique.