Credit: Inside the MagicDisney’s Animal Kingdom is in the middle of one of the most significant transformation periods in the park’s history, and most of the headlines have rightfully gone to the big stuff. DinoLand U.S.A. closed permanently on February 2, 2026, clearing the path for Tropical Americas, a whole new land called Pueblo Esperanza set to debut in 2027. Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions are in active development. The park that opened in 1998 as a celebration of nature and conservation is being rebuilt from the inside out, and the changes are coming faster than most guests realize.
Tucked inside all of that activity is a quieter story, but one that matters quite a bit to long-time Animal Kingdom fans. Rafiki’s Planet Watch, an opening-day experience that has invited guests behind the scenes of the park’s veterinary and conservation efforts for nearly three decades, closed on February 23, 2026 for refurbishment. That closure was announced before this next detail was known, which makes it feel more significant in retrospect: when the experience reopens this summer, it will not be called Rafiki’s Planet Watch anymore.
The name Rafiki’s Planet Watch is being retired. What returns will be called Conservation Station, and it is going to look and feel very different from what guests said goodbye to last month.
What Is Actually Changing
To understand the full scope of this, it helps to know how Rafiki’s Planet Watch was structured. The overall experience — accessible only via the Wildlife Express Train from Harambe Station — was called Rafiki’s Planet Watch as an umbrella name. Inside that experience, the main indoor facility had always been called Conservation Station. Going forward, the entire destination will carry that name, with the indoor Conservation Station essentially becoming the identity of the whole thing rather than just one component of it.
The reason for the change is Bluey. The beloved Australian animated series is coming to Conservation Station with a brand new interactive experience called Bluey and Bingo, inviting families to immerse themselves in the show through games and animal encounters. Crucially, the animals featured will be native to Australia, the home country of Bluey’s Heeler family. The Affection Section, the petting zoo area that guests have loved for years, is staying but will be refreshed with new Australian animal species to match the Bluey theme.
One element that will not make the transition is The Animation Experience at Conservation Station, which allowed guests to learn how to draw Disney characters. That experience is not coming back in its current form, but the drawing-focused programming is not disappearing from the resort entirely. A new animation experience is set to open this summer inside The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is a meaningful consolation for guests who loved that part of the Animal Kingdom visit.
Why “Rafiki’s Planet Watch Is Closed Forever” Is Technically True
This is the part worth pausing on. When Rafiki’s Planet Watch closed its gates on February 23, 2026, it closed without any public announcement that it would reopen under a different name. That information came later. Which means, in the strictest sense, Rafiki’s Planet Watch closed without warning and will never reopen. The name is gone. An opening-day piece of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, present since the park welcomed its first guests on April 22, 1998, is finished.
Conservation Station as a destination is continuing and will be better than ever. But Rafiki’s Planet Watch as a named experience has ended quietly, which is the kind of thing Disney history enthusiasts tend to notice and remember.
How This Affects a Disney’s Animal Kingdom Visit
For guests planning a trip to Animal Kingdom in spring or early 2026, the Wildlife Express Train is also temporarily closed as part of the Conservation Station refurbishment, meaning the back section of the park is entirely inaccessible for now. Conservation Station is expected to reopen in Summer 2026, which would restore both the train and the updated Bluey experience at the same time.
Guests visiting before the reopening will not be missing a headliner attraction in the traditional sense, but Rafiki’s Planet Watch had a genuine following among families who appreciated its slower pace and educational depth. When Conservation Station does reopen, the Bluey additions are likely to make it significantly more popular with young families than it was in recent years, which is worth factoring into planning. Families with Bluey fans at home will want to build time into their Animal Kingdom day for it, and going earlier in the summer after opening may mean shorter wait times before word spreads.
Animal Kingdom right now is genuinely fascinating to visit if you are interested in watching a major theme park in active transition. The canvas is changing quickly, and Conservation Station’s transformation this summer is one more chapter in a story that is going to keep developing for years to come. If a visit to Animal Kingdom is in your plans for 2026, it is worth keeping an eye on that Summer 2026 reopening window — because the park coming out of this transformation is going to be worth seeing.