News Rafiki's Planet Watch is closing Oct. 21st will reopen in Summer 2019

[Rteetz]

That gives me another good reason to buy a SeaWorld pass. I know that Blackfish was a misstep, but at least someone cares about the animals. The possibility that they are favoring IP and rides over conservation and endangered animals makes me sick. They don't learn from their mistakes, going down the same path as Epcot.

The facility will still be used for animal care just not open to park guests. They can’t just get rid of the facility unless they built a new one or got rid of the animals.

 

[eddie104]

I'm sure we won't be seeing another land in AK, especially any with major IP tie-ins, for a long time. I can see a lot of additions/improvements to existing lands, especially Dinoland, and there are some ideas in consideration, as per our forum insiders. I still think it's a shame that South America or Australia were never built, especially pre-Pandora. I hope they are reconsidered for the RPW plot when the time comes.

Why wouldn't it get another land ? Just because they spend a lot of money on Pandora doesn't mean AK is finished or needs more love and attention.

 

[Fox&Hound]

AK is in serious need of more to do and they make RPW seasonal? Unbelievable....

I agree that this is a financial decision but could the bugs ride from CA coming to AK have any truth to it????

 

[Disney Maddux]

AK is in serious need of more to do and they make RPW seasonal? Unbelievable....

I agree that this is a financial decision but could the bugs ride from CA coming to AK have any truth to it????

Do we know if that's even happening?

 

[MisterPenguin]

I agree that this is a financial decision but could the bugs ride from CA coming to AK have any truth to it????

Not at all.

 

[Tavernacle12]

I’m planning on spending a full day there next month and was thinking that RPW would add something to do if my friends and I had some down time. Not anymore, I guess.

Just do Kilimanjaro Safari eight times and keep visiting the tigers. That plus waiting in line in Pandora should eat up the time (it’s what I did).

 

[WondersOfLife]

With Imagination! over in Epcot; the entire pavilion could easily go seasonal and the vast majority of parkgoers would likely not be disappointed by it's closure. Sad state of a pavilion. And it, like the Rafiki's Planet Watch area is due for an overhaul. (That's still happening right?) It wouldn't justify the closure but operating an area that isn't visited seems a waste. I could see it going seasonal.

Imagination has actually been having some lengthy lines recently, for whatever reason. (FP+ I'm guessing. Same with Nemo's ride.) Everytime I've been recently over the summer since May, it's had between a 20 to 30 minute wait. The Magic Eye Theatre is what could actually go under seasonal operation. I finally went to the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival during my last trip a few weeks ago... And it was a nice break from the heat. But boy were the forced special effects awkward... As well as that ginormous theater practically empty.

Rafiki's Planet Watch, on the other hand, truly IS dead! But I've got to say, those dark rooms with the headphones and comfy couches are the best napping location on Walt Disney World theme park property. They will be missed.

 

[matt9112]

Oh wow, what a bummer I can't really say that I'm surprised, though.
Definitely an overlooked area of the park. Could this be a hint of big changes being made to Animal Kingdom, or too soon to tell?

prob just to cut labor costs....you know its what disney is good at.

 

[matt9112]

Lots of cuts showing up on the board right now (this, Jack Sparrow, Citizens of Hollywood)...

how else can a multi billion dollar company pay for things?

 

[matt9112]

Still strange that a theme park that had 12,500,000 visitors last year need to budget cuts. Is this FOX related? Also both these forums and the universal one people say that attendance is severely down this year. Maybe because of Irma last year, and of course people are waiting with there trip for next years Galaxy's Edge.

its how the company is run for the better part of a decade related.

 

[MotherOfBirds]

Why wouldn't it get another land ? Just because they spend a lot of money on Pandora doesn't mean AK is finished or needs more love and attention.

I agree, but that's not how TDO runs these days. Pandora was a major undertaking, financially and otherwise, and hence they're going to be hesitant to make major additions like an entire land any less than 10ish years. Fantasyland got a major addition, then AK got Pandora, and DHS is getting Star Wars Land. They's especially averse to parting with money as of late, so I'm sure TDO will feel that "we're good" for a while. As much as I would like to see AK truly become a full day park, there are more minor things that need attention that may not seem like much, but are greater than the sum of their parts.

 

[Sonconato]

The facility will still be used for animal care just not open to park guests. They can’t just get rid of the facility unless they built a new one or got rid of the animals.

I am glad they will still care for the animals, but guests will no longer be educated. My family and I always used to go there and talk to the animal experts to learn.

 

[EPICOT]

I think we can officially state that this thread has jumped the shark!

 

[brb1006]

Think about how lonely the goats will be without all of the kids coming to see them.

Please think of the kids

 

[The Mom]

This is not a discussion on whether certain IPs belong in AK - regardless of how much you do or do not want them there. Please save these discussions until there is news of any new planned addition to the park. Thank you.

 

[Disney Maddux]

Please think of the kids

Those poor goats

 

[Spash007]

I think this area of the park showcases such an important aspect of AK in care for animals, and is very disappointed that it won't be available for a lot of the time. That said, I think it is very poorly executed in how far it is from the park. To go there, you really need to commit 2-3 hours between the train, walking up the hill and back, and then taking in the actual displays, animals, etc. The train itself is nothing special, and then the walk up the hill also really doesn't have much to it. I'm guessing this is done intentional in that you can't have the noise of crowds near the animals getting care, but with a more direct path I feel like it would be a lot more successful.

 

[Disney Maddux]

Ima just take a wild (no pun intended) guess and say this will probably reopen during Thanksgiving Break.

 

[seasalticecream]

We need to start a betting pool on what's gonna be cut next.

 

[MickeyMan36]

I have been going to WDW for many many year, and somehow our family has never made it to RPW. I was at AK with my son this March, and we were like, "what the heck? Let's do it." Check...... Not going back again. He is 12 now, and a petting zoo with a few barn animals doesn't interest him that much. If they had some interesting animals there to see, then that might have been a little more tolerable. Once I was there, all I wanted to do was leave. Seasonal is probably best for this attraction. The train was cool....