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

[justintheharris]

Zootopia anyone?

 

[ChrisFL]

So I'm guessing that also means no more train for the foreseeable future?

 

[spectromagic04]

Update: closing October 21st, no longer going seasonal.

While not the best area..... still sad this place is permanently closing. Hopefully they relocate some of the animals and Rafiki to other areas of the park.

 

[Princess Leia]

The speculation on what could reasonably replace it shall commence (we know it’s not Zootopia)

 

[disneygeek90]

This is actually pretty disappointing. I've only really discovered RPW about a year ago and I think it's really nice. What are the plans for the train?

 

[justintheharris]

The speculation on what could reasonably replace it shall commence (we know it’s not Zootopia)

How do we know it's not Zootopia?

 

[Rteetz]

Any word on what will happen to all the animals there?
Staying? Going to other institutions?

Animals will stay and be cared for. The animal care facilities will also continue to be used. The building will be used for events when needed.

 

[Princess Leia]

How do we know it's not Zootopia?

that’s not what I meant! Currently there are no plans for a Zootopia attraction in WDW as far as I know, as far as I can see (which is quite a way).

 

[Notes from Neverland]

Perhaps @marni1971 (sorry to bug you) can shed some light on whether this is cost-cutting or a move towards a future development?

 

[Rteetz]

Perhaps @marni1971 (sorry to bug you) can shed some light on whether this is cost-cutting or a move towards a future development?

As far as I know there is no immediate plan.

 

[prfctlyximprct]

If a new land is upon us, ADIOS

 

[justintheharris]

As far as I know there is no immediate plan.

I'm just speculating but I'm guessing both. They're cost cutting by closing it right now but also have plans for a development in the somewhat distant future. Post 2021.

 

[justintheharris]

Well do remember that plans constantly change. I mean.. this thread was about Rafiki's Planet Watch going seasonal and then here were are with it closing permanently.

 

[ChrisFL]

My guess is that they decided either that going seasonal wasn't enough of cost savings or that opening things back up "seasonally" wasn't worth the effort.

From how this is going, I also don't expect this to indicate a replacement coming soon, just cost-cutting.

 

[justintheharris]

My guess is that they decided either that going seasonal wasn't enough of cost savings or that opening things back up "seasonally" wasn't worth the effort.

From how this is going, I also don't expect this to indicate a replacement coming soon, just cost-cutting.

Again, off personal speculation, I would agree nothing will be coming soon. But I do think sometime after 2021 there will be a huge replacement whether it's Zootopia or something else.

 

[Spash007]

Man, I think I have a future vet in training and was really looking forward to letting her watch some of the procedures there. Hopefully that aspect will be moved somewhere else (though I don't see where, and doubt it)

 

[EPICOT]

It's probably too late for this, but I wish they would reroute the train tracks so they did some sort of loop around AK. Maybe a shuttle from Africa to Dinoland? Or they should bring back the boats as transportation.

 

[homerdance]

Great, sad to see the DTD/BST method, close an attraction, wait a year, then decide what you are doing with that area. Cheap.

 

[ChrisFL]

It's probably too late for this, but I wish they would reroute the train tracks so they did some sort of loop around AK. Maybe a shuttle from Africa to Dinoland? Or they should bring back the boats as transportation.

A train route like that would be great! but I don't expect it to happen. That would be a very useful route.

 

[Nautilus]

What an incredible bummer. I hope some sort of explanation comes out. RPW gives a much more valuable experience than any dance party. (I understand the cost between the two is very different..I just feel very bah humbug about the slew of dance parties, which I'm sure is being discussed elsewhere )