The Wildlife Express Train at Harambe Station at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
When it comes to train rides, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has an almost hidden gem, the Wildlife Express Train. This charming train transports guests to and from Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station, a separate land at the back of the park beyond Africa.
The Wildlife Express Train operates daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Those hours fluctuate throughout the year, depending on the season. You can check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit. A sign will be posted near the train’s entrance that lists the last departure for the day.
Below are a few quick details about the Wildlife Express Train.
| Wildlife Express Train | Disney’s Animal Kingdom |
|---|---|
Location: | Harambe and Conservation Station |
Height Requirement: | None |
Ride Type: | Slow-Moving Train |
Seats Per Vehicle: | Two Rows of Benches per Car |
Rider Switch: | None |
Early Theme Park Entry: | No |
Extended Evening Hours: | No |
Lightning Lane: | No |
Good For: | Anyone |
Stroller Parking: | Most strollers need to be left in the stroller parking area at Harambe Station. |
Must-Do List: | Low Priority |
Perfect For: | All Ages |
| Disney Says: | Travel aboard a rustic, slow-moving train to Conservation Station to observe the backstage operations of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and learn about animal conservation. |
Accessibility: A separate wheelchair-accessible vehicle is available for guests who remain in wheelchairs or ECVs. Handheld captioning and assistive listening are available at this attraction.
The Wildlife Express Train’s History
Disney’s Animal Kingdom railway is part of the fictional Eastern Star Railway, which runs from Lusaka to Nairobi and Kisangani. In reality, Severn Lamb of Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, built the steam locomotives in 1997. The Wildlife Express Train was an opening-day attraction.
Riding the Train
Bluey’s Wild World is a separate park area with a few hands-on experiences and activities throughout the day. The train station entrance is toward the back of the park, between Harambe Market and Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Animal Kingdom’s Wildlife Express train runs approximately every 10 minutes. The train station is under a large covered pavilion.
When the train arrives, returning guests disembark. Then you can board.
The full journey is 1.2 miles long and takes approximately 7 minutes.
For those only wanting to take a train ride, you’ll stay on at Conservation Station. After the train reloads, you’ll continue the round-trip ride back to Harambe.
One perk of taking the Wildlife Express Train is seeing some backstage areas and animal housing. Like most behind-the-scenes glimpses of Disney, the view won’t be as pretty as what you see in public areas. But it’s always interesting to see how things work behind the scenes. You’ll pass where the White Rhinos and African Elephants are housed. These are the same elephants you might see on Kilimanjaro Safaris and the Caring for Giants tour.
Toward the back of this photo is the Cheetah building. Like the cheetahs on the safari, their building is difficult to see.
We almost always see a few ostriches running along the fence line.
Once you reach Conservation Station, you can walk down to Bluey’s Wild World and Jumping Junction.
The walkway from the train station to Conservation Station isn’t long, but it’s longer than you might expect. If it starts raining, you could get soaked. We always try to keep a lightweight rain jacket, umbrella, and disposable poncho in our backpacks. Rain is common at Disney World in the summer, especially in the afternoons. We’ve experienced many rain showers during our visits to this area of the park.
Pay attention to the closing announcements if you’re in the last group of guests at Conservation Station toward the end of the day. They will wait until everyone has boarded the train to leave the station. You probably don’t want to be the last family to stroll up while everyone else is already sitting on the train, waiting for it to leave. If you are in that last group, remember to be patient. The train will not depart until everyone has boarded.
The Resorts Gal Spin on the Wildlife Express
We’re giving the Wildlife Express Train the green light! You can experience it anytime with little to no wait!
Resorts Gal Traffic Signals
Green Light
We give an attraction the green light if we consider it a must-do, regardless of the posted wait. We also give the green light for attractions we deem suitable to experience anytime. For example, some attractions have high capacities. Therefore, the lines continuously move, and you shouldn’t have a long wait unless the attraction experiences downtime.
Red Light
We recommend checking the posted wait times for red light attractions. Then, make a quick judgment call on whether to wait, skip it, or return later. We also give some attractions the red light that we feel might not be suitable based on our experience.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Wildlife Express Train is a fun experience, especially if you need a break. However, we prefer to tour the area rather than just loop the railway. Either way, I hope you’ll enjoy the train ride. For similar attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, see our list of rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Or, for other parks, see our Disney World Rides and Attractions guide. It links to attraction guides for all four theme parks.
Our Disney World Resorts guide covers the hotels and everything they offer. You might also like our overview of dining at Disney World and our Disney World Characters List. Need to learn how to get around? Our comprehensive Disney World Transportation Guide is one of our top resources.
If you’re just getting started, you might like our Disney World Vacation Planning Guide. It brings together the resources you need to plan your visit. Check back with ResortsGal.com for more updates.
In the Comments
Have you ever ridden the Wildlife Express Train? Let us know in the comments.