Meet Rafiki at Rafiki’s Planet Watch at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Rafiki from Disney’s animated film The Lion King meets guests daily at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You can find him at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. The mandrill, who serves as the shaman of the pride, rotates this location with Timon. This location, of course, was named after Rafiki, who has met here off-and-on as far back as I can remember. That said, he took a hiatus for quite some time. He returned with Timon to this location a few years ago as part of a special summer celebration for the film’s 30th anniversary. Since then, Rafiki appears to have settled back here for the time being. He has been part of the regular character lineup in the My Disney Experience app for enough time to warrant an update. Below, we’ll discuss the details for meeting Rafiki, including a few photos and details for this location.
Before we dive into the details, you’ll want to be aware that major construction is currently underway at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This means changes are inevitable. In addition to this, Rafiki’s Planet Watch is also where Bluey and Bingo are expected to debut sometime this upcoming summer. Our best advice is:
- Check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit to confirm availability, times, and locations. (We’ve included those instructions below.)
- If you can’t find a character, ask a cast member wearing a blue shirt if they can help you locate them. The cast members who work the character meet-and-greets wear blue shirts and khaki pants or shorts. The best place to find them is at another meet-and-greet.
Here are the My Disney Experience app instructions:
How to Locate Characters in the My Disney Experience App
- Open the My Disney Experience app and select the pin drop at the bottom of the home screen.
- Scroll (left to right) through the icons at the top of the screen and select “Characters.”
- After selecting characters, use the locations drop-down to select the park of your choice.
- Then, on the bottom right of the screen, select “Show List.”
- Scroll through the list of characters with their times and locations.
- As an alternative, you can use the map view to locate characters.
*As the day passes, you might notice that characters disappear from the app. When their last scheduled time passes, the meet-and-greet automatically disappears. A new schedule won’t be loaded until the following day. It is essential to check the app for meet-and-greets on the day of your visit.
Learn More: How to Use the My Disney Experience App to Locate Characters (Full Tutorial)
You’ll also want to be aware that this location works a little differently from most. You must take the Wildlife Express Train to get to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Rafiki’s Planet Watch is in a separate area of the park. The train station’s entrance is at the back of Harambe, near Kilimanjaro Safaris. A large sign hangs over the walkway leading to the Wildlife Express Train. You must board the train and take it to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. The train runs approximately every 10 minutes. While you’re at it, you might run into Goofy, who has a meet-and-greet at the Harambe Train Station.
Rafiki meets outdoors on the immediate right when you reach the entrance to Conservation Station. Here is a photo of where we found him on our visit. (FYI-Restrooms are available immediately inside Conservation Station, if needed.)
Rafiki signs autographs at this location. A PhotoPass photographer was not available at this location during our visit. Here is a photo of his autograph that another guest shared with me.
We hope you have the opportunity to meet Rafiki on your next visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Remember to check the schedule in the app to confirm availability, times, and location. You might also enjoy our guide to meeting characters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It offers a list of all the other meet-and-greets in the park. Visit Resorts Gal again soon to see what’s new!
In the Comments
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