Patch Notes · The Park Changelog

Animal Kingdom

13 rides tracked23 changes loggedsince 1998
PatchJun 23, 2026v · 06.23
Entertainment1

Cinnamon, an Ankole calf born in spring 2026, debuted on Kilimanjaro Safaris for guests to see during the attraction. — Kilimanjaro Safaris

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PatchJun 22, 2026v · 06.22🔴 Major
New1

Jumping Junction opened to guests at Conservation Station as a cast-member-guided walk-through habitat home to Western Grey Kangaroos, Red Kangaroos, and Red-necked Wallabies, replacing the retired Affection Section petting zoo. — Jumping Junction

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May 2026
PatchMay 26, 2026v · 05.26🔴 Major
New1

Bluey's Wild World opened at Conservation Station (reached via the Wildlife Express Train) at Disney's Animal Kingdom, an interactive walkthrough play experience themed to the animated series Bluey featuring games such as Keepy Uppy and Magic Asparagus and character interactions with Bluey and Bingo. — Bluey's Wild World

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Nov 2025
PatchNov 7, 2025v · 11.07🔴 Major
New1

Opened as a 3D/4D theater show in the Tree of Life Theater on Discovery Island, replacing It's Tough to be a Bug! (final performances March 16, 2025); the ~9-minute 'Zoogether Day' watch-party show features a Benjamin Clawhauser audio-animatronic, 3D 'Carrot Vision' glasses, and in-theater air, water, smoke, and bubble effects, with Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman reprising Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. — Zootopia: Better Zoogether!

It's Tough to be a Bug!Zootopia: Better Zoogether!
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Jun 2022
PatchJun 13, 2022v · 06.13🔴 Major
Changed1

Reopened as a reimagined show, Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! — trimmed to 25 minutes with a new Tank Gang narration framing device tying into Finding Dory, a massive LED video wall extending the physical sets (including a 32-ft submarine), while retaining the Lopez songs and Michael Curry puppets. — Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!

40-min Finding Nemo – The Musical25-min Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
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Jan 2022
PatchJan 4, 2022v · 01.04
Closed1

Closed January 4, 2022 for a 3-plus-month refurbishment with ride-system and software updates, reopening April 16, 2022; the yeti was not repaired and remained in B-mode. — Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

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Jul 2020
PatchJul 13, 2020v · 07.13🔴 Major
Changed1

Retooled and renamed Feathered Friends in Flight!, dropping the Pixar Up IP and characters in favor of birds presented by animal-behavior specialists; UP! A Great Bird Adventure had closed Mar 12, 2020 and did not return. — Feathered Friends in Flight!

UP! A Great Bird AdventureFeathered Friends in Flight!
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Mar 2020
PatchMar 15, 2020v · 03.15🔴 Major
Closed1

Finding Nemo – The Musical gave its final performance as Walt Disney World shut down for COVID-19; the original 13-year run never resumed and the Theater in the Wild stayed dark until the reimagined show replaced it. — Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!

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Apr 2018
PatchApr 22, 2018v · 04.22🔴 Major
Changed1

Rethemed to UP! A Great Bird Adventure, a Disney-Pixar Up overlay starring Russell and Dug; Flights of Wonder had given its final performance Dec 31, 2017. — Feathered Friends in Flight!

Flights of WonderUP! A Great Bird Adventure
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May 2017
PatchMay 27, 2017v · 05.27🔴 Major
New2

Na'vi River Journey opened with Pandora - The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom, a slow-moving boat dark ride drifting through a bioluminescent rainforest and ending at the Shaman of Songs audio-animatronic. — Na'vi River Journey

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Avatar Flight of Passage opened as the E-ticket 3D flying-simulator centerpiece of Pandora - The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom. — Avatar Flight of Passage

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May 2016
PatchMay 27, 2016v · 05.27🔴 Major
Buff1

Added a permanent nighttime safari, with a stadium-sized artificial-sunset lighting wall extending operation into the evening and introducing nocturnal animals including African painted dogs and hyenas. — Kilimanjaro Safaris

daytime-onlyday and nighttime operation
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Changed1

Reverted to its original 1998 name, Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, after operating for nearly 18 years as Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. — Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail

Pangani Forest Exploration TrailGorilla Falls Exploration Trail
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Jun 2014
PatchJun 1, 2014v · 06.01🔴 Major
Back Online1

The show reopened in the new purpose-built Harambe Theatre in the Africa section, relocating from Camp Minnie-Mickey after a roughly five-month closure. — Festival of the Lion King

Camp Minnie-Mickey theaterHarambe Theatre (Africa)
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Jan 2014
PatchJan 5, 2014v · 01.05
Closed1

The show closed at its original Camp Minnie-Mickey theater, which was cleared to make way for Pandora - The World of Avatar. — Festival of the Lion King

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Jan 2007
PatchJan 24, 2007v · 01.24🔴 Major
New1

Finding Nemo – The Musical opened at the Theater in the Wild in DinoLand U.S.A. — a 40-minute stage adaptation using Michael Curry puppets and original songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. — Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!

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Apr 2006
PatchApr 7, 2006v · 04.07🔴 Major
New1

Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain held its grand opening in the Asia area of Disney's Animal Kingdom; the Vekoma-built coaster featured a forward-and-backward layout and a roughly 25-foot yeti Audio-Animatronics figure. — Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

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Mar 1999
PatchMar 18, 1999v · 03.18🔴 Major
New1

Kali River Rapids opened in the Asia section of Disney's Animal Kingdom as the park's first whitewater river-rafting attraction, themed to a journey down the fictional Chakranadi River with an anti-deforestation conservation story. — Kali River Rapids

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PatchMar 1, 1999v · 03.01🔴 Major
New1

Maharajah Jungle Trek opened as a self-guided walking trail in the new Asia section of Disney's Animal Kingdom, featuring tigers, a free-flight bird aviary, Komodo dragons, fruit bats and Anandapur royal-ruins theming. — Maharajah Jungle Trek

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Apr 1998
PatchApr 22, 1998v · 04.22🔴 Major
New4

Opened on Disney's Animal Kingdom's opening day as the park's flagship attraction, an open-sided safari vehicle ride through a recreated East African savanna populated by live animals. — Kilimanjaro Safaris

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Opened with Disney's Animal Kingdom as a self-guided African walking trail past a gorilla habitat, hippo pool, meerkat den, naked mole-rat colony, okapi enclosure, and a free-flight aviary. — Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail

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Opened with Disney's Animal Kingdom as Flights of Wonder, a live exotic-bird show staged at Asia's Caravan/Anandapur stage. — Feathered Friends in Flight!

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Festival of the Lion King premiered with the opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom, staged in an open-air theater-in-the-round at Camp Minnie-Mickey. — Festival of the Lion King

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