'Out of the Wild' permanently closing at Rafiki's Planet Watch in Disney's Animal Kingdom

Cmdr_CrimsonJan 21, 2022

Quite true

RSoxNo1Jan 21, 2022

Looks like 1/18 was the last day of operation, can anyone confirm?

UNCgolfJan 20, 2022

I'm not sure how feasible it is to put something else there. The train doesn't move enough guests to put anything really popular or you'd have hour+ long waits for people just to get to/from there, and it would be a long walk through nothing if they put in a path. It's also right next to the savanna and has animal care facilities, so I don't think they could put anything especially loud there without disturbing the animals. It would make more sense to develop areas between the current park and there than to suddenly drop something new in right where RPW is.

EpcoTimJan 20, 2022

Better options if they actually do something with it, which they probably won’t.

pdude81Jan 20, 2022

I always loved RPW and the drawing stuff at DHS, but they can be separate things. The petting area is much less busy since they tried to close it and the goats are not as used to people as they once were. I wish they'd put a new show in the main building there as well as some more M&G like they used to with Rafiki and Doc McStuffins. Also the train drives around to a massive unfinished area that should be a big expansion land. And should they suddenly have that train ride serving two remote stops it would be a big boost to the crowds at RPW. The shop looks to be bare since items are in low stock. I always really liked that instead of the dumb vending machines in the RPW entrance area. It had snacks/drinks but also more variations of the "baby" animal plushes that were hard to find elsewhere. I'd rather they just shutter it for now and revisit it later than put vending machines there.

CaptainNickoJan 20, 2022

We kinda did get this. Avatar is just a live action remake of Fern Gully...

JMcMahonEsqJan 20, 2022

It’s funny after 5 trips to AK, we finally did RPW this august, and I have to say we were pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. The hands on experience with the animals outside was great. The just getting separated from the large crowds was a treat. Being it’s own isolated area you a parent can relax “relatively speaking” and let your kids pet the goats and walk around a bit and not have to worry they will be run over by someone running to their next ride. We were lucky enough to see an actual surgery being performed when we were there, which was not only amazing, but really got the kids into the care/conservation aspect of the park. Ended up on the drive back to NJ with them watching the Disney+ AK series. I almost think it isn’t publicized enough on how neat that area of the park is. Of course more PR push means more people, which takes aways from its appeal, but it’s a hidden treasure I hope continues. As to the shop closing, I didn’t see anything there that I couldn’t get in the main part of the park. While it was ok to have there, I don’t think you lose out on not being about to get a stuffed animal or spray bottle fan there. That being said it is on the end or a long “supply line” and having a space to get drink or snack out there in august as opposed to waiting to go back to the main park was a benifit

Club CooloholicJan 20, 2022

Vending machines!? They done gone and Aunt Pollyed this shop!

OG RunnerJan 20, 2022

Honestly I did not know they moved the Animation Academy there. I actually did it a couple of times when it was in Disney Studios. That really is where is belongs and I would do it again if it was.

GhostHost1000Jan 20, 2022

Let’s be honest…the area consumed by RPW and the weird train ride there is a large wasted space that doesn’t draw a lot of guests in better options

Cmdr_CrimsonJan 20, 2022

And also due to the Animation academy which has no reason being there..Yes, you can state that animals are the inspiration to many of the Disney characters but, they have a vacant launch bay they can bring it back to and revitalize that area at DHS again..

OG RunnerJan 20, 2022

I know my sons enjoyed RPW when they were little but my thought is that people do not come to Animal Kingdom to take a train ride to a petting zoo.

Basil of Baker StreetJan 20, 2022

I'm shocked that RPW is open. I thought it would be gone years ago.

UNCgolfJan 20, 2022

Yeah, but then they backed off that and did stuff like open the Animation Experience there. My guess is they have no plans to shut it down in the near future, although it's probably a long-term plan.