At Animation Experience, guests will discover the secret of how Disney animators bring your favorite characters to life at Rafiki’s Planet Watch’s main facility of Conservation Station.
Ride Information Restrictions Location Fun Facts Top 5 Tips
Ride Information
Opening Day: July 11, 2019
Type of Experience: Get step by step instructions on how to draw a popular Disney animal character.
Age Recommendation: All ages
Duration of Ride: 25 minutes
Typical Queue Time: None
Single Rider Line: No
Chicken Exit Available: Yes
Baby Swap Available: No
Type of Vehicle: None
Type of Restraint: None
Attraction Open During Early Theme Park Entry: No. See our Early Theme Park Entry page for more information.
Ride Photo Available For Purchase: No
Ride Restrictions
Height Requirements: None
Flash Photography or Video Allowed: Yes
Location
Shopping: Apparel, bags, books, and animal plush dolls are available for purchase at “Out of the Wild.”
Dining/Refreshment: No dining options are available at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. In Harambe, in the park’s Africa section, guests craving a quick service lunch or dinner should consider eating at Harambe Market, where offerings such as skewers, flatbreads, and grilled vegetables are served. Those preferring a sit down meal can make ADRs for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Tusker House buffet. Tusker House serves a mixture of American and African dishes at all three meals with regular appearances from Donald Duck and friends.
Restroom: Facilities are situated at the Conservation Station.
Smoking Location: Smoking is permitted in designated smoking areas only. Disney parks are smoke free.
Conservation Station Fun Facts
Did you know?
- The Animation Station at Conservation Station is only accessible via the Wildlife Express Train from the Animal Kingdom’s Africa section. You will not be able to wander into The Animation Experience on foot. A walk of about six minutes is required to reach Conservation Station once you exit from the train station.
- The Conservation Station building is adorned with a large animal collage. The building’s lobby contains a massive, colorful mural.
- In addition to housing The Animation Experience, Conservation Station also shows medical treatments in the veterinary room which have included regular examinations, dental procedures, and radiography.
- From the Animal Kingdom’s opening day, April 22, 1998, until 2001, Conservation Station was the name for the entire area of the park accessed via the Wildlife Express Train, including Conservation Station and Affection Section. In 2001, “Rafiki’s Planet Watch” was implemented as the moniker for the overall area in an effort to attract more guests; Rafiki is the baboon shaman from The Lion King (1994).
Hidden Mickeys:
Numerous Hidden Mickeys can be found within Conservation Station’s murals, including in an ostrich eye.
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Top 5 Tips for The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
- Conservation Station is better skipped by guests who are on a hectic schedule and who are primarily interested in thrill rides. Conservation Station is meant to be lingered over; guests will not gain much here by a quick walkthrough.
- The characters featured in each class will vary, so guests can experience this attraction multiple times with a different experience.
- Be sure to eat before journeying to Conservation Station for The Animation Experience if you are hungry. No restaurants are featured at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
- Consider watching movies such as The Lion King, Pocahontas, and Bambi before your visit such as to better appreciate Conservation Station and prepare for the kind of characters you will see in this class.