Disney’s ‘Bluey’ Announcement Comes With a Huge Animal Kingdom Issue
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is finally getting something families have been asking for: a major new character experience built around one of the most popular kids’ franchises on the planet.
Bluey and Bingo are officially coming to Walt Disney World in summer 2026. Disney has confirmed the duo will appear at Conservation Station in Rafiki’s Planet Watch, offering meet-and-greets, dancing, and interactive games inspired by the show. Disney has also teased an added element featuring animals native to Australia, which feels like a smart way to connect the experience to Animal Kingdom’s theme.
It’s a strong announcement.
But it also comes with a major issue that Disney may not be able to ignore.
Animal Kingdom Already Feels Like a Park With Limited Options
Animal Kingdom has always been a different kind of Disney park. It’s not designed like Magic Kingdom, where you can bounce between rides nonstop. It leans heavily on atmosphere, animals, and immersive areas.
That works well on slower days.
On busy days, it can feel like the park runs out of options quickly.
Right now, the park’s crowd load is mostly carried by a handful of major rides, including Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, and Kali River Rapids.
There are other things to do, including trails and smaller attractions, and the Zootopia show has been open for months now as a reliable indoor option. But even with that, Animal Kingdom still doesn’t have the same “crowd-eating” lineup that other parks have.
That’s why the Bluey announcement seemed like a potential game-changer.
Until you look at where Disney is putting it.
Rafiki’s Planet Watch Is Not Built for This Kind of Demand
The Bluey experience is being placed in Rafiki’s Planet Watch, which is one of the most isolated locations in all of Walt Disney World.
Guests cannot walk there.
The only way to reach it is by taking the Wildlife Express Train.
That has always been part of the Planet Watch experience, but it has also been one of the biggest reasons guests skip the area. A lot of families don’t want to commit time to a train ride when the rest of Animal Kingdom already feels like a park where you need to maximize your day.
Now Disney is placing a massively popular franchise in a location that requires transportation just to access.
And that’s where the issue begins.
Bluey Could Create a Transportation Bottleneck
Bluey isn’t going to be a minor character appearance. This is going to be one of the most popular meet-and-greets at Walt Disney World almost instantly.
Families will build their day around it. Kids will melt down if they miss it. Parents will wait as long as they have to.
That means the Wildlife Express Train could quickly become overwhelmed.
Instead of being a calm ride that runs smoothly throughout the day, it could turn into a major choke point where guests wait 30 minutes or longer just to board.
And then, after that, guests still have to wait in line again once they arrive.
The Wait Time Could Become Absurd
Let’s be honest: Bluey and Bingo are going to pull massive lines. It would not be surprising to see 90-minute waits or longer during peak seasons.
But what makes this situation worse is that the wait won’t start at the meet-and-greet. It will start before guests even reach the location.
Train line. Train ride. Then Bluey line.
That could turn into a two-hour commitment for families, and that’s not even counting the time it takes to return to the main park afterward.
This creates a planning issue Animal Kingdom has rarely dealt with. Guests aren’t just waiting for an attraction. They’re waiting for access to an attraction.
Disney Is Already Shutting Down the Area Until Summer 2026
Disney seems to recognize that major changes are needed.
The Affection Section has already closed, and the Wildlife Express Train is slated to close on February 23. It will not reopen until summer 2026, aligning with the launch of the Bluey experience.
That is a major closure window, and it suggests Disney is preparing for significant updates behind the scenes.
But the core problem remains the same: the train is still the only access point.
A Great Idea With a Risky Setup
Bluey is a smart addition for Animal Kingdom. It fits the family vibe, it draws crowds, and it gives Disney World another major character experience that isn’t locked inside Magic Kingdom.
But placing it behind a train ride could turn excitement into frustration.
If Disney doesn’t dramatically improve transportation flow and crowd management at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Animal Kingdom could be facing a new kind of chaos in summer 2026.
Not because guests don’t want Bluey.
But because too many guests will want Bluey at the exact same time.
