Today, Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened for a special preview day for Cast Members to visit the theme park. Due to the new social distancing procedures, Disney has temporarily changed how we will see popular Disney characters in the park. For instance, those visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom will now see characters aboard watercraft in Discovery River instead of the former meet and greet opportunities for guests.
Below you can watch a demonstration of the new character cruises at Discovery River. A visitor, Tradzak, shared a video of their experience today on Instagram. We see popular Lion King characters Timon and Rafiki saving to passengers as they journey down the river.
Seeing the characters from afar is certainly both entertaining and great for Disney fans who missed seeing their favorite characters. This new procedure helps ensure the health and safety of Disney guests by maintaining an appropriate social distance.
We also see Mickey Mouse and his friends are cruising down the river as well! Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto were joyfully greeting guests as they walked through the park.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom officially reopens to the public on July 11, 2020. We hope our fans stay tuned as we provide coverage on the reopened theme park!
Photo Credit: Tradzak
- Tron Coaster Contruction update from the Magic Kingdom - August 8, 2020
- Joe Rhode Inside the Design and Inspiration of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park - August 8, 2020
- Walt Disney World is changing Disney Park hours in September - August 7, 2020
