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Talking Dug Returns to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and He’s Ready to Chat Your Ears Off
Disney’s Animal Kingdom guests can once again meet the talking version of Dug from Pixar’s Up, and yes, he’s still as delightfully distracted as ever. After disappearing for several months, Talking Dug officially returned to Discovery Island on Earth Day and is now making regular appearances near the Tree of Life.
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While Dug and Russell have continued greeting guests on the Discovery Island Trails after the Wilderness Explorers meet-and-greet location closed for the upcoming Zootopia takeover, the fully interactive talking Dug had quietly gone missing from the park until now.
The lovable golden retriever first debuted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2025 following a successful run at Disneyland Resort. Unlike a traditional character meet-and-greet, Talking Dug can actually respond to guests in real time using the same collar technology from Up, leading to some hilariously unpredictable interactions. One moment he’s complimenting your backpack, the next he’s spotting a squirrel somewhere in the crowd.
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Guests can currently find Dug along Discovery Island Trails West, just off to the side of the Tree of Life. According to the My Disney Experience app, Dug is appearing periodically between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily, though exact times can vary.
Disney has not announced how long Talking Dug will stick around this time, and cast members noted that if the interactive technology experiences issues, guests may instead meet the standard non-talking version of Dug.
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