Timon and Rafiki have officially moved to a new meet-and-greet location at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, giving guests a different spot to encounter the beloved characters from Disney’s The Lion King.

The characters were previously greeting visitors at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, a location accessible by the Wildlife Express Train at the back of the park. However, that area closed on 23rd February 2026 as Disney prepares for upcoming changes and a new Bluey-themed experience scheduled to arrive later this year.

As a result of the closure, Timon and Rafiki have relocated to The Oasis, the lush entrance area of Animal Kingdom located just inside the park’s main gate. Guests can now find them near the Garden Gate Gifts merchandise location, making the characters far easier to access compared to their previous location deeper in the park.

Although the duo share the same area, they are not meeting guests at the same time. Instead, the characters appear on a rotating schedule. Timon currently meets guests every hour at approximately the 20-minute mark, while Rafiki appears roughly every hour at the 50-minute mark.

This change also marks a notable shift for fans of The Lion King. Timon and Rafiki had been meeting at Rafiki’s Planet Watch on and off for years, with the characters returning there again in 2024 during celebrations for the film’s 30th anniversary.

With their new placement in The Oasis, guests entering Disney’s Animal Kingdom may now encounter the characters much earlier in their visit. The shaded pathways and greenery of the entrance area also provide a scenic backdrop for photos and autographs.

The relocation appears to be part of a broader set of changes happening around the park, as Disney continues to refresh several areas of Animal Kingdom ahead of future attractions and experiences. For now, fans hoping to meet the wise mandrill Rafiki or the comedic meerkat Timon can find them welcoming guests near the front of the park instead of their longtime home at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.