Bluey, Bingo & Australian Critters Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2026!
Walt Disney World announced that Bluey is finally coming to Florida, with the popular pups making their first-ever appearances in Animal Kingdom. Here’s everything we know, including the debut season of the Bluey experience, surprise addition of Australian animals, and commentary about the future of the Heeler family in the Disney Parks.
The announcement of Bluey coming to the Disney Parks was first made during last year’s holiday season. Things started out promising enough for the prospects of Bluey’s arrival at Walt Disney World. Less than a month after the announcement, Bluey and Bingo made their debut on the Disney Cruise Line.
Fast-forward ~11 months later, and Disneyland just announced “Bluey’s Best Day Ever” debuting in 2026 at the Fantasyland Theatre. Given the crickets in that announcement about Walt Disney World, we wondered whether maybe plans for Bluey at Disney’s Hollywood Studios were scratched when the Walt Disney Studios Lot project got greenlit.
After all, that location made the most sense for Bluey, and it was possible that things had changed and the “Magic of Disney Animation” was instead going where Bluey had been previously-planned. Thankfully, that is not the case. Only a few hours later, and Walt Disney World has made its own Bluey announcement.
Here are the full details about Bluey coming to Animal Kingdom in 2026, courtesy of Walt Disney World:
Beginning in Summer 2026 at Walt Disney World Resort, you’ll be able to take a fun excursion to Conservation Station in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, where you can play and dance with Bluey and Bingo!
Play some of your favorite games from Bluey episodes with a fun animal twist, like butterfly keepy uppy. Grab the whole family and snap some pictures alongside your Blue Heeler pals to remember this one-of-a-kind adventure.
Plus, as part of your wild excursion, step outside to discover an experience with animals native to Bluey’s home country of Australia! (This part alone is huge if Walt Disney World ‘invests’ in new animals or exhibits, as it suggests they’re still committed to the theme and mission of Animal Kingdom. Here’s hoping they keep that energy up for Tropical Americas!)
Our Commentary
Walt Disney World locating the Bluey and Bingo experience out at Conservation Station in Animal Kingdom is a bold move. I would hazard a guess that this is the in-park location that the fewest fans have visited, which is to say that if there’s anything in the parks you have not done as a WDW regular, it’s most likely to be Conservation Station.
For those who are unfamiliar with it, Conservation Station is located at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, which is accessible only via the Wildlife Express Train. Trains depart periodically, with the last from Harambe Station at 4:30 PM. Conservation Station offers animal-themed activities, conservation methods you can do at home, and more.
Highlights of Conservation Station include the Veterinary Treatment Room, where you can see Disney caring for animals; the Nutrition Center, where experts prepare meals for animals; critter windows with bugs and stuff; and the Science Center to learn about what Animal Kingdom scientists are working on.
I’ll be honest with you–it is very rare for us to visit Conservation Station. It’s also not particularly photogenic, so I only have a few photos of it in my entire library (versus thousands for various statues).
At the same time, we also say “we should visit here more often” after almost every time we make the trek out to Conservation Station. It’s a nice little area to escape the crowds (assuming DAK is crowded, which is seldom the case these days) and the animal procedures are truly fascinating to watch–I wish there were a way to see the schedule of them in the My Disney Experience app.
And yet, almost every time we’re presented with the opportunity to go back, we decline because it’s too much of a hassle or time-consuming. I would imagine that many Walt Disney World fans share similar sentiment–thinking Rafiki’s Planet Watch is underrated based on their rare visits, but mostly not opting to go back very often. No matter what people might say, they essentially “vote with their feet.” Conservation Station has been a ghost town every time we’ve visited.
Suffice to say, it’s a bold bet on Walt Disney World’s part to put Bluey and Bingo back here, but the thought is likely that it’ll draw people back to this underutilized space while also adding some friction to manage demand for the hugely popular pups.
On balance, I really like the decision. It’s a savvy move for those reasons, and Bluey and Bingo are so popular that families will jump through the hoop of the Wildlife Express Train to see them. At least, for the most part. There are definitely some who won’t–or who simply won’t realize Bluey is back there.
My hope is that Walt Disney World makes it worth everyone’s while. Hopefully this is ambitious as “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” in Fantasyland Theatre at Disneyland, and not just the characters dancing without much more. Cool Kid Summer punched above its weight and this Bluey thing will likely get a boost from the Disney+ marketing budget, so I’m fairly confident Walt Disney World can deliver something strong here. We can’t wait to experience it!
Bluey + Disney
The original announcement of Bluey coming to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line came as part of a major expansion of The Walt Disney Company’s global relationship with BBC Studios for Bluey. The new deal saw Disney acquiring the global theatrical rights for the film, which will be produced by Ludo Studio in collaboration with BBC Studios, and which will land in cinemas in 2027 under the Disney banner.
Following the global theatrical release, it will stream on Disney+. The movie will also air on ABC iview and ABC Kids in Australia post-theatrical release. Written and directed by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, the film is a Ludo Studio production in collaboration with BBC Studios. Delivering the same charm and humor that made the television series a global phenomenon, the movie will continue the adventures of Bluey, a loveable, inexhaustible, blue heeler dog, who lives with her Mum, Dad and her little sister, Bingo.
Available in over 140 countries, Bluey is the most-watched series globally on Disney+, and the year’s No. 1 most-watched series on streaming to date through November among total viewers in the U.S., with more than 50.5 billion minutes watched (842 million hours). The show has also garnered numerous awards, including a Peabody Award and back-to-back Television Critics Association Awards.
Our perspective has been that Bluey appearing in the parks was inevitable, and we hoped that it’d happen sooner rather than later. In response, most Disney fans have agreed–that it’s a perfect match that they want to happen, and hope happens. However, others have suggested that it was unlikely for a variety of reasons.
One of the bigger points against Disney acquiring theme park rights to Bluey was its staying power and longevity as the series itself winds down. There also have been questions about whether the creator would want to partner with Disney for future projects.
With a Disney-distributed Bluey movie coming out in 2027, this should put both of those concerns to rest. As discussed in previous posts about Bluey, we thought it would behoove Walt Disney World to have a Bluey ASAP–definitely long before the first movie comes out in 2027!
Bluey has already tested the water with immersive experiences, including Bluey’s World in Brisbane, Queensland. This will offer a more permanent place to explore the Heeler family’s iconic Queenslander home, backyard and beyond – in real life!
It’s inevitable that this type of thing will continue to grow in scale and scope, with Walt Disney World and Disneyland being logical next steps for a number of reasons. Disney really needs this type of a win.
Neither coast has any major new attractions to debut in the next two years–both are wholly reliant on entertainment to drive guest visits. I really hope that the Conservation Station dance party and “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” are just the start of Bluey’s presence in the parks. She and the rest of the Heelers could clearly sustain something bigger and better.
Ultimately, it’s unsurprising to see Bluey land at Animal Kingdom in Summer 2026, as that’s the park most in need of new programming to entice guest visits. It’s going to be a rough year-plus for the park once Dinoland and DINOSAUR close completely, and Zootopia: Better Zoogether definitely is not enough to pick up the slack.
With Tropical Americas unlikely to debut until late 2027, there’s an almost 2 year window when it would behoove Walt Disney World to really double-down on entertainment for Animal Kingdom to help fill the gap. Bluey at Conservation Station will definitely help, but we’re hopeful that it’s just the first of many additions. The park badly needs it given the limited ride roster.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about Bluey coming to Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World? Does the Heeler family deserve a big presence in the parks? Think Bluey entertainment or characters will be good additions in Conservation Station? Will this be enough to get you to take the Wilderness Express Train out to Rafiki’s Planet Watch? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Oh I so hope that they’re in AK during our 14 day trip in late May to early June! Our 4yo would love this, we watch it every day!
Conservation Station was always a must do for my young daughter – petting goats! – live animal shows (touching snakes!). Always fun. Always a hit. It was also an easy meet and greet with Rafiki or Chip n Dale. Very excited for Bluey even though my daughter is older now.
My kids are going to flip out!! it better be open by July 2026. count us among those who would not have visited conservation station, but definitely will be now!
Mixed feelings about this being at DAK, but perhaps it’s only temporary. (I think DHS would be the best fit.) Obviously, the park badly needs more attractions and Bluey is a big draw for a lot of young families, including mine! So I totally get it from a strategic perspective, but don’t like it from a theming perspective. The saving grace is actually having some real Australian animals!
Question, though! One of my kids is super excited about doing the animation experience at DAK. Like that’s the main reason she wants to visit that park, and we’ll be there before The Magic of Disney Animation opens at DHS (May 8-16). Do you think there’s any chance that it’ll go away while they prep for Bluey/opening the class at DHS? I have no idea what that space is like. I haven’t been to DAK since I was a kid in 1999 and either didn’t see it or don’t remember it! But she’s been talking about it since we skipped DAK last May, and I’d be so sad if we can’t do it.
I have mixed feelings to be honest. iI always go to Rafiki’s every trip which also usually includes 2 days at AK. I love that it is not terribly crowded but can imagine that Bluey will draw crowds. Can’t wait to hear more about new animals!
It would be amazing to use this to incorporate Australia into Animal Kingdom. Will definitely be interesting if they choose to go that route. I also would be thrilled if they moved the drawing class to a different area (the new Animation Experience in HS seems to make a lot of sense).
I hope this won’t disrupt some of the conservation and education components at the Station, but I’m not sure how it doesn’t. One of the highlights a couple of years ago was talking with a nutritionist about how much and what the gorillas eat – as she was preparing the meals! Hope those elements are staying.
I was not expecting this but it actually makes a ton of sense. Rafiki’s planet watch was my son’s favorite spot in all 4 parks when he was 2.5 (petting animals! Space to run! A train ride!). Adding Bluey and Bingo, preschool favorites, makes this a perfect spot for the youngest kiddos, a demographic that is surprisingly underserved in Disney World, imho. Throw in a jungle gym and you’ve got a 5 star area for 1-4 year olds.
What are the dates for “summer 2026” ? In addition to the free waterpark day they keep referring to “summer 2026” and I would love to know what that means…Memorial Day to Labor Day?!? When would you expect we know? I LOVE this addition and would possibly make a trip for it!
More or less Memorial Day to Labor Day–the week before Memorial Day is usually fair game, too.
We never miss Conservation Station. Train ride! Goat petting! What’s not to love?!
I’ve never seen Bluey, though I’ve heard great things. But I agree completely with your thoughts on Rafiki’s Planetwatch. We think it’s great… and yet we rarely go back there. We should try harder.
Do they still do the animation drawing class back there? It was also a random location for that and not nearly as nice as the studio in DHS.
This one feels like a miss to me. I doubt most families will ever know Bluey is there and if they do see signage and go, I think the Conservation Station is going to be a discordant spot for this particular meet and greet. There’s nothing about that area that in any way says “Bluey”. If I were a parent who was only moderately familiar with Disney and I did a train ride and walk to see Bluey, that’s not what I would be expecting. Bluey is such a hugely popular IP and this seems like a random way to incorporate her, although I’m sure there’s more on the way.
This is awesome! We are huge Bluey fans and we love the Conversation Station. Hopefully this will encourage more families to visit this wonderful area. We always stop at Guest Relations when we get to Animal Kingdom and ask if any procedures are scheduled for the day (would be awesome if that was available in MDE though). We’ve seen some pretty cool things in the Veterinary area.
I’m also thrilled to see they are bringing more animals in. I hope this means Disney is going to continue to honor and showcase real animals, not just load the park with characters and IP (looking at you Tropical America).
Out of curiosity, Tom, do you know the hourly capacity of the Wildlife Express Train, and how it compares to the capacity of a meet and greet?
I expected Bluey to go in the revamped Animation Courtyard at HS so they could have it inside with multiple rooms to keep the wait down.
I do not know hourly capacity numbers, but assume the train is higher than a meet & greet. I think the idea is introducing just enough friction to reduce demand.
At this point they may as well move mickey mouse and goofy to animal kingdon. Just as relevant to the world of animals as bluey is.
There is a Mickey and Minnie meet and greet at Animal Kingdom. I get what you are saying, but think that matters less to temporary interactive experiences than it does to purpose-built lands and attractions.
So happy for this! I have Grandbabies that will be very excited! I was hoping that there would be a Character Dining opportunity…maybe down the road!
for real life!!! omg my kids are going to love this!
I think it’s great news for AK. I can guarantee you that if Bluey and company had been there last year, my family would not have skipped AK for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, my grandkids may be outgrowing Bluey, but maybe they’ll have enough pre-school nostalgia to want to visit the Heeler family there next year. Even without kids, a visit to Conservation Station is worth it. I’ve been there on adults-only trips and did the Animation Experience (which I had to be talked into because I can’t draw anything – and I loved it) and was lucky enough to see an animal procedure that day. It’s definitely an area of the park that needs more love and visitors.