Wildlife Express Train from Africa to Rafiki's Planet Watch, and Back - Disney's Animal Kingdom - March 3, 2014

Wildlife Express Train Station at Africa

I previously posted to this blog a ride video that I took of the Wildlife Express Train back in 2009 (Ride Video of the Wildlife Express to Conservation Station in Animal Kingdom - December 2009).  In the original video, I showed the train ride experience from Africa to Rafiki's Planet Watch.  You were able to see the backstage areas in Animal Kingdom where the animals sleep after spending the entire day outside.  What you were not able to see was the train ride experience from Rafiki's Planet Watch to Africa.

Affection Station at Rafiki's Planet Watch at Animal Kingdom - March 3, 2014

Animal Kingdom would not be the Animal Kingdom without the animals that the park features in it's attractions and throughout the green areas of the park.  One of the attractions that features animals is Affection Station.  It allows visitors to get really up close to an animal and pet it.  Affection Station is Disney World's version of a petting farm.  Visitors not only can pet an animal, they can also brush their hair using brushes that are available throughout Affection Station.

A goat roaming around

The animals that were available for petting were goats, sheep, and potbelly pigs.  To pet these animals, they need to be roaming around and not in their roped off areas where they feed on treats and drink water.  Visitors are not able to feed the animals.  There were other animals at Affection Station that visitors could look at, but were caged off to prevent them from being petted.  These animals were mules, cows, and donkeys.  Here is video of the animals that I could get up close to.


Before you exit Affection Station, visitors should wash their hands at the washing stations located near the exit doors.  Also, check the bottom of your shoes to make sure you clean up the animal droppings that you might have accidentally stepped on.

Gi-Tar Dan outside of Conservation Station at Rafiki's Planet Watch - March 3, 2014

On March 3, 2014, I decided to start my day at Disney's Animal Kingdom,  It's been a while since I've visited Rafiki's Planet Watch so I wanted to see what has changed in that area.  I took the Wilderness Express train from Africa to get to Rafiki's Planet Watch.  I got off the Wilderness Express train and headed to the Conservation Station.  Once I got to the Conservation Station, I noticed a man playing a guitar and singing a song to a family.  As I got closer to the man, I recognized that this was the same man that used to entertain guests at Camp Minnie-Mickey.  The man calls himself Gi-Tar Dan and has entertained visitors inside the Animal Kingdom for many years.

Gi-Tar Dan

I wondered what Animal Kingdom would do with him when Camp Minnie-Mickey was being converted as part of the Avatarland expansion.  Now we can continue to enjoy his guitar playing and singing outside of the Conservation Station.  Here's a small clip of Gi-Tar Dan entertaining a family.