Unless you’ve participated in the discontinued Expedition Everest Challenge, few have had the pleasure of exploring Disney’s Animal Kingdom after dark. That’s about to change. As announced at the D23 EXPO, the entire Park will transform after dark with new nighttime entertainment experiences in Spring 2016.

Kilimanjaro Safaris, the park’s most popular attraction, will offer extended nighttime viewing.  Guests will travel through the African savanna and discover two species new to the attraction: African wild dogs and hyenas. (Can’t you just picture glowing eyes?)

Disney Parks

After taking a spin on Kilimanjaro Safaris, Guests can cap their longer day with a new nighttime spectacle: “Rivers of Light” over Discovery River. “Rivers of Light” will combine live music, floating lanterns, water screens and swirling animal imagery. 

I was fortunate enough to run the Expedition Everest Challenge in May 2013 and will attest that Animal Kingdom is a truly magical place after dark. The exotic locales so familiar to daytime Guests are completely transformed into beautiful puddles of light and shadow once the sun goes down. I can’t wait visit this park after dark in 2016!