Meet Bakari: Animal Kingdom's Newest Gorilla and Viewing Strategy

Published June 30, 2026 · Updated September 9, 2026

There is a new resident in the Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Bakari, an adult male western lowland gorilla, has officially joined the family troop on the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.

Because Bakari is just settling in, the gorilla enclosure was closed today (June 30) to give him time to acclimate without the pressure of thousands of onlookers. While integration takes time, you can expect to see him out on the trail soon.

Here is what this means for your park day, plus the strategy you need to get the best viewing experience without wasting time in lines.

Timing Your Gorilla Falls Visit

The Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail is a self-guided walking path located exactly at the exit of Kilimanjaro Safaris. Because a vast majority of guests simply follow the herd onto the trail the second they step off their safari truck, the path gets brutally congested by mid-morning.

The smart move: Animals are highly active during the cooler morning hours or late in the afternoon, and they tend to seek shade and sleep when the midday Florida sun is at its peak. To see Bakari and the rest of the troop interacting, aim for the first two hours the park is open or wait until after 4:00 PM.

The Animal Kingdom Security Trick

If you are planning to arrive early for rope drop to catch the gorillas at their most active, you have to beat the security bottleneck at the park entrance.

The smart move: Bring an empty, lightweight tote bag. Right before you reach the security scanners, throw all of your loose “stroller junk”—wipes, water bottles, snacks, and umbrellas—into the tote and hand it to the person walking through the metal detector. This saves significant time compared to letting security dig through every pocket of your stroller. Also, remember that Disney requires you to take your child out of the stroller when going through the scanner. Keep a normal walking pace through the detectors, and you will be heading toward the Tree of Life while others are still unzipping bags.

Lightning Lane and Safari Strategy

Since the trail is practically attached to Kilimanjaro Safaris, you should always pair them together to minimize backtracking across the massive park. Kilimanjaro Safaris is a top-tier Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection that builds a long standby line fast.

The smart move: Purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass and book Kilimanjaro Safaris as one of your advance selections. (Remember, you book your initial selections before your trip—7 days out for Disney resort guests, 3 days out for off-site guests, with the window opening at 7:00 AM Eastern). Book an early morning return time, tap in for the safari, and walk straight onto the trail afterward.

If Kilimanjaro Safaris goes down for technical issues or weather while you are in the park, keep an eye on supapark.com. SupaPark watches ride statuses in real-time and pings you the second a ride reopens. Jumping into the line right after an attraction comes back online is one of the absolute best ways to bypass a massive wait, putting you on the fast track to the gorilla enclosure.

The takeaway: Expect temporary viewing adjustments or closures over the next few days as Bakari gets used to his new home. When the trail is fully open, visit early or late to catch the troop at its most active, use the tote bag trick at security to speed up your morning, and lock in an early Lightning Lane for the safari next door.

Go deeper — the full guides: Will Your Kid Hate Soarin’? How to Decide (And Where to Sit) · Why DINOSAUR Is Disney’s Most Intense Ride for Kids (And How to Know if They’re Ready) · Animal Kingdom Deep Dive: Conquering Pandora, Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safaris & Smart Touring

SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.

Keep planning: Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail · live wait times · is Lightning Lane worth it