Merry Menagerie Returns to Animal Kingdom for Holidays 2026

By Amy L. · Local mom · Celebration, FL

Published November 13, 2026

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has brought back Merry Menagerie for the 2026 holiday season, according to reports published Friday, November 13, 2026. As of Friday, November 13, the puppeteers and their handcrafted puppets are interacting with guests on Discovery Island between Island Mercantile and Riverside Depot.

The reported return puts the seasonal entertainment in a specific stretch of Discovery Island. Performers move through the area with their puppets and engage with guests along the way, making the interaction part of the experience rather than simply something to watch from a distance.

Merry Menagerie debuted in 2019. Its format pairs puppeteers with artisan-crafted figures, with the performers bringing the puppets to life as they wander among visitors.

What we know

• Merry Menagerie — reported back at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the 2026 holiday season.
• Discovery Island — the reported interaction area is between Island Mercantile and Riverside Depot.
• Puppeteers and handcrafted puppets — move through the area and interact with guests.
• Merry Menagerie’s debut — the entertainment was first introduced in 2019.

The return is reported rather than an official Disney announcement. An exact first performance date, daily appearance times and a final date for the 2026 holiday run have not been established in the reporting; Disney confirmation of those details is not established either.

What it means for your trip

Make the stretch between Island Mercantile and Riverside Depot your destination if seeing Merry Menagerie is a priority; “Discovery Island” alone gives you a broader area to search. Treat it as a roaming encounter, so give yourself time to stop and interact rather than expecting a single fixed viewing point. For families specifically interested in the puppets, leave breathing room around that stop instead of placing it immediately before another timed commitment. Ask a Cast Member in that area about the day’s appearances before committing to a long wait. For a later holiday visit, confirm that Merry Menagerie is running on your date before making it the reason you choose Animal Kingdom.

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.

Heading to Animal Kingdom? Check Animal Kingdom wait times right now and how busy Animal Kingdom is today.