Tree of Life Awakenings Returns to Animal Kingdom Nov. 1

By Amy L. · Local mom · Celebration, FL

Published October 22, 2026

Tree of Life Awakenings returns to Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Sunday, November 1, according to showtimes now posted on Disney’s park calendar. The nighttime projection show on the park’s centerpiece tree is listed with first-week performances starting at 6:10 p.m. — and two of those seven nights currently have no times at all.

As of Thursday, October 22, 2026, the park calendar shows no Awakenings performances for the remainder of October, which makes November 1 the first night back.

That date is also when Daylight Saving Time ends, giving Animal Kingdom more usable after-dark time with the same park hours. Disney pointed to the same clock change when the show returned in November 2023.

The first week is uneven. Saturday and Sunday carry the longest windows thanks to later park hours — close to two hours of performances after dark — while weeknights shrink to roughly 50 minutes and end at 7:00 p.m.

Disney’s description of the show starts with fireflies stirring the animal spirits carved into the tree.

What we know

Return date — Sunday, November 1, with listed performances beginning at 6:10 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday — the longest windows of the first week, close to two hours after dark
Weeknights — about 50 minutes of performances, ending at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 3 and Wednesday, November 4 — no performances listed; Animal Kingdom closes at 6:00 p.m. both days
After Saturday, November 7 — no showtimes posted yet

What’s not confirmed

Disney has not said whether park hours on November 3 and 4 will be extended so the show can run those nights, and has not posted times beyond November 7.

What our data shows

Measured average wait over the last 7 tracked days: about 0 minutes.

What it means for your trip

If Awakenings is a priority, put your Animal Kingdom day on Saturday or Sunday in that first week — the weekend windows are roughly twice as long as a weeknight’s.
Avoid banking on Tuesday, November 3 or Wednesday, November 4 with a 6:00 p.m. close and no listed times; move Animal Kingdom to another day in your trip and use those evenings for EPCOT or Magic Kingdom.
On a weeknight visit, be in the Discovery Island area around the Tree of Life by about 6:00 p.m. — the window closes at 7:00 p.m., which is earlier than most guests expect.
Showtimes beyond November 7 aren’t posted yet, so check Disney’s calendar in My Disney Experience a few days out before locking in your Animal Kingdom day. More times will likely be added on a rolling basis.
SupaPark’s wait-drop alerts are useful in that final hour, when a ride can quietly fall to a near walk-on while everyone gathers at the tree.
Before you lock the day in, check Animal Kingdom’s crowd forecast and live evening waits on supapark.com, so the night you pick for Awakenings is also a night the rides cooperate.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Tree of Life Awakenings return to Animal Kingdom?

Disney’s park calendar lists the show returning Sunday, November 1, with no performances listed for the rest of October.

What time does Tree of Life Awakenings start?

First-week performances are listed beginning at 6:10 p.m., per Disney’s calendar.

Is Tree of Life Awakenings playing every night in November?

Not in the first week — no times are listed for Tuesday, November 3 or Wednesday, November 4, when Animal Kingdom closes at 6:00 p.m., and nothing has been posted past November 7.

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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.