The land is named after Rafiki, a character from the 1994 Disney film The Lion King. Rafiki's Planet Watch is the only land that is not connected to Discovery Island, it is instead connected to Africa. This area also became the new home of the popular Festival of the Lion King stage show in the summer of 2014 (retitled A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King in 2021), following the closure of Camp Minnie-Mickey (which is permanently closed). You can also find the insanely popular Kilimanjaro Safaris in Africa. Themed around the southwestern continent, the Africa area is home to Pangani Forest Exploration Trails as well as a train to Rafiki's Planet Watch. This area was originally named Safari Village. Walking tours of the gardens surrounding the Tree of Life are also located on Discovery Island. Discovery Island is home to It's Tough to Be a Bug! inside the Tree of Life. Many shops and restaurants are found here. Located around the Tree of Life, Discovery Island is the main hub of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Here, guests are surrounded by animal exhibits featuring birds and other animals as well as realistic rock work until they are greeted by a view of the Tree of Life. Guests first enter this land after entering the park.

real, ancient, and imagined: a kingdom ruled by lions, dinosaurs, and dragons a kingdom of balance, harmony, and survival a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn.' ― Michael D. Dedication 'Welcome to a kingdom of animals.

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