Residents of Rafiki’s Planet Watch #PlayBig in Honor of Toy Story Land’s June 30 Opening

Everyone I know – cast members, guests and, of course, Disney Parks Blog readers – are counting down the days until Toy Story Land opens at Walt Disney World Resort. We just can’t wait to #PlayBig in this exciting new area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

And speaking of “playing big,” even the animal residents at Rafiki’s Planet Watch got in on the excitement earlier this week when the Pixar Ball stopped by the park for some enrichment playtime. Enrichment is just one of the tools used to provide excellent care for our animals. Animal care experts enrich animal habitats with the intention of encouraging behaviors like bat, chase, kick, nudge, paw, sniff and generally having a great time. Animal care experts also rely on positive training methods that encourage animals to participate in their daily health care and challenge them to stay mentally active.

Check out the video above to watch these barnyard animals have a blast with the ball. And while you’re at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, look no “feather” than Rafiki’s Planet Watch to see for yourself some rare, domesticated breeds of chickens and more playing big.

Visit this previous blog post to learn more about other kinds of enrichment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – and keep your eye on the Disney Parks Blog for more Toy Story Land news as we approach the June 30 opening.

And seriously, those chickens.