Animal Kingdom’s Jumping Junction Will Feature New Kangaroos and Wallabies

Jumping Junction debuts at Animal Kingdom’s reimagined Conservation Station in less than two weeks. The new habitat will feature both kangaroos and wallabies. Unfortunately for those of us hoping to become best friends with a wallaby, the exhibit will be strictly hands-off.

This was always the likely outcome. Petting a kangaroo is never a good idea, and while wallabies are generally calmer and more approachable, they can still scratch and bite. My dreams of a wallaby encounter weren’t grounded in Disney legal department reality.

Earlier today, Disney confirmed the obvious. A Disney Parks Blog post stated guests will be able to “see” the animals in the exhibit. No petting. No feeding. And no biting.

We’ve also heard from several sources that the habitat’s kangaroos and wallabies won’t be the same animals currently living along the Discovery Island Trails and at the Oasis. We certainly hope that’s true, especially after what happened one evening at Animal Kingdom last month.

I was hanging out in front of the Tree of Life when four kangaroos wandered onto the lawn. I’d never seen them in that area before. Usually, spotting the mob (yes, that’s the actual term for a group of kangaroos) requires a walk along the Discovery Island Trails.

It was a great scene. The mob was enjoying their lush green grass dinner. Then one of them got the zoomies and launched itself over the waterfall, startling a nearby black bird so badly that it dropped whatever meal it had been enjoying. It was one of those moments that remind you why Animal Kingdom is unlike any other theme park in the world.

I’m sure Jumping Junction will be great too. But unlike my random Tree of Life encounter, those kangaroos are about to have an audience with expectations.

Jumping Junction debuts on May 26, 2026.

Read more: Bluey’s Wild World at Animal Kingdom Will Use a Virtual Queue at Launch