One of the longest wait times at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not for a ride, but rather a baby Sumatran tiger named Bakso! Little Bakso was born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in late September, but he recently made his debut on the Maharajah Jungle Trek with mom Sohni. Due to the long lines to try and catch a glimpse of Bakso, operations have changed significantly at the animal observation trail in the Asia section of the theme park. We made it out to Disney’s Animal Kingdom to take a look!
Baby Tiger Draws Huge Crowds at Animal Kingdom

In order to deal with the large crowds, Cast Members have completely reversed the route of the animal viewing trail. While Bakso is out in the enclosure, the exit of the trail becomes the entrance and the entrance flips to the exit. This allows for better crowd flow as it relates to other animal exhibits. With the exception of the bird aviary, which the line bypasses, there are no other animal exhibits between where the line begins and where the tiger viewing area is.
It’s also lucky that Kali River Rapids is closed for its annual refurbishment right now, allowing the area typically used for the entrance to the rafting ride to be exclusively utilized for the crowds lining up to view Bakso.
As you’ll soon see, another benefit of routing the line this way is that guests can also catch a glimpse of Bakso’s dad, Conrad, in an enclosure that they pass on the way to view Bakso.
Best Time to View Baby Tiger

If you’re visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom soon, know that Bakso does not stay out in the enclosure all day long. Right now, Bakso will be allowed to roam in guest view during the morning and sometimes early morning hours. If you’re trying to catch a glimpse of baby Bakso, your best chance will be during the early morning hours. Officially, Disney says that “Bakso may not be in his habitat during all operating hours as his keepers are allowing him to choose when he wants to join his mom in the habitat”.
The Maharajah Jungle Trek opens at 9am, and a line began to form shortly after the 8am park open of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The line stretched back to Yak & Yeti as hundreds of guests lined up to get a chance to see Bakso.
The wait time was quoted to be an hour when the Maharajah Jungle Trek opened, and it stayed steady as more guests joined the line during the 9am hour. During busier times, the wait time will be more than an hour.
Once it’s your turn to enter the viewing platform, Cast Members are telling guests that they have about 5 minutes or less if Bakso is out and about. With hundreds of guests waiting for a glimpse, Cast Members are trying to balance being fair to those viewing and being fair to those in line.
Here’s a look at the large crowds lined up to catch a glimpse of the newest rockstar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, baby Bakso the Sumatran tiger!
Crowds Wait More Than an Hour to View Baby Tiger








Here’s a look at the viewing bridge where guests can spot Conrad. Cast Members have been advising guests that this tiger viewing bridge is about 45 minutes from the viewing platform for the separate exhibit where Bakso and his mom Sohni are located. Bakso and his dad Conrad will not interact, which Cast Members said is common in the wild.


The line continues to snake past some of the other animal viewing exhibits, which can help pass the time.




For photos of baby Bakso, check out our article below, which shows his first moments stepping outside when he first debuted on the Maharajah Jungle Trek late last month!

As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!