Tree of Life Awakenings is back at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for a handful of early November nights, with a holiday version planned for the season. Here are the dates, times and what you’ll see.
The Tree of Life is lighting up again. Tree of Life Awakenings returned to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this weekend, and WDW News Today caught the first night on Sunday, Nov. 1.
The catch is the calendar. Right now this is a short run of bonus nights, not a nightly show for the whole season, so it helps to know which nights to aim for.
What nights is Tree of Life Awakenings in November 2026?
WDW News Today reported in October that Disney’s show page lists these dates:
Sunday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 7: 6:10 to 8 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 2, Thursday, Nov. 5 and Friday, Nov. 6: 6:10 to 7 p.m.
Disney Tourist Blog reported there are no shows on Tuesday, Nov. 3 or Wednesday, Nov. 4. It said the park closes at 6 p.m. on those two nights. It also said the calendar didn’t list any shows from Nov. 8 on.
Shows run about every 10 minutes once it’s dark. Disney’s page says the show is “offered seasonally,” so check the My Disney Experience app before you go. Monday’s flood watch in Central Florida could also mess with tonight’s plans.
What is Tree of Life Awakenings?
It’s a projection show on the trunk of the Tree of Life, the giant fake tree in the middle of the park. Disney’s description says “flickering fireflies magically appear and stir to life the animal spirits in the tree’s towering trunk.”
WDW News Today says there are three different shows in the rotation. You’ll see scenes inspired by The Lion King, Finding Nemo and The Jungle Book, plus forest scenes in between. The Lion King one mixes animated moments from the film with African nature designs, set to music from the score.
Each one is short, so you can stand in one spot and catch two or three in a row. The best views are from the paths around the tree on Discovery Island.
Here’s a full look at last year’s holiday version from Wish Upon A Mouse:
Is there a holiday version of Tree of Life Awakenings?
Yes. Disney Parks Blog lists a Tree of Life Awakenings Holiday Edition for this holiday season, calling it “a dazzling visual display full of bright colors and animated imagery.” It runs about every 10 minutes until the park closes.
Disney World’s holiday season runs Nov. 13, 2026 through Jan. 6, 2027, according to the same post. As of Disney Tourist Blog’s October report, Disney hadn’t posted the holiday edition’s nights yet. That’s why these early November shows are a nice surprise.
The holiday edition used to be called Tree of Life Winter Awakenings, if you’ve seen that name on older trip reports.
How long has Tree of Life Awakenings been around?
D23 says the show debuted May 27, 2016. That was part of Animal Kingdom’s big push into nighttime, when the park began staying open later at night.
The tree itself is 145 feet tall and covered with more than 300 carved animals. Inside it, It’s Tough to Be a Bug ran until March 16, 2025. Zootopia: Better Zoogether! took over the theater on Nov. 7, 2025.
What else is new for the holidays at Animal Kingdom?
Disney Parks Blog lists a few seasonal extras. Merry Menagerie brings puppets of arctic animals to Discovery Island, and Santa’s Holiday Grove has a Santa meet with snow flurries now and then.
TouringPlans adds a 55-foot holiday tree outside the main gate and Mickey and Minnie in holiday safari outfits at Adventurers Outpost.
The rest of the park is still a construction zone. DinoLand U.S.A. closed for good in February, and the new Tropical Americas area is due in 2027.
So, if you’re at Animal Kingdom one of these November nights, stick around after sunset. It’s one of the cheapest bits of Disney magic left. Well, it’s included with the ticket, which is about as cheap as Disney gets.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WDW News Today (Oct. 22 and Nov. 1, 2026), show dates, times and segments
Disney Tourist Blog (Oct. 22, 2026), dark nights, hours and the bonus run
Disney Parks Blog (Oct. 6, 2026), Holiday Edition and holiday dates
Disney World, Tree of Life Awakenings show page
D23, debut date
TouringPlans (Nov. 1, 2026), Animal Kingdom holiday decor
Wish Upon A Mouse, Tree of Life Awakenings video
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