And so it begins. When Josh’s D’Amaro announced that DinoLand U.S.A. would be closing to make way for the new Tropical Americas area in Disney’s Animal Kingdom – including new Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions – he assured DinoLand fans that they’d have “plenty of time” to revisit their favorites before they go under the knife. Well, now we know that permanent closures are set to begin on Jan. 13, 2025.
As we prepare for the Tropical Americas grand opening in 2027, let’s review what we know about what’s going and what’s coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom… And then we’ll take a look at another high-profile closure at the Magic Kingdom…
What’s Closing?
The first to go are TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, which will all permanently close on Jan. 13, 2025.
Construction on Tropical Americas was originally expected to begin this fall, but it may have been delayed by the back-to-back hurricanes that recently hit Florida, pushing these closures to early next year.
What’s Remaining Open… For Now.
There is still “plenty of time” to ride Dinosaur, which will remain open through 2025. The attraction will close in 2026 to make way for Indiana Jones.
Restaurantosaurus, Dino-Bite Snacks, and The Boneyard play area also do not have official closing dates, but again, if you love ‘em, you might want to visit soon to say your goodbyes.
Guests can also still visit Dino-Sue, a reproduction of one of the most famous fossil finds of the 20th century (did you know the real Sue is on display at The Field Museum in Chicago?)
What Will Replace DinoLand? Tropical Americas!
The all-new Tropical Americas area replacing DinoLand U.S.A. will invite guests to visit Pueblo Esperanza, which will include a hacienda housing one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort and a new carousel with carved wooden animals from Disney stories.
The first colorful carousel animal (Kevin from “Up”) was revealed in the Imagineering Pavilion at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event in August.
The 11-acre Tropical Americas area will also offer two signature attractions starring Indiana Jones and the magical Family Madrigal from “Encanto.”
Indiana Jones Takes Over Dinosaur
Imagineers promise that the new experience themed to Indiana Jones “will be different from any other Indiana Jones experience around the world” – although the fact that the Dinosaur attraction in Animal Kingdom and the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction at Disneyland share the same ride system and the same track layout has us wondering how different the two experiences will actually be.
Nevertheless, Disney says Indy’s latest adventure will take place in a perfectly preserved Maya temple hiding a mythical creature, so of course, we’ll be exploring it.
Encanto
The first-ever Encanto-themed attraction will allow guests to enter the family’s magical Casita just as Antonio receives his special gift of being able to communicate with animals.
Thanks to Casita’s magic, the furniture comes to life to transport guests through the house – and into Antonio’s room, which has been transformed into a rainforest. Along the way, we’ll meet members of the family, including one mysterious uncle we obviously can’t talk about.
Check out our article for all the new experiences coming to Walt Disney World:
UPDATED! New Attractions for Walt Disney World & Shocking Surprises!
But wait… there’s even more attraction closure news from Orlando.
Big Thunder Mountain in Magic Kingdom will also close in early 2025 – January 6th to be exact. But unlike the DinoLand closures, this one is only temporary (although it’s unusually long for a normal refurbishment).
According to the My Disney Experience App, the ride is expected to reopen in 2026, “with a little bit of new magic,” but this closure could also have something to do with the controversial Cars-themed Frontierland expansion that includes the removal of the Rivers of America.
In our last Walt Disney World update back in September, we explained a potential pitfall facing Disney with regard to the proposed Frontierland project. At that time, Florida requested additional information regarding environmental impacts of removing the large man-made body of water that connects to natural lakes and wetlands. Specifically, the state wanted to know where all the water from Rivers of America will go because that much displaced water could cause flooding.
Disney had 90 days to respond or their permit will be denied and they’ll need to submit a new one; however Disney can also cancel the request by December 10, 2024, and re-apply when they’re ready to move forward.
At this point, Disney isn’t saying anything about anything but we’re keeping a close eye on the situation, so stay tuned.
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Let’s Hear From You!
Will you miss DinoLand U.S.A., or are you all-in on Tropical Americas? What do you think about the promise of a fresh Indiana Jones adventure or the lengthy Big Thunder refurb? And is a new Cars Land worth losing the Rivers of America for?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
