Disney Clarifies DinoLand U.S.A. Closure Plans as Tropical Americas Construction Progresses at Animal Kingdom

11 days ago in "Tropical Americas"

Posted: Thursday March 6, 2025 9:20am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has provided a new blog update offering clarification on what remains open in DinoLand U.S.A. and a timeline for its full closure as work progresses on the Tropical Americas expansion at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Tropical Americas Concept Art

The post, titled "DinoLand Is Closing: Here's What to Catch Before It Goes Extinct," confirms that parts of DinoLand U.S.A. will remain open through 2025, including DINOSAUR, The Boneyard, and Restaurantosaurus. However, Disney reiterates that this is the final year to experience the area before the land is completely transformed.

What's Still Open in DinoLand?

According to the update, guests can still visit:

DINOSAUR – The Time Rover adventure remains operational until 2026 before being replaced by a new Indiana Jones attraction set in a newly discovered Maya temple.
The Boneyard – The interactive play area will remain open throughout 2025, giving young guests more time to explore.
Restaurantosaurus – The quick-service dining location is still serving meals and will remain open in 2025.
Dino-Bite Snacks – The snack stand continues to serve ice cream sandwiches and other treats.

What's Already Closed?

Dino-Rama Demolition Complete - February 25, 2025

The first wave of closures took place on January 12, 2025, when the following permanently shut down:

TriceraTop Spin
Fossil Fun Games
Chester & Hester's Dinosaur Treasures

Additionally, the large entrance dinosaur (Cementosaurus) and the Dino-Rama billboards have now been completely demolished as the site continues to be cleared.

When Will DINOSAUR and Restaurantosaurus Close?

DINOSAUR will remain open through 2025, with its final year confirmed before its transformation into the new Indiana Jones attraction in 2026. No specific date has been announced.
Restaurantosaurus will also remain open in 2025, but Disney has not yet provided a final closure date.

Dinosaur overview

A Look Ahead at Tropical Americas

Encanto-themed ride concept art

Disney's blog post also reaffirms some key details about the Tropical Americas expansion, which will open in 2027:

New Pueblo Esperanza Themed Area – Inspired by real-world South American villages, this land will feel like a place with a deep history, similar to Harambe in Africa.
Encanto Ride-Through Attraction – Guests will step inside the Madrigal family's casita and experience Antonio's magical ability to communicate with animals.
Indiana Jones Adventure – A new take on an Indy ride, where guests join Dr. Jones on a quest to uncover a mythical creature deep inside an ancient Maya temple.
Large Quick-Service Hacienda Restaurant – One of the biggest quick-service dining locations in Walt Disney World.
A Unique Carousel – A woodcarver's handcrafted carousel featuring animals from Disney stories will be a highlight for families.

Indiana Jones Attraction Concept Art

The Final Countdown for DinoLand U.S.A.

With demolition accelerating, and only a handful of locations still operational, DinoLand U.S.A. will continue to disappear throughout 2025 as Disney transitions to full-scale construction. Guests who want to experience DINOSAUR, The Boneyard, or Restaurantosaurus should plan their visits soon, as the land goes extinct for good in 2026.

Discuss on the Forums

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EagleScout6104 hours ago

https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/maps/news/17mar2025-disneys-animal-kingdom-guide-map-updated-with-closure-of-its-tough-to-be-a-bug-and-dinoland-u.s.a.s-final-year.htm

Gremlin Gus22 hours ago

I know this has been seen before on Bioresconstruct, but it looks like there's progress being done to remove the trees behind the former Primeval Whirl ride for the Encanto show building.

ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ1 day ago

Best we can do is rock back and forth. But we can add a strobe!

Bleed0range1 day ago

That would be cool. Like the body slithering in and out of an opening in the wall and then you turn the corner and it strikes at you. Later you see it try to eat you as you dive down instead of the boulder scene. Or maybe the boulder scene happens and lands on top of it!

Disgruntled Walt1 day ago

I’d like multiple versions of the serpent animatronic, chasing you all around the temple, like the carnotaurus did.

DisneyHead1231 day ago

I think something like a serpent - especially a mythical one - would be a great use of animatronic technology because of all the funky ways they move about. I think the thing that's tricky about that advanced technology with human characters is that you can look around the park and see fifty billion other human beings nearby, who are not imitating humans but are in fact the real live thing. I think it's harder to build in a "wow" factor with a human animatronics for that reason. But a winged mythological creature that could sidewind, swoop, coil, slither, undulate, etc. - they could do a lot with that.

DisneyHead1231 day ago

I haven't been on the Tiana ride but one of the common complaints seems to be that they took a ride full of animatronics and replaced it with a few sparse animatronics. What I was saying is that Indiana Jones would actually be a good spot for just a few well placed, elaborate animatronics. Because of the setting - an ancient temple in the middle of the jungle - there's not an expectation that you'll see tons of characters or scenes full of animatronics.

Gusey1 day ago

I'm thinking it will close a year after Dino Rama closed, as that's when the crowds die down a little, enough to remove park capacity (and Zootopia will be open by then to help with that capacity removal)

TheMaxRebo1 day ago

Definitely will be snakes and also a lot of hints leaning towards the Mayan winged serpent god which could make for a cool animatronic As to your date - my guess is it will be open for your trip but close very shortly after - like the following week. I think they keep it open through the end of holiday season and marathon weekend and then close shortly after

Moth1 day ago

Cool animatronics? Wonder what that could be.... 🐍 🪽 Anyway, over and under that Dinosaur is open for a January 4th to 9th window??? Planning a vacation with three other friends and we need to say goodbye to our beloved Dinosaur before we go crazy at EU.

Disstevefan11 day ago

I hope it’s not elaborate animatronics like we got with Tiana. We all know how that went.

radiorae1 day ago

For sure! I’m honestly more interested in what they can do outside of traditional animatronics— practical effects, moving sets, lighting, projection mapping, and the like. I’m not up to date on the most cutting edge ride technology, but with the Dinosaur building being a nearly blank canvas inside, it would be cool if they took the opportunity to do something different. A good Indy animatronic, no matter how well done, will not be enough to carry this ride.

DisneyHead1231 day ago

From Joe Rohde's Instagram. Thought it was interesting because he said this wasn't something he'd typically seek out, so maybe there's some AK specific reason for touring this particular canyon? Or maybe I'm over-reading the tea leaves! Did something today that I would not normally seek, out, but was great. We went on a tourboat trip up the Grijalva River in Sumidero canyon. A very very deep limestone canyon full of interesting formations. A certain kind of formation looks like a series of limestone umbrellas formed by seasonal waterfalls slowly depositing limestone in splash shapes for millennia. Caves with shrines to the Virgin of Guadeloupe. Cliffs with stalactites. Huge crocodiles with GOT dragon-like scutes. Jillions of birds. I'd come back in November when it's green and full of waterfalls! Like two Nepali Coastlines facing each other.

DisneyHead1231 day ago

I think something like Indiana Jones would be the perfect setting for a few elaborate animatronics. It’s not a book report type ride or one centered on scenes full of people like Pirates. A super realistic snake, moving statue, Indy escaping, etc. could be perfect there.