Disney Legend and Imagineer Joe Rohde took to Instagram to share a piece of his artwork and give his thoughts regarding the upcoming permanent closure of DinoLand U.S.A.
Joe Rohde Documents DinoLand U.S.A.
As DinoLand U.S.A. gets ready to permanently close to make way for Pueblo Esperanza at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Legend and Imagineer Joe Rohde took to Instagram to share the above photograph and give his thoughts on the land’s imminent closure. Here is what he had to say:
I was just recently wandering around inside of Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland, USA at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. First of all, as much as I love dinosaurs, let me say that I am excited about the changes to come. But I did want to get some archival photographs of the design, because it will be useful in teaching about design. This piece, by me, which is a pretty big painting, was supposed to be done in a style suggesting that it was pretty old, like from before World War II. It is meant to be evocative of the dinosaur paintings of the great Paleo-illustrator Charles Knight. I am, however, compulsively more colorful as a painter. It’s probably one of the last things I ever ever got to paint as a real painter, before the directorial responsibilities of leading teams made it impossible for me to devote this much time to a single work of art. For that reason, it is close to my heart. It’s not particularly scientifically, accurate, but that was meant to be part of its nostalgic flavor. I do know that styracosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex did not live at the same time. Maybe it’s a Gorgosaurus.
Rohde was the overall creative executive and supervising designer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which opened in 1998. DinoLand U.S.A. was one of the theme park’s original lands, along with The Oasis, Safari Village, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Asia, and Conservation Station. Rohde later played integral roles in the creation of Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain and Pandora – The World of Avatar.
Disney originally announced that construction on Pueblo Esperanza would begin in fall 2024, but we now know that the first phase of DinoLand U.S.A. closures will begin on January 12, 2025. However, changes have already begun, as an animatronic was recently removed from DINOSAUR in preparation for the attraction’s closure and Marley the American Crocodile was removed from his habitat.
A model of Pueblo Esperanza debuted in August at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. During the event, Disney also announced that new attractions would include a wood-carved carousel and an “Encanto” ride. An Indiana Jones ride will replace DINOSAUR. The new attractions are set to open in 2027.
What is your favorite part of DinoLand U.S.A.? What are you going to miss the most when the land closes? Let us know in the comments.
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