It’s the end of an era for the original theme park within a theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. DinoLand U.S.A., the roadside carnival-themed area that’s been part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park since it opened in 1998, has officially been leveled.
On April 22, 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom made its grand premiere, inviting guests to learn about some of the world’s most majestic creatures while experiencing best-in-class theme park attractions. Much of the Disney park focused on living animals, making DinoLand U.S.A. unique: the prehistoric-themed land paid tribute to some of the largest animals to ever walk the Earth. Chester and Hester, two dinosaur entrepreneurs, took advantage of the prestigious Dino Institute (home of DINOSAUR) and built a roadside carnival where they could make a quick buck off tourists.
In August 2024, Walt Disney Imagineering announced that DinoLand U.S.A. would soon close to make way for a Tropical Americas-themed addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. This new land will feature two attractions inspired by Encanto (2021) and an Indiana Jones retheme of the existing DINOSAUR ride.
After over two decades of entertaining guests, much of DinoLand U.S.A. closed in January 2025. This included Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama (including the Fossil Fun Games), Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and the TriceraTop Spin attraction. Crews have slowly removed iconic parts of the area over the last few months, including the large Cementosaurus that towered over its entrance.
Though much of the construction is hidden behind large walls and rolling planters, one Disney Parks fan recently shared an exclusive aerial image of the project site. On May 9, @bioreconstruct posted this photo on X (formerly known as Twitter), showing that DinoLand U.S.A. has been leveled completely:
Aerial overview of the Encanto attraction site in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Part of the transformation to a Tropical Americas section in the park.
Aerial overview of the Encanto attraction site in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Part of the transformation to a Tropical Americas section in the park. pic.twitter.com/naJCRDEcMs— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) May 9, 2025
The rest of DinoLand U.S.A., including The Boneyard, DINOSAUR, and several Quick Service dining locations, will remain open through the end of 2025. Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced an exact closing date for the area, but it’s expected to welcome its final guests sometime in early 2026.
Pueblo Esperanza is expected to debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park sometime in 2027, though a grand opening date has yet to be announced.
Do you agree with Walt Disney World Resort’s decision to replace DinoLand U.S.A. with Pueblo Esperanza? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments!
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