An original part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park has vanished, replaced by towering construction walls and the promise of a brand-new land. Guests who venture into this corner of Walt Disney World Resort today are already experiencing firsthand what the park’s future looks like.
DinoLand U.S.A. has slowly disappeared in phases, beginning in January 2025 with the closure of Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, TriceraTop Spin, and Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama, including the Fossil Fun Games. The Boneyard play area followed soon after, officially closing its gates to young paleontologists on September 1. Soon after, walls were raised and heavy machinery moved in to begin the demolition. The land that once housed carnival games and fossil digs now looks unrecognizable.
Guests walking through this section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park are greeted by a narrow pathway between two construction walls. The familiar sights of DinoLand U.S.A. are gone, replaced by cleared ground and work sites. Aerial photography from theme park enthusiast @bioreconstruct on X (formerly Twitter) captures the scale of the ongoing work:
Aerial photos of construction of Tropical Americas in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Including the demolition of The Boneyard. A play area in the former Dinoland U.S.A.
Aerial photos of construction of Tropical Americas in Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Including the demolition of The Boneyard. A play area in the former Dinoland U.S.A. pic.twitter.com/YN74ryxVrb— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) September 21, 2025
The project taking over this space is Pueblo Esperanza, a Tropical Americas-inspired land announced at D23 Expo 2024. This new addition will include two attractions based on Encanto (2021) and another that reimagines DINOSAUR into an Indiana Jones ride. Disney has clarified that while the ride system will still resemble Disneyland Park’s Indiana Jones Adventure, the experience will not be identical.
Disney Park guests still have limited time to enjoy some of DinoLand U.S.A. DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus, and Trilo-Bites will remain open until February 1, 2026. On February 2, DinoLand U.S.A. will officially close forever, marking the end of the land’s nearly three-decade history.
According to more photos from @bioreconstruct, crews are working on the foundation for Pueblo Esperanza’s main Encanto attraction:
Aerial photo of the development of Tropical Americas in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Show building construction at top, for an Encanto ride.
Aerial photo of the development of Tropical Americas in Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Show building construction at top, for an Encanto ride. pic.twitter.com/DweBNAXJGK— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) September 21, 2025
This week, Disney Park guests noticed another sign of progress on the Pueblo Esperanza construction site. According to @DrewDisneyDude, Imagineers have assembled a large crane at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park:
BREAKING: Crews are assembling a massive crane at the Tropical Americas project site at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
This marks the biggest milestone so far for the Encanto attraction as Walt Disney Imagineering begins major construction.
📸: @imderekbell
BREAKING: Crews are assembling a massive crane at the Tropical Americas project site at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
This marks the biggest milestone so far for the Encanto attraction as Walt Disney Imagineering begins major construction.
📸: @imderekbell pic.twitter.com/rfzqU4yE1z
— Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude) September 22, 2025
Pueblo Esperanza is expected to open in 2027, though Walt Disney World Resort has yet to share an exact debut date. For now, guests can still experience one last ride with Dr. Seeker at the Dino Institute or enjoy a bite at Restaurantosaurus before the land officially becomes part of Disney theme park history.
Will you miss DinoLand U.S.A. after it goes extinct in February 2026? In the comments, share your favorite memories of the land with Disney Fanatic!
