Big changes are coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park as Walt Disney World Resort takes the next step in replacing one of the park’s original attractions. Disney has officially filed a permit to begin work on a brand-new show inside the Tree of Life, marking the end of an era for a 26-year-old Animal Kingdom staple.
End of an Era for It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
Since the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park on April 22, 1998, guests have enjoyed (or been traumatized by) It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, a 3D interactive show based on Pixar’s A Bug’s Life (1998). The attraction, housed inside the park’s iconic Tree of Life, has immersed audiences in the awe-inspiring and sometimes terrifying insect world for over two decades. But its days are now numbered.
Disney first teased that a Zootopia (2016) attraction would take over the Tree of Life at the Destination D23 event in 2023. Now, Walt Disney Imagineers have officially filed permits to begin the transformation, confirming the end of It’s Tough to Be a Bug! as the park prepares for its replacement.
Disney Files Permit for Tree of Life Overhaul
The latest permit filing, submitted by Walt Disney Imagineering, confirms that major changes are coming to the Tree of Life theater. Disney has contracted Icarus Exhibits, Inc., a company known for its work on theme park attractions, to “install set elements” inside the theater at 745 W Savannah Cir.
This new development follows last month’s permit, which authorized the demolition of existing structures inside the It’s Tough To Be A Bug! theater.
What We Know About “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!”
The new show, “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!”, is expected to debut later this year, aligning with the release of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2 (2025). Early concept art suggests that the show will feature an advanced Clawhauser audio-animatronic, similar to the one in Shanghai Disneyland’s Zootopia: Hot Pursuit attraction.
Additionally, Ginnifer Goodwin, the voice of Judy Hopps, is set to perform an all-new song exclusively for the attraction.
It’s Tough To Be A Bug! will entertain guests for the final time on March 16, 2025.
More Changes Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom
The closure of It’s Tough to Be a Bug! is just one of many changes happening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. In January, Disney permanently closed most of DinoLand U.S.A. to make way for a Tropical Americas-themed land called Pueblo Esperanza.
The reimagined land will feature two new attractions inspired by Encanto (2021) and an Indiana Jones retheme of DINOSAUR. While DINOSAUR, The Boneyard, and select dining locations remain open through 2025, the entire land is expected to close for the complete transformation in 2026.
When Will the Tree of Life Reopen?
Walt Disney World Resort has not yet announced an exact opening date for “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!”, but work is well underway with permits now in place. As Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park enters a new chapter, longtime Disney Parks fans will soon say goodbye to even more of the park’s original opening-day attractions.
Are you excited about the new Zootopia show inside the Tree of Life? Let Disney Fanatic know in the comments!
Is it even going to be worth it to go to animal Kingdom this summer? You would think Disney would better coordinate what they’re closing and opening new.