DINOSAUR and DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are officially closing to make way for a Tropical Americas land.
DINOSAUR Closing Timeframe
The transformation from DinoLand U.S.A. to a Tropical Americas land will happen in phases this fall, giving fans plenty of time to experience DINOSAUR one last time. An exact closing date for the attraction was not announced.
DINOSAUR will become a new Indiana Jones ride. Ke Huy Quan, who played Short Round in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” appeared on stage to talk about how Indiana Jones will be incorporated into Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
The Tropical Americas land, first announced at Destination D23 2023, will also feature “Encanto.”
DINOSAUR and Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland have almost identical ride systems and tracks. Indiana Jones Adventure is not set in the Tropical Americas — it’s set in India — but that could easily be updated for a new version of the ride.
Disney filed their first notice of commencement for work in DinoLand in May 2024 and more permits in July.
DINOSAUR and DinoLand U.S.A. opened with Disney’s Animal Kingdom on April 22, 1998. The ride, originally named Countdown to Extinction, was developed simultaneously with Disney’s 2000 animated feature “Dinosaur.” The ride’s name was changed when the film was released. Other minor alterations were made to make the ride (slightly) more family-friendly. The connections between the ride and film are slim, however. DINOSAUR sees guests traveling through time to the Cretaceous period, where they are looking for an Iguanodon who happens to be the film’s protagonist, Aladar. They encounter a hungry Carnotaurus during their journey.
Watch our DINOSAUR POV video below.
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