The themed signs of Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, including the shop’s main sign, have been removed from the closed DinoLand U.S.A. gift shop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures Signs Gone
The gift shop located at the back of DinoLand closed permanently with the rest of Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama this week. Demolition began quickly and crews were removing signs from Dinosaur Treasures on Wednesday. Now most of the themed billboards are gone.
For comparison, above is a side-by-side of two photos of Dinosaur Treasures. On the left are the shop’s billboards as they looked just before closure. On the right is how the building looked on Thursday morning.
Some frames remain on the rooftops, showing where signs advertising dinosaur memorabilia used to be. The backstory of Dino-Rama explained that couple Chester and Hester turned their old gas station into the Dinosaur Treasures gift shop to capitalize on recent fossil discoveries in their home of Diggs County.
When we visited on Thursday morning, the main Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures sign was still in place — but not for much longer.
Crew members quickly descended upon the sign, which featured the gift shop’s name in big red and gold letters. “DINOSAUR” was highlighted with sparkling sequins. There was once an inflatable T. rex that loomed over the sign, as seen in the old photo by Disney below.
The “It’s Fossiliferous” billboard also remains on top of the roof. So does the back of the billboard that featured two dinos with signs reading: “You don’t need to go to the end of the Earth — You’re here now!”
Crews secured the sign to a crane and then lifted it away from its steel supports.
We noticed one of the crew members in the cherry-picker vehicle was wearing a GoPro camera on his safety helmet.
Soon, the Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures sign was out of sight.
More DinoLand Demolition
Across from Dinosaur Treasures, more paneling has been removed from the central top of TriceraTop Spin. The teal Triceratops figure is also gone from atop the top, as is the themed elements from around its steel support.
The comet decorations are gone, leaving behind small holes where they were previously attached. It appears most of the paneling from around the lower half of the top was removed, along with some of the paneling from the top half.
On the left above is a photo of TriceraTop Spin from before it closed. On the right is a photo from Thursday morning, showcasing what paneling and decorations have been removed.
At the back of DinoLand, U.S.A., rolling planters have been replaced with green construction walls around the “Cementosaurus.” A new act, the Ecorhythmics band, is now playing in this area daily.
The rest of DinoLand, including DINOSAUR, is rumored to close in about one year. DinoLand will be replaced by a Tropical Americas land. DINOSAUR, which will be open through 2025, will become an Indiana Jones attraction. The ride already uses the same ride system and approximately the same track layout as Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland, although it will have a brand new Indiana Jones story.
Taking over the Dino-Rama space is an “Encanto” attraction, which will take guests “beyond” the story of the movie, beginning with Antonio’s birthday when he gets his gift of speaking to animals. It is set to open with the Indiana Jones attraction in 2027.
In the land’s fictional town of Pueblo Esperanza will be a hacienda restaurant, replacing Restaurantosaurus (which remains open for now), plus a new carousel ride. The ride’s carved animals will be inspired by Disney characters, including Kevin from “Up.”
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.