Crews have started knocking down the wall separating DinoLand U.S.A. from backstage expansion space in Disney’s Animal Kingdom as they prepare to construct a new Tropical Americas land.
DinoLand Demolition, Tropical Americas Construction
The Dino Institute billboard and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures buildings are the only remnants of Dino-Rama still visible over construction walls. We expect the billboard to come down sooner rather than later, but the buildings will be reconfigured for use in Tropical Americas. When we visited on Thursday morning, crew members were actively working, with an excavator moving things around.
We previously saw a pile of torn-up concrete behind the walls, and an aerial view showed dirt patches. Crews have also cleared trees out from the backstage space behind DinoLand.
Though the current view through the trees may make it seem like there are just woods back here, there is actually only a bit of land separating the construction site from the Theater in the Wild, backstage buildings, roads, and parking lots. It seems Disney will use all the space they can get, however.
When Primeval Whirl was demolished a few years ago, a blue fence was constructed in the area. This was in addition to a brown wall at the back of the land. The blue fence is now completely gone, and parts of the brown wall have been taken down, expanding the construction site into the trees.
The blue wall in this picture is not the former Primeval Whirl fence. It appears to be some kind of trailer used to support construction efforts.
ISI Demolition-branded dumpsters and vehicles are at home at the site. Behind the vehicles in the above picture is part of the brown wall, with railings along the top. A yellow crane is visible beyond the trees, while a crew member stands among demolished flooring to the right.
The “Restrooms” sign is still on the roof of Dinosaur Treasures. All other themed signs and billboards were removed from the rooftops, although some of their supports remain. There’s plastic wrap around something below the sign. The World’s Largest Pin Truck is still parked outside the gift shop.
The Tropical Americas land will consist of the fictional village of Pueblo Esperanza, featuring a new carousel. An “Encanto” ride will take over the former Dino-Rama footprint. DINOSAUR will become an Indiana Jones ride. The rest of DinoLand will close in 2026, and Tropical Americas will open in 2027.
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