With “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” closing permanently on March 16, we took a full video of one of the show’s last ever performances.
“It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” Closing
Disney announced the final day of operation for “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is March 16, 2025. The show will soon be replaced with a new show called “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” arriving sometime in the winter of 2025. While no exact date has been announced, the premiere of the Zootopia show takes place in the same time frame as the release of “Zootopia 2.” “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” has been announced to feature at least one original song with singing by Ginnifer Goodwin, the voice of Judy Hopps from the films.
“It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” debuted as an opening-day attraction in Disney’s Animal Kingdom on April 22, 1998. Taking place in the Tree of Life Theater, the “A Bug’s Life”-inspired show premiered seven months before the release of its associated film. The show runs approximately 9 minutes in length, though getting to the theater underneath the Tree of Life usually takes a few more minutes of walking.
The queue of the attraction includes several parody-style posters of popular films, complete with quotes parodying popular news columns. Guests entering the theater are provided with a pair of ‘bug eyes,’ a.k.a. 3D glasses with bug antennae sticking out from the top. If you want to see more of the queue and theater of the show, we have a full Last Look Photo Tour.
The mostly 3D show includes special appearances by animatronics of Flik and Hopper from “A Bug’s Life.” The shown is particularly known for its sometimes uncomfortable special effects, which include air puffs aimed at audience members, the odor of a stink bug, and the effect of a ‘bee sting’ poking guests in the back.
Interestingly, we previously reported that the show had stopped using its specially-designed 3D glasses shortly after the announcement of its closing date. The ‘bug eyes’ glasses were replaced with generic pink glasses used for MuppetVision 3D. However, it seems the bug-themed glasses have returned for the show’s final day of operation and were being used one last time.
If you want to watch a complete performance of “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” we have a 4K Full Show POV video below and on our channel.
Are you sad to see “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” taking its last bow at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or are you excited to see it go? Let us know in the comments.
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