Reminder: Final Weekend to Ride DINOSAUR at Animal Kingdom

It’s your last chance to get that dino! DINOSAUR at Animal Kingdom is set to close after the day ends on February 1, 2026.

DINOSAUR to Close

Ahead of its closure on February 1, DINOSAUR has had long waits. Guests are eager to experience the attraction one last time before it is reimagined into an Indiana Jones-themed ride.

On both Saturday and Sunday, January 31 and February 1, Animal Kingdom is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Guests with early entry access can enter the park starting at 7:30 a.m. It did experience a delayed opening on Friday, January 30.

PhotoPass

Until the ride’s closure, there is now a PhotoPass photographer posted outside of the DINOSAUR attraction. Guests can get one last photo with Alador the Iguanodon from the ride and the 2000 film Dinosaur.

Countdown Until Closure

Whiteboard at DINOSAUR with countdown on it — *Source: @Kdodgers24*

Guests waiting in the ride queue may notice the cast members have created a closure countdown on the whiteboard. Keep an eye out while you’re in line.

History of DINOSAUR

Blue flags representing The Dino Institute inside DINOSAUR

DINOSAUR is closing after a nearly 28-year-run. It opened under the name Countdown to Extinction with the park on April 22 (Earth Day), 1998. Two years later, it was renamed and updated slightly to coincide with the release of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Dinosaur. Disney had always planned for the ride and film to be connected in some way, although the film was delayed until after the ride’s opening, and they only have loose connections in the form of the two main dinosaurs: Aladar and the Carnotaurus.

The dark ride lasts about 3 minutes and 10 seconds. It consists of 15 ride vehicles (time rovers) that each hold 12 guests. The height restriction is 40″. It was sponsored by McDonald’s until 2008.

The DINOSAUR ride track is a near duplicate of Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland, making the switch to an Indiana Jones ride relatively easy.

New Indiana Jones Ride

A person with a torch approaches an ancient, glowing artifact inside a cave. Nearby, people in a vehicle point flashlights towards the artifact. The scene is filled with mystery and ancient symbols, reminiscent of an Indiana Jones adventure through the hidden wonders of the animal kingdom.

DinoLand U.S.A. will be replaced by Pueblo Esperanza, featuring an Encanto ride, carousel, and Indiana Jones ride. Though expected to be similar to Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland Park and Tokyo DisneySea, the currently unnamed Animal Kingdom version of the ride will have a brand new story set in a Mayan temple. Indy has heard stories of a mythical creature inside the temple.

A group of people observe and take photos of a vibrant red and yellow structure in a lush, jungle-like setting with surrounding greenery and ancient ruins.

The Dino Institute will get a temple facade. Construction walls already up in DinoLand feature Camazotz, bat-like spirits from Maya mythology, suggesting they could be connected to the story.