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Credit: Disney / CanvaGet ready to say goodbye to one of Disney’s most unique theme park attractions.
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There’s no denying that Disney theme parks have changed in big ways over the last several decades, with 2024 being an exceptionally big year for the company.
Not only did Disney say goodbye to its once-iconic log flume ride known as Splash Mountain, replacing it with a brand-new, awe-inspiring attraction themed to The Princess and the Frog (2009), but the company has also closed down several other fan-favorite experiences, some of which guests would never have expected.
This list includes the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade at Magic Kingdom, an attraction that has been a part of the park since it opened.
However, few Disney closures were as unexpected as Disney’s plans for the Pixar-themed show located deep inside its Animal Kingdom theme park.
It’s *Really* Tough to Be a Bug
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At 2023’s Destination D23 fan event, Disney officially announced it would be retheming It’s Tough to Be a Bug at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, transforming the fun yet controversial 3D show into a new experience inspired by Zootopia.
This new connection makes a lot of sense, considering Disney plans to release a Zootopia sequel next year, though many fans were shocked by the news that Flick, Hopper, and the rest of the Bug’s Life crew were being evicted.
It’s Tough to Be a Bug opened alongside Disney’s Animal Kingdom in April 1998 and serves as one of the park’s main attractions. The 3D film includes numerous faces and voices from Pixar’s A Bug’s Life, though the feature-length animated film would not be released until November 1998. Thus, It’s Tough to Be a Bug actually acts as the official debut of characters like Flick and Hopper.
However, many guests likely miss or choose to skip this experience outright for a number of reasons. For starters, it is somewhat hidden within Disney’s Animal Kingdom, taking place deep within the Tree of Life at the center of the park.
The attraction has also developed a rather negative reputation, especially among guests with younger children, as It’s Tough to Be a Bug is loud and dark and features several frightening moments. While the show starts off innocently enough, once Hopper takes over, it becomes a warzone, quite literally.
Guests are attacked by all kinds of insects and other creepy crawlies. This is a lot of fun for parents but can be quite intense and startling for younger guests. This has made It’s Tough to Be a Bug one of the more controversial offerings at the Walt Disney World Resort, but certainly one of the resort’s most unique as well.
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There is currently no closing date for It’s Tough to Be a Bug, though Disney’s new Zootopia-themed show is set to debut sometime in 2025, meaning there’s not much time left for guests who want to enjoy one final showing.
The attraction has never been a big crowd-drawer, but given the fact that it’s on the cusp of permanently closing, It’s Tough to Be a Big will likely see larger turnouts once a closing date is officially announced.
This was the case for now-defunct attractions like the previously mentioned Splash Mountain, as well as Country Bear Jamboree, which closed at the start of this year to make way for a revamped version of the classic animatronic-led show.
Will you miss It’s Tough to Be a Bug?