Hidden in Disney’s Latest Announcement Is a Message to Fans: Don’t Expect Disney World Projects To Be Completed Before 2029

This week, Disney fans held their breath as the company made another announcement regarding a beloved attraction at Walt Disney World. However, Disney fans were relieved this time as the company announced that DINOSAUR would remain open through 2025 and into early 2026. 

DINOSAUR is on the chopping block to be replaced by an Indiana Jones ride to go along with the retheming of DinoLand U.S.A. Disney has already begun the construction process of turning DinoLand U.S.A. into an Encanto-theme Central/South American-themed land.

However, lost in the excitement of the DINOSAUR announcement was the fact that the timing of the ride’s closure should leave Disney fans worrying about just how long this new transformation is going to take. With DINOSAUR not closing until 2026, at the earliest, Disney fans shouldn’t expect to see the new Encanto land until 2027, but a more realistic timeframe would be 2028 or 2029.

Let’s examine Splash Mountain, the latest Disney ride to undergo a ride transformation, to give you an idea of how long it takes.

Disney World’s Splash Mountain closed on January 23, 2023. Using nearly the same exact ride track and only changing the queue, animatronics, and theming, Disney opened Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at the Magic Kingdom on June 28, 2024. That’s an 18-month timeframe.

Assuming that Disney will do a similar transformation from DINOSAUR to Indiana Jones, that means the new ride and land won’t be open until the end of 2027, but more likely, 2028, at the earliest.

The changes coming to Animal Kingdom are significantly further along than those coming to Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, which means it wouldn’t be until late 2028 or 2029 before those projects are completed.

Sooooooo…. Turns out!!

Disney will NOT be responding to Epic Universe until 2030, as was predicted. The construction speed difference between Universal and Disney continues to become one of the defining aspects of their rivalry. https://t.co/xlVroTzIMQ pic.twitter.com/WtYLoHwW2Q

— Wallin Ballin (@wallin_ballin) December 3, 2024

It took Disney more than three years to complete the new Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom more than a decade ago. However, that was only one new land and a completely different Disney.

Realistically, fans shouldn’t expect Disney’s new projects to finally be finished before 2029 or 2030, assuming there are no further delays. That would give Epic Universe a four-year head start on luring and keeping a loyal fanbase and allowing Universal to plan its next move.

Either way, this announcement means Disney will be in trouble for the foreseeable future.