Credit: Jess Colopy, Inside the MagicTwenty-seven years ago, Walt Disney World Resort introduced its fourth Disney park: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. The Central Florida destination has changed a lot in the decades since, premiering new attractions and shuttering old ones. But its biggest overhaul is yet to come.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998. The conservation-focused theme park promised to immerse guests in animal experiences like Kilimanjaro Safaris, thrilling attractions, and international themed lands like Asia and Africa.
Some of the opening day attractions that remain at the Disney park include the Festival of the Lion King and DINOSAUR, while later additions include Expedition Everest, Avatar Flight of Passage, and Kali River Rapids.
But DINOSAUR will soon disappear from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, taking the rest of DinoLand U.S.A. with it. Much of the “theme park within a theme park” closed in January, including TriceraTop Spin, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama (including the Fossil Fun Games).
The prehistoric area, which opened alongside the fourth Central Florida Disney park in 1998, is going extinct to make way for a Tropical Americas-themed land, Pueblo Esperanza.
Pueblo Esperanza at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Walt Disney World Resort plans to debut Pueblo Esperanza in 2027, although an exact opening date hasn’t been announced. Concept art for the land features two Encanto (2021) rides, including a carousel and a “Casita” attraction.
Walt Disney Imagineers will also reimagine DINOSAUR into an Indiana Jones-themed attraction, distinct from the similar ride in Adventureland at Disneyland Park.
This is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park’s final birthday with the remnants of DinoLand U.S.A. DINOSAUR, The Boneyard Play Area, Restaurantosaurus, Trilo-Bites, and the rest of DinoLand U.S.A. will close in early 2026, giving guests just months to pay a final visit.
Tree of Life Overhaul
Although Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park guests will have to wait until 2027 to experience Pueblo Esperanza, they’ll only have to wait a few months for another new experience.
The original Tree of Life Theater show, It’s Tough To Be A Bug!, closed permanently in March. One of the final opening-day attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, the sometimes-scary A Bug’s Life (1998) themed show encouraged conservation by teaching guests about some of Earth’s smallest residents.
Walt Disney Imagineers are hard at work transforming the Tree of Life Theater for Zootopia: Better Zoogether!. The new show will feature a new song sung by Ginnifer Goodwin, the voice of Judy Hopps in Zootopia (2016). Concept art for the 3D attraction also suggests it will include an advanced Clawhauser audio-animatronic, like the one in the Zootopia: Hot Pursuit ride at Shanghai Disneyland.
Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced an exact opening date for Zootopia: Better Zoogether!, but it’s expected to coincide with the premiere of Zootopia 2 (2025) in November.
As Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park celebrates its 27th birthday, we hope you enjoyed this look at what the park will lose and gain in the coming years!
What is your favorite detail at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!