DINOSAUR Experience Replaced Four Months Early at Animal Kingdom

Around four months before its permanent closure, Walt Disney World Resort replaced part of the DINOSAUR ride experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Let’s take a look at what changed overnight.

At D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney Imagineering confirmed that it was bringing once-blue-sky plans to life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. The opening-day Disney Park area, DinoLand U.S.A., is going extinct to make way for a new, Tropical Americas-themed land called Pueblo Esperanza.

When it opens in 2027, Pueblo Esperanza will feature two Encanto (2021) attractions and an Indiana Jones reimagination of DINOSAUR. Notably, the retheme will be distinct from the existing Indiana Jones Adventure attraction at Disneyland Park, which uses the same ride system as DINOSAUR.

A person holding a torch stands before a glowing ancient statue in a cave, with rays of blue-green light streaming onto the ornate idol—an indiana jones-like scene, as an off-road vehicle and silhouettes emerge in the shadows to the right. — Credit: Disney

The phased closure of DinoLand U.S.A. began in January 2025 with the permanent shutdown of Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, TriceraTop Spin, and Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama (including the Fossil Fun Games). The Boneyard play area closed in September.

The shuttered locations have since been leveled, and aerial photos show Walt Disney Imagineers working on the beginnings of Pueblo Esperanza behind the construction walls.

The DINOSAUR attraction and DinoLand U.S.A.’s two Quick Service dining locations–Restaurantosaurus and Trilo-Bites–are the only remaining parts of the opening-day land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. The final chance to visit these locations is February 1, 2026, and they will officially go extinct on February 2.

Guests ride DINOSAUR at Animal Kingdom — Credit: Disney

Now, four months before DINOSAUR says goodbye to Disney Park guests (at least in its current form), Walt Disney World Resort has updated part of the attraction experience. According to @DrewDisneyDude on X (formerly known as Twitter), Disney has introduced a new on-ride photo frame for DINOSAUR:

NEW: DINOSAUR’s attraction photo has been updated as of today at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The final day to ride the attraction is February 1, 2026.

NEW: DINOSAUR’s attraction photo has been updated as of today at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The final day to ride the attraction is February 1, 2026. pic.twitter.com/hAPisWF8IK

— Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude) September 30, 2025

The new frame is dated 2025 and features the iconic red Carnotaurus, the DINOSAUR ride logo alongside the “It’s Fast! It’s A Blast! It’s In The Past!” slogan, and several fan-favorite quotes from the ride, including “You Made It!” and “Nice Work!” It even shows the incoming meteor strike that riders have just seconds to escape.

Guests can purchase on-ride photos on the My Disney Experience app, Walt Disney World Resort’s website, or at Disney PhotoPass locations throughout the Disney parks. Pictures automatically link to most guests’ Disney accounts via MagicBand, smartwatch, or mobile device, but Disney PhotoPass help desks are happy to assist guests in recovering missing attraction images.

Aladar statue in front of the DINOSAUR attraction at Disney World Resort's Animal Kingdom — Credit: Inside the Magic

DINOSAUR and the rest of DinoLand U.S.A. will go extinct on February 2, 2026. Pueblo Esperanza, including the Indiana Jones reimagining of DINOSAUR, will debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park sometime in 2027. However, Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced an exact grand opening date.

What do you think of the new on-ride photo frame for DINOSAUR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!