Credit: Inside the MagicThe original theme park within a theme park at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been flattened, and crews recently sealed its fate with a new concrete foundation.
The End of the Theme Park Within Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
In February 2026, Central Florida Disney Parks fans said their final goodbyes to DinoLand U.S.A., the roadside theme park within a theme park that opened alongside Disney’s Animal Kingdom in April 1998. Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama (including the Fossil Fun Games), Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and the TriceraTop Spin ride closed in January 2025. The Boneyard play area followed that September. Last month, DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus, and the rest of DinoLand U.S.A. went extinct.
Walt Disney World Resort previously confirmed that DinoLand U.S.A. would be replaced by a Tropical Americas-themed land known as Pueblo Esperanza. The land will include an attraction inspired by Casita from Encanto (2021), a carousel featuring wood-carved Disney animals, such as Dug from Up (2009), and an Indiana Jones reskin of the DINOSAUR attraction. Imagineers have promised that it will be distinct from Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland Park, which uses the same ride system.
Latest Construction Update
On Thursday, March 12, WDWNT reported that crews had poured the concrete foundation for the animal-themed carousel in Pueblo Esperanza. The outlet shared this image on Facebook:
The new concrete slab sits just a short walk away from the towering show building for the Casita-themed attraction. Silver steel beams have been installed around the exterior of that building, which started with a reddish-brown framework.
Few buildings in the former DinoLand U.S.A. remain standing. The bar attached to Restaurantosaurus has been demolished, but the former Quick-Service dining location will eventually be converted into a hacienda. Of course, crews are hard at work inside the DINOSAUR ride building, transforming it into an Indiana Jones-inspired experience.
Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced an exact opening date for Pueblo Esperanza at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, but it’s expected to debut sometime in 2027.
Which part of Pueblo Esperanza are you most excited about? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!