Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World is in a period of change as the park opens new attractions based on Encanto, Bluey, Zootopia, and Indiana Jones. To accommodate these recent and future experiences, the park said goodbye to a handful of long-standing attractions, including two headliners that had been entertaining guests since Animal Kingdom opened in 1998.
Disney closed 15 attractions at Animal Kingdom in preparation for the park’s next act. We have the full list of all defunct rides and attractions, plus what’s replacing them. Disney also recently closed many attractions at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Disney wanting to reduce guests’ phone use and Disney revealing its movie calendar for the next five years.
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1. It’s Tough to be a Bug!
It’s Tough to be a Bug! was a 3D show inside the Tree of Life. Based on Pixar’s A Bug’s Life, the attraction opened with Animal Kingdom in April 1998, eight months before A Bug’s Life was released in theaters.
It’s Tough to be a Bug! starred Flik, an ant who aimed to educate the audience about the wonders of the insect world, and Hopper, a grasshopper who wanted his revenge on humans for terrorizing bugs.
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This 3D show was scary! It was easily one of the most terrifying attractions in Disney World history. The attraction’s climax featured the entire auditorium filling with dense fog while giant spiders dropped from the ceiling. It was not unusual to hear children’s shrieks of terror, scarred for life.
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It’s Tough to be a Bug! closed in March 2025. Its replacement, Zootopia: Better Zoogether!, opened in November 2025. The new show retains the same theater and some of its special effects, but is decidedly more family-friendly than its insect predecessors.
It’s Tough to be a Bug! was duplicated at Disney California Adventure, where it opened in 2001 and closed in 2018.
2. DINOSAUR
Another opening-day attraction for Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998, DINOSAUR was an indoor thrill ride back to prehistoric days.
DINOSAUR recycled the ride system used in Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland. In DINOSAUR’s story, guests visited the Dino Institute, where a rebellious “heck of a paleontologist” named Dr. Seeker disobeyed Dr. Marsh’s orders and sent riders on a dark, bumpy trip through the jungles of the Cretaceous Era in search of an iguanodon.
Similar to It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, DINOSAUR was scary by Disney standards. The on-ride photo was captured during a moment when a carnataurus lunges directly at guests, preserving riders’ terrified faces for all of prehistory.
DINOSAUR permanently closed in February 2026. As it turns out, Indy was destined for the Dino Institute all along. A new Indiana Jones attraction will replace DINOSAUR, opening in 2027 and repurposing the same ride vehicles and basic structure.
The Indiana Jones ride is part of an entirely new land called Tropical Americas that replaces DinoLand, U.S.A., the former home of many of the items on our list today.
3. Primeval Whirl
Primeval Whirl was a roller coaster that opened in Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand, U.S.A., in 2002.
The ride was a wildmouse-style coaster, similar to Goofy’s Sky School at Disney California Adventure, but with a twist: as the journey got going, vehicles would spin like teacups.
Primeval Whirl offered mild thrills to counter some of the more intense adventures found elsewhere in the park. The coaster’s two identical, mirrored tracks stood side by side.
The story of Primeval Whirl and its surrounding mini-land, Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama!, was overly complicated and went over many guests’ heads. In a nutshell, it was an intentionally tacky “roadside” carnival that poked fun at the academic efforts of the nearby Dino Institute.
Primeval Whirl permanently closed in 2020, but remained standing until 2021, when it was demolished. Its real estate is currently being repurposed as the Madrigals’ casita, the setting for a new Encanto ride opening in 2027 as part of the new Tropical Americas land.
4. American Crocodile Habitat
The one animal habitat in DinoLand, U.S.A. belonged to Marley, an American crocodile. His home was located near Restaurantosaurus.
Disney removed Marley from the park in October 2024. Though the company never shared where they moved Marley, Disney’s commitment to conservation and animal care implies they found a suitable, ethical new home for the croc.
The former spot of Marley’s habitat will become part of a vibrant courtyard within Pueblo Esperanza, the fictional village where the new Tropical Americas land takes place.
5. The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
The Animation Experience at Conservation Station was a drawing class that opened in 2019 at Animal Kingdom’s educational science facility in Rafiki’s Planet Watch. It followed the 2015 closure of similar art lessons inside The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
During free, 20-minute lessons instructed by a live cast member, The Animation Experience at Conservation Station taught guests how to draw a favorite Disney animal character. When my family visited, we learned how to draw Judy Hopps from Zootopia.
The Animation Experience at Conservation Station closed in February 2026 as Disney prepares to open Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station on May 26, 2026. The rebranded land replaces Rafiki’s Planet Watch altogether, not just The Animation Experience. Part of Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station will involve dance parties, which we expect will take place in the indoor rotunda area formerly occupied by The Animation Experience.
Guests will still ride the Wildlife Express Train from the park’s Africa area to visit Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station.
A new form of art classes will debut later this year when The Magic of Disney Animation returns to Hollywood Studios after an 11-year absence. When that attraction reopens, it will include Olaf Draws!, a new experience hosted by an Audio-Animatronics figure of Olaf from Frozen and a prerecorded Disney animator.
6. TriceraTop Spin
TriceraTop Spin was a hub-and-spoke flat ride in the style of Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The attraction’s name was a play on words involving its central mechanism resembling a large spinning top.
TriceraTop Spin opened in 2001 as part of Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama!, a mini-land within DinoLand, U.S.A. The ride permanently closed in January 2025.
The new Tropical Americas land will replace DinoLand, U.S.A., with landscaping for the Encanto attraction taking over the spot formerly belonging to TriceraTop Spin.
7. The Boneyard
The Boneyard was an immersive play area themed like a dinosaur bone dig site. Slides, bridges, and a giant sandpit for excavating were among its fun features.
Among Walt Disney World play areas, The Boneyard was definitely one of the most imaginative. It opened with Animal Kingdom in 1998 and permanently closed in September 2025 as part of the phased closure of DinoLand, U.S.A.
On the spot where The Boneyard once stood, construction crews are building a new carousel ride. It will open in 2027 as part of the new Tropical Americas land.
8. Affection Section
Affection Section was a petting zoo at Disney’s Animal Kingdom featuring goats and chickens. It opened with the park in 1998 as part of Conservation Station, and remained when the land was renamed Rafiki’s Planet Watch in 2000.
It closed in February 2026 as Disney prepared to rebrand the entire land as Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station, which opens on May 26, 2026.
Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station will include an attraction called Jumping Junction, where guests can view animals from Bluey’s home continent, Australia. We expect Jumping Junction to be located at the former spot of Affection Section.
9. Donald’s Dino-Bash!
Donald’s Dino-Bash! was an overlay throughout all of DinoLand, U.S.A., revolving around Donald Duck discovering that ducks descended from dinosaurs.
A new audio loop, party decorations, educational signage with dinosaur fun facts, and a ton of character meet & greets helped convey the story, which was introduced in 2018 and lasted until the permanent closure of DinoLand, U.S.A., in February 2026.
Donald’s Dino-Bash! effectively turned DinoLand, U.S.A., into the largest hub of character greetings anywhere in Disney World. Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Chip, Dale, Scrooge McDuck, and Launchpad McQuack all appeared daily in the land.
The characters were all dressed in special dinosaur-themed costumes, too. The standouts were Chip and Dale’s “chimpmunk-osaurus” onesies.
As various parts of DinoLand, U.S.A., gradually closed, characters from Donald’s Dino-Bash! began to disperse throughout Animal Kingdom. Today, all of the aforementioned characters can be found elsewhere in the park except for Scrooge and Launchpad.
10. Wilderness Explorers Club House
Fans of the Pixar film Up could meet Russell and Dug at the Wilderness Explorers Club House, a character greeting location on Discovery Island at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It was right next to the entrance for It’s Tough to be a Bug!, across from Flame Tree Barbecue.
The Wilderness Explorers Club House was themed after Russell’s scout troop from the movie, with a photo backdrop and props themed to the badges and excursions pursued by young Wilderness Explorers.
Up’s Wilderness Explorers troop was also the inspiration for Animal Kingdom’s park-wide educational program. The Wilderness Explorers Club House served as a fun place for guests to show Russell the badges they earned and pose with their book at the end of the day.
In November 2025, Zootopia: Better Zoogether! replaced It’s Tough to be a Bug!, and with this change, Russell and Dug moved out. The Wilderness Explorers Club House became the Zoogether Day Gathering Spot, where guests can now meet Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
At the time of this writing, Russell and Dug can be found along the Discovery Island Trails. The park-wide Wilderness Explorers program remains active.
11-13. DinoLand Dining
DinoLand, U.S.A., was home to several quick-service dining options. Restaurantosaurus served burgers and other American fare. It opened with Animal Kingdom in 1998 and closed in February 2026. Much of its menu moved to Harambe Market across the park, displacing that location’s African-inspired cuisine.
In the backstory of DinoLand, Restaurantosaurus was originally a fishing lodge, then became the original Dino Institute, and finally, was repurposed as housing for local grad students. It was at this point in the story that guests visited Restaurantosaurus, but few diners likely perceived these narrative complexities.
In Animal Kingdom’s early years, Restaurantosaurus hosted a character breakfast. These days, Animal Kingdom’s resident character meals are found at Tusker House in the park’s Africa area.
Restaurantosaurus closed in February 2026, but we expect its facilities to be reimagined into the main dining location of the upcoming Tropical Americas land, which Disney says will be themed as a hacienda market and will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants in Walt Disney World.
A snack window, Dino-Bite Snacks, was located near Restaurantosaurus and served ice cream. Another snack window, Trilo-Bites, was located elsewhere in DinoLand, U.S.A., and served Dole Whips in its later years. Both closed in October 2025.
14. Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures
Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures was a large gift shop selling some dino-related items, but mostly generic Disney merchandise.
Within the story of DinoLand, U.S.A., Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures “used to be” a highway gas station that its namesake proprietors converted into a store. So the story goes, they eventually expanded their business operations with a roadside carnival, Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama!, home to TriceraTop Spin and Primeval Whirl.
Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures was filled with knick-knacks and novelties along its walls and ceiling, complete with an operating toy train that chugged along above shoppers’ heads.
While Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama! opened in 2001, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures opened in 1998 when Animal Kingdom debuted. I think it’s fascinating how Disney ultimately built an entire mini-land based on a gift shop’s backstory.
Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures closed in January 2025. As of spring 2026, construction crews building the new Tropical Americas land have not torn down Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures. For this reason, we expect the building will be repurposed into a new gift shop as part of the upcoming land, likely selling merchandise related to Encanto and Indiana Jones.
15. Fossil Fun Games
Fossil Fun Games was a series of traditional midway games part of Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama! in DinoLand, U.S.A.
For a fee, players could compete in games to win prizes, including custom Dino-Rama plush toys. Fossil Fun Games permanently closed in January 2025.
Fossil Fun Games and Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama! at large embodied a subversion of guests’ expectations for Disney-quality attractions. While still executed with the same level of detail and theming Disney is known for, the theme itself was “cheap roadside carnival,” so its aesthetic seemed atypical of Disney’s usual standards.
Its fabricated cheapness, such as asphalt painstakingly designed to appear cracked, was intentional, not a sign of neglect in upkeep. However, the storyline went over guests’ heads and was nearly impossible to put together without prior knowledge. The faux-cheapness confused guests and was seemingly at odds with the quality of the rest of Animal Kingdom.
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