Disney World permanently closes Dinosaur ride after nearly 30 years

Disney World's Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom closed permanently on Sunday after nearly 30 years of operation, drawing long final-day queues and many social-media remembrances. The area will be redeveloped into an 11-acre Tropical Americas land expected to open in fall 2027 with an Indiana Jones-themed ride and an Encanto 'casita' attraction.

Disney World's Dinosaur attraction at Animal Kingdom closed permanently on Sunday after nearly 30 years of operation. The ride opened when the park first launched in April 1998 and was renamed Dinosaur in 2000. It took guests on a Cretaceous-era chase with an approaching meteor as a central dramatic element. The announcement closes a long-running attraction while the park moves forward with broader retheme plans. Known details: - Dinosaur had its last day of operations on Sunday and had operated since April 1998. - The ride was originally called Countdown to Extinction and was renamed Dinosaur in 2000 to align with a Disney film. - Final-day wait times reached about four-and-a-half hours as many visitors rode the attraction one last time, and fans posted memories on social media. - Disney plans to replace the surrounding DinoLand U.S.A. area with an 11-acre Tropical Americas land, expected to open in fall 2027, which will include an Indiana Jones-themed ride and an Encanto 'casita' attraction. - Additional park updates noted in reporting include a new Zootopia show in the Tree of Life, a Monsters Inc. land at Hollywood Studios, and a retheme of Rock 'n' Rollercoaster to feature the Muppets, with the coaster's current version running through March 1, 2026. Summary: The closure ends nearly three decades of Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom and prompted notable final-day crowds and online responses. Disney has announced a timetable and concept for the site, with Tropical Americas slated for fall 2027 and multiple new or rethemed attractions across its parks planned or recently opened.