Walt Disney World has released a new timeline for the extinction level event of DinoLand USA, DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus, the Boneyard, etc. With that in mind, let’s get diggin’, diggin’ in DinoLand.
Most of this has been covered elsewhere in our 5-Year Construction Plan for Walt Disney World. That offers a regularly-updated rundown of all projects on the horizon, and our expectations as to when closures would occur and when the reimagined replacements or new attractions would open.
This covers the latest on everything we know about the end times for DinoLand USA, when DINOSAUR to go extinct, and so forth. One thing we should note is that even though this is a newly-released timeline from Walt Disney World, it doesn’t really disclose or confirm any new details or rumors. Consider subscribing to our free Walt Disney World newsletter, where we’ll share instant updates as soon as they’re announced. Accordingly, this update is more valuable for what it does not say, which we will break down in the commentary following the FAQ from Walt Disney World…
What’s already closed in DinoLand USA?
To accommodate construction, the first wave of closures happened earlier this year, with TriceraTop Spin, the Fossil Fun Games, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures running their last day of operations on January 12, 2025.
Basically, the Dino-Rama carnival subsection (the area we hated with the burning passion of a thousand suns) is already closed. The good portion of DinoLand USA (that we like) is still open.
Is DinoLand still open?
Yes! You don’t even need a Time Rover to visit DinoLand because parts of the area are still currently open through 2025.
What’s happening to Dinoland?
Announced during last year’s D23 Expo, DinoLand is closing to make way for a new location in Animal Kingdom: Tropical Americas. Within this location, a brand-new thrilling Indiana Jones experience will debut following Indy’s journey to find a mythical creature deep within the temple — and it’s unlike any Indy experience you’ve ever seen before. And, a very famous house is coming to life, literally, with the first-ever Encanto-themed ride-through attraction based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios film.
Dirt is moving on floors, drawers, and doors for what’s coming next. More to come!
When is DinoLand USA closing?
If you’re hoping to get in some prehistoric fun, 2025 is your last year to visit DinoLand before it goes extinct. Currently, many of DinoLand locations are still operating, including DINOSAUR, the Boneyard, and Restaurantosaurus. When construction ramps up throughout the year, we’ll bring you more info faster than a Time Rover can race out of the end of the Cretaceous period.
When is DINOSAUR closing?
This is your year to go fast and visit the past. DINOSAUR closes in 2026.
When is Restaurantosaurus closing?
You’ve still got time in 2025 to rustle up some grub at Restaurantosaurus, and it’s the perfect place to refuel before your next wild adventure in the park. You might even catch a performance from the Dino Institute Intern — on a break from his internship duties — happy to entertain everyone and anyone who will listen to his original dino-themed tunes.
The nearby Dino-Bites Snacks is also still open, where you can pick up an ice cream cookie sandwich or the Dig Dino ice cream sandwich — you can’t go wrong with either snack.
When is the Boneyard closing?
There’s still time for another excavation (or two) throughout 2025. The Boneyard is still open and welcoming little archeologists to play daily.
What else is known about Tropical Americas?
Tropical Americas — better known as Pueblo Esperanza — will be a new 11-acre lush and sprawling area. Just like Harambe, this land will feel lived in, with a long, rich history. Not only will the land include a hacienda — which will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Disney World Resort — but also two signature attractions for Indiana Jones and Encanto.
Additionally, the area will feature a large fountain in the center and a local wood carver has created a giant working carousel featuring his favorite animals from Disney stories. It’s a new take on a classic attraction that young families are going to love.
Construction on the land is currently ongoing and Tropical Americas will open in 2027.
Our Commentary
What’s most notable about this non-update update is its existence. Walt Disney World released this for a reason, and that reason is not that it announces anything concrete. It doesn’t. My strong suspicion is that this was published first and foremost because there has been a lot of guest confusion about Dinoland’s operational status and, more likely than not, decreased foot traffic back here. That means fewer people dining at Restaurantosaurus and lower utilization of everything else.
I strongly suspect this because DTB has encountered exactly this, fielded a lot of questions, and repeatedly explained the distinction between Dino-Rama and Dinoland. That’s why I added the bit of editorializing in the FAQ above. (Sadly, Walt Disney World did not include that line about hating Dino-Rama with the burning passion of a thousand suns. But they should’ve.) Readers of this site are generally higher-knowledge than more mainstream audiences, so if you all are wondering about it, I can only imagine the scene on Facebook and among more casual audiences.
This is also why we previously said that the closing date of Restaurantosaurus and everything else that isn’t DINOSAUR will come down to what makes sense from a capacity and crowd-absorbing perspective. Are guests still venturing to this corner of the park in high numbers now that construction walls are up? It’s possible that demand drops to the point that Walt Disney World opts to close the dining options earlier. Again, this is a company big on saving operating expenses whenever possible.
Decreased demand for Restaurantosaurus (etc.) is already playing out, and is likely both the reason for this announcement’s existence and also why Walt Disney World still is playing coy with the closure dates. It will take less time to reimagine Restaurantosaurus into the new cantina than it will to transform DINOSAUR into Indiana Jones Adventure.
From a logical perspective, it stands to reason that DINOSAUR will be the last thing to close. That everything else will not need to be taken offline earlier, and it’ll all close simultaneously. But decisions aren’t made from a perspective of what’s logical, and if that were the firm plan, Walt Disney World could simply announce as much here, with a 2026 timeline for everything in Dinoland. The FAQ offered an opportunity to clarify closure dates for each element of Dinoland USA. Disney declined.
Maybe everything else will close with DINOSAUR. Perhaps this announcement will raise awareness that Restaurantosaurus is still open and will be open through early 2026. Personally, I’m skeptical. As we just saw with Muppets Courtyard, there’s an irresistible temptation for operational cost-savings of “underutilized capacity.” If Restaurantosaurus is deemed unnecessary, it’ll close before 2026.
I could also see a scenario where Restaurantosaurus goes seasonal, closing sometime after spring break season but reopening for a final farewell at Christmas. Regardless of Restaurantosaurus, we fully expect there to be a 76th Annual Dino Institute Holiday Party this November and December on the back porch and in the surrounding area.
Purely speculative, but I think it’s more likely that Restaurantosaurus goes seasonal or closes early than the same happening with the Boneyard. That play area isn’t exactly expensive to operate, it’s right at the entrance to the land, and is a popular place for kids. It’s also worth noting that Walt Disney World stated the Boneyard would be open “throughout 2025.” While that’s not necessarily conclusive, it at least suggests the play area will close in 2026–probably on the same date as DINOSAUR.
For those of you who want more clarity, the most likely closure date for DINOSAUR is January 13, 2026. (Meaning the last day to experience the attraction before extinction would be January 12, 2026.)
This is our prediction, and not anything officially announced by Walt Disney World–or even rumored. That’s one year after Dino-Rama closed, adjusted for a comparable Monday extinction event. There’s a reason for this–and why this type of major change/closure so often occurs on the second Monday in January.
That’s after the holiday season, after schools go back into session, and also after the 2026 Walt Disney World Marathon wraps up. It’s the end of the peak season, and start of the winter season. It’s also possible Imagineering waits until after Spring Break 2026, but I really doubt it–and hope not.
The longer DINOSAUR is closed, the more time Imagineering has to do justice to an ambitious reimagining. Everything I’ve heard about this version of Indiana Jones Adventure has me optimistic, including insiders suggesting it has the potential to be the best of the trio. Tropical Americas is already going to have a tough time hitting its 2027 target date with this belated closure of DINOSAUR.
Speaking of which, another thing this FAQ from Walt Disney World does is reiterate that the plan is to debut Tropical Americas in 2027.
After the closure timeline for Muppets Courtyard was recently released–and revealed much earlier closing dates than we expected (by roughly a full year)–we questioned whether that was a matter of cost-cutting, or if Monstropolis and Tropical Americas had flipped opening dates. The latter would make sense. It’s easier to construct a coaster inside a gravity building backstage and retheme existing buildings than it is to build an elaborate dark ride, rework DINOSAUR into Indiana Jones Adventure, and build out everything else in Tropical Americas.
I’d stop short of saying this offers confirmation that Tropical Americas is next up, but it does at least suggest that’s the case. If there has been a timeline change, it’s possible that info isn’t ready for public consumption, so Walt Disney World is maintaining the status quo of announcements. If Walt Disney World drops the 2027 from future updates on Tropical Americas, or puts more emphasis on Monstropolis when sharing news, that might suggest the opening years have switched.
It’s also possible one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing, and the 2027 opening for Tropical Americas is simply inaccurate, copied and pasted from the last update. (I’d also point out that this FAQ refers to Tropical Americas as Pueblo Esperanza, and I’ve previously confirmed with Disney that the two names are not interchangeable. That Tropical Americas is the whole expansion, and Pueblo Esperanza is the central village. It’s a subset of the land, just like Dino-Rama was with Dinoland–but hopefully not awful.)
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YOUR THOUGHTS
When do you expect DINOSAUR and Dinoland at Animal Kingdom to close completely? Think DINOSAUR will go extinct on January 13, 2026–or not until after Spring Break? Expect Restaurantosaurus and the rest of the land to close then, or earlier due to lack of demand/cost-savings? Think our speculation is wrong, and this entire land closes all at once? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!