Disney Confirms Launch of Massive Animal Kingdom Project

A new permit seemingly confirms Disney’s plans to retheme a large section of Walt Disney World.

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Things are constantly changing at the Walt Disney World Resort, with new rides, attractions, stores, restaurants, and experiences always on the horizon. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a great example, though Disney has remained relatively silent regarding its previously announced plans for DinoLand U.S.A. The Walt Disney Company first tossed around the idea of completely remodeling DinoLand U.S.A. during its 2022 D23 Expo. During an onstage presentation, Josh D’Amaro, Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, announced tentative plans to totally retheme DinoLand U.S.A., an often-criticized area part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The land opened along with Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998 and is centered on paleontology and dinosaurs. The land is home to two rides, one of which transports guests back in time to the age of the dinosaurs. Both children and adults can enjoy DinoLand U.S.A., thanks to its family-oriented carnival area as well as the terrifying DINOSAUR “E-ticket” attraction.

Both EPCOT and Magic Kingdom have received brand-new rides over the last few years. Guests who have not been to Walt Disney World in a few years will now notice that EPCOT is home to three brand-new attractions. These range from family-friendly walkthrough experiences like Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, to thrilling roller coasters such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Guests can also hop aboard Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure for an incredible 3D experience. Over at the Magic Kingdom, things are moving quickly on the park’s latest new attraction: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. This log flume ride serves as the replacement for Disney’s legendary yet incredibly problematic water ride known as Splash Mountain. Splash Mountain entertained guests for decades at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World but was closed permanently in 2023 to make way for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Due to the source material that inspired Splash Mountain, the ride faced swarms of controversy. In 2020, The Walt Disney Company finally decided to pull the plug and close the attraction forever, at least in the United States. A third and final version of Splash Mountain remains open at Tokyo Disneyland, meaning guests can still take a plunge down Chick-A-Pin Hill if their hearts so desire.

TRON Lightcycle / Run is Magic Kingdom’s newest operating ride and provides guests with a thrilling adventure as they journey through “The Grid.” Guests board their very own Lightcycles during this “E-ticket” experience and will find the roller coaster located near Space Mountain in Tomorrowland. The ride has been a big hit for Magic Kingdom, bringing in thousands of guests each and every day. However, despite Disney making plans for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, things have yet to actually start moving, until now.

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Under the original proposed plans, everything located in DinoLand U.S.A. would seemingly close forever, making way for tons of brand-new attractions and experiences. Concept art showed off several new areas, which were anchored by some of the Walt Disney Company’s most successful and recognizable franchises, such as Zootopia and Moana, both of which Disney plans on producing more films for. In order to make room for these new additions, several rides would have to close. DinoLand U.S.A. is home to TriceraTop Spin, a family attraction, and the previously mentioned DINOSAUR. The land used to house a third ride called Primeval Whirl, which closed in 2020. The location of this former attraction has sat vacant since its closure date, hinting that Disney is waiting for the DinoLand project to take shape before adding anything new to the area.

Fast forward two entire years after the original announcement, and The Walt Disney Company has remained relatively quiet regarding this previously announced project. Everything in DinoLand U.S.A. is operating normally. However, a new permit seemingly confirms Disney’s plans, revealing that a large amount of construction is about to start at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

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In 2023, The Walt Disney Company announced that instead of Zootopia and Moana experiences, Disney’s Animal Kingdom would receive a massive new land inspired by Encanto (2021). Disney seeks to transform DinoLand U.S.A. into a brand-new breathtaking area for guests to explore. The original concept art revealed Disney had intended to turn DINOSAUR into a Zootopia-themed attraction, but as part of the newer 2023 announcement, Disney revealed that it plans to remodel DINOSAUR into an Indiana Jones experience. That’s right, in a twist of ironic fate, DINOSAUR, a ride that features an identical track to Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure, will soon be its own Indiana Jones attraction.

For those who may not know, DINOSAUR is a nearly identical copy of the original Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland Park in California. Due to a tight budget during Disney’s Animal Kingdom construction, Disney was forced to cut costs anywhere it could, resulting in the company copying the ride systems, vehicles, and track featured in Indiana Jones Adventure. Over the years, DINOSAUR has undergone quite a few changes, most notably in 2016, when the ride received massive upgrades to its visuals and sound systems. This refurbishment also improved the dinosaur animatronics featured throughout the ride.

DINOSAUR is one of the unique attractions found at the Disney theme parks, providing genuine thrills and scares to guests brave enough to hop into their Time Rovers. Losing DINOSAUR would mark the end of an era, not just for Disney’s Animal Kingdom but for the Walt Disney World Resort as a whole. Thankfully, it’s not yet the end of the world for fans of this ride, with Indiana Jones Adventure in Anaheim, California, being considered one of Walt Disney Imagineering’s greatest achievements. The ride blends immersive storytelling elements with stunning show scenes and a thrilling ride experience. There’s a reason the ride has remained an iconic and popular piece of the original Disneyland Resort, and Walt Disney World would be made even better if it did, in fact, receive its own version. Walt Disney World is already home to its own unique Indiana Jones-inspired experience over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but a new Indiana Jones Adventure would mark the first true thrill ride in Orlando, Florida, to feature the iconic archeologist.

The new permit reveals plans to install a new Walt Disney Imagineering trailer compound just behind Kali River Rapids, an attraction located in the Asia portion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The area features a backstage roadway and entrance, as well as a walkway leading directly into DinoLand U.S.A.

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The new permit does not specifically state what will be added, but it’s more than likely the beginning stages of the previously announced DinoLand U.S.A. overhaul. There are several upcoming dates in 2024 that The Walt Disney Company could use to officially announce this project, with an Annual Shareholders meeting being held on April 3. Disney will be holding its 2024 D23 Fan Event in August of 2024 as well, meaning fans won’t have to wait too long for an official announcement.

In 2023, Walt Disney Imagineering lead Bruce Vaughn invited guests to “Imagine a land filled with authentic experiences from this part of the world,” Vaughn went on to tease more details about this proposed project. “With all of the placemaking and storytelling you’d expect. Look, it’s a beautiful region to explore and has been the inspiration for so many magical stories over the years. We’re looking forward to bringing all of that to life. We have a long way to go now and a lot more to discover. But our team here in Florida is all over it.”

Despite Zootopia being abandoned for DinoLand U.S.A., the franchise will still be making its way into Disney’s Animal Kingdom soon, with a brand interactive show currently being developed. The new attraction does not have an official opening date but will replace It’s Tough to be a Bug inside the Tree of Life theater at the center of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As we stated earlier, there’s plenty to look forward to in 2024 at the Walt Disney World Resort, most notably with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

This exciting new ride will be opening in the summer of 2024 and will totally reconceptualize how guests see Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom. The ride will take over the former space occupied by Splash Mountain, but the ride’s exterior looks starkly different than Splash Mountain’s. Instead of cartoon-inspired clay and bright greenery, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure transports guests into the swamp lands of Louisiana and the titular bayou, with the former Splash Mountain façade being covered in mossy grass and tree trunks.

A second version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open at the Disneyland Resort later this year, though an exact opening time frame has not been given. The Walt Disney Company has had a hard time hiding details on the exterior portions of the new ride but has successfully kept the insides of the new attraction a secret. The story follows Princess Tiana after the events of Disney’s 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog, which the ride is based on, taking guests on an all-new adventure. New animatronics will be featured in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, with brand-new songs being written and recorded for the attraction. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure marks one of the most anticipated and controversial projects ever undertaken by Walt Disney Imagineering, and if done right, it will serve as Magic Kingdom’s premier “E-ticket” ride for years to come.