The NEW Ride Warning We're Issuing for Animal Kingdom

Big changes are coming to Animal Kingdom… and it’s going to lead to issues for one of the park’s premier attractions.

Quincy on Expedition Everest

Animal Kingdom has been in a state of flux for months now, as the opening day staple DinoLand USA has been closing in stages to make room for the new Tropical Americas Land. In early September 2025, Disney confirmed the final closure dates for the land. Specifically, the E-Ticket attraction Dinosaur will have its last day of operation on February 1st, and close for good on February 2nd. Which leads to our warning about Expedition Everest!

Once Dinosaur closes, Animal Kingdom will be left with only 6 rides: Kali River Rapids, Avatar Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Expedition Everest.

Expedition Everest

The two Avatar attractions are often the park’s busiest rides, with long wait times and sold-out Lightning Lanes. Kilimanjaro Safari is a long experience, and entirely dependent on live animals, and Kali River Rapids is often closed during the winter (and even when it’s open, the water attraction is not exactly ideal in cold winter weather).

Kali River Rapids

All of that means that, once Dinosaur closes at the start of February, Expedition Everest will be slammed with larger crowds and longer lines than usual, as the ride will be picking up the slack and carrying the spillover Pandora crowds that it had previously shared with Dinosaur.

Dinosaur

Furthermore, Expedition Everest will be dealing with these larger crowds for a while, as Tropical Americas — with its Encanto, Indiana Jones, and carousel attractions — isn’t scheduled to open until 2027.

©Disney

A word of warning if you’re heading to Animal Kingdom in 2026: Expedition Everest is likely going to be busier than it’s been in years! Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Disney World’s evolution.