Why Disney World’s Latest Permanent Closure Is a MISTAKE

Change has been a constant at Walt Disney World for decades. Rides, attractions, and even whole lands have come and gone across the resort’s theme parks.

In the 30+ years I’ve been visiting Walt Disney World, I’ve personally seen some of these massive changes and the reactions to them. Some have worked better than others, while all have received their fair share of controversy. Now that Disney World is entering a massive period of evolution, some feel they might be making a major mistake.

Recently, we took to our Facebook page to get a gauge of our readers’ tastes. Specifically, we asked, “If you could add one new land or theme to a Disney World park, what would it be?”

We received some interesting responses. Reader George gave a proposal that would make many Disney adults happy: “Nostalgia Land, with all the gone but never forgotten attractions that we miss at Disneyland: America Sings, Skyway, People Mover, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (it had a different vibe from Florida’s Tower), Mine Train, Monsanto Journey Through Inner Space, House of the Future, Bug’s Land, all the cool stuff we miss.”

Meanwhile, reader Pam suggested a Muppet land, that could feature, “a boat ride through Muppets Treasure Island, a rollercoaster with Animal as your host, a stage show for Piggy, Rolf and Fozzy with Waldorf and Statler heckling them, a science adventure ride with Bunsen and Beeker, a circus themed ride with Gonzo shooting out of a cannon.. the possibilities are numerous!” Considering that Pam’s Animal-themed coaster idea sounds similar to the actual retheme coming to the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, they might be the only reader getting their wish.

While those are some fun ideas, it was reader Ang who got us thinking about a
“mistake” Disney may be making. They wrote, “I would like a better dinosaur-themed land, with several dinosaur-themed rides. It would need to be well themed with no roadside carnival. There should be dinosaurs that move, hidden all over the land.”

Of course, Walt Disney World has had a Dinosaur-based land for the last 25+ years at Animal Kingdom. In fact, there was a time when DinoLand U.S.A. was seen as so important by Disney that they chose the land over the legendary (and now forever) unbuilt Beastly Kingdom.

Yet, Disney essentially let DinoLand stagnate for decades, with the only major addition after its opening being the… not quite beloved Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama (the “roadside carnival”, as Ang so eloquently referred to it). Meanwhile, the land’s headline attraction DINOSAUR — as beloved as it is — has seen numerous effects breakdown, never to be fixed.

Now, Disney is closing DinoLand in phases, with the final part of the land shuttering in February of 2026, all to be replaced by Tropical Americas.

While DinoLand’s final years might not have been anything to write home about, there’s no denying that dinosaurs are still mega-popular and still draw as theme park attractions. After all, Universal has lands allocated to Jurassic Park/World in each of their resorts, and even Disneyland still features dinos on the Disneyland Railroad. As successful as Tropical Americas — with its Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions — may be, we can’t help but feel like Disney may end up regretting getting rid of a dinosaur-themed land.

If you’re interested in sharing your thoughts on this, or any other Disney or travel-related topic, follow us on the AllEars Facebook Page to join in on the next conversation!

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What are your thoughts on Disney getting rid of DinoLand? Let us know in the comments below.

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