Land Hopping Is About to Get MORE Complicated at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is about to get a whole lot harder to navigate.

Big changes are coming to the park, and if you’re used to cutting through DinoLand U.S.A. to get from one area to another, you’ll soon have to rethink your route. With closures rolling out ahead of the new Tropical Americas expansion, Pueblo Esperanza, land hopping at Animal Kingdom is going to look very different in 2026 — and not in a convenient way. Let’s break down exactly what’s changing and how it might affect the way you get around the park.

The End of DinoLand U.S.A.

The long-awaited transformation of DinoLand U.S.A. is finally moving forward, but it means saying goodbye to a few old favorites. The area’s quick-service spots Trilo-Bites and Dino-Bite Snacks will permanently close on October 20th, 2025, and Restaurantosaurus and DINOSAUR attraction will officially close their doors on February 2nd, 2026.

Dinosaur

Once those doors close, that’s it — the entire DinoLand U.S.A. area will shut down for good to make way for the new Tropical Americas, inspired by Latin American regions and stories like Encanto and Indiana Jones. The new land is expected to open in 2027, but in the meantime, construction walls will make Animal Kingdom’s layout a little tricky.

How You Get to DINOSAUR Now

If you’ve visited recently, you know that the path to DINOSAUR is already kind of a one-way street. From the park entrance, you make a left at Trilo-Bites, heading toward the Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! show. Before reaching the Nemo theater, there’s a right-hand path across from the amphitheater seating along Discovery River — that’s your way into DinoLand U.S.A.

Following that path takes you past Restaurantosaurus, Dino-Bite Snacks, and finally to DINOSAUR, the last major attraction standing in the land. But that shortcut is about to vanish completely.

What Happens When DinoLand Closes

When construction begins in 2026, that entire pathway — from Trilo-Bites all the way to DINOSAUR — will be closed off behind construction walls. That means no more quick-service snacks from Dino-Bite, no more burgers at Restaurantosaurus, and no more “we’re not gonna make it!” moments on DINOSAUR.

Transformation has begun

But closures aren’t stopping there. Based on concept art and Disney’s construction plans, the bridge from Discovery Island into the new area will also close, along with the pathway near the Finding Nemo theater.

That’s right — two of Animal Kingdom’s key walkways will be blocked off for at least the rest of the year. And that’s where things start getting complicated.

The New Land Hopping Problem

Once both of those paths close, you’ll lose the convenient alternate route between Discovery Island (the center hub near the Tree of Life) and Asia (home of Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids). Right now, there are two ways to get from the front of the park to Asia:

Through DinoLand U.S.A.
Through Africa, wrapping around Harambe Village.

When DinoLand is gone, option #1 disappears, which means the only way to reach Asia will be by going through Africa. That creates a big potential traffic problem — especially during busy seasons or when shows like Finding Nemo let out.

Without that shortcut, all guests moving between the park’s front half and back half will be funneled through one route. The path between Africa and Asia can already get congested during the middle of the day, so this change might make it feel like a bottleneck, particularly around the Festival of the Lion King and Kilimanjaro Safaris entrances.

What to Expect Until 2027

The good news? This is temporary. The Tropical Americas expansion will eventually introduce a new entrance to the area from Discovery Island, which should reopen that shortcut once construction wraps up.

The new town Esperanza will be situated in Tropical Americas land coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The town features classic Spanish-style architecture in the heart of the rainforest.

The bad news? That won’t happen until 2027. Until then, expect rerouted walkways, additional construction walls, and some pretty significant crowd flow adjustments. If you’re the type who likes to loop the park in a circle, this will definitely throw off your rhythm.

We’d recommend giving yourself extra time to move between lands and checking in with Cast Members for any updated path information during your visit. Disney often adjusts temporary routes as construction progresses, so you might see some smaller detours pop up along the way.

A Whole New Animal Kingdom

Once it’s finished, the Tropical Americas will bring new life (and color) to this side of Animal Kingdom. But until then, park navigation is about to get messy. Whether you’re heading for Expedition Everest, catching a show, or just trying to grab a snack, it’s worth planning your route ahead of time so you’re not stuck in a traffic jam of strollers and popcorn buckets.