Disney Confirms Closure Date for The Boneyard at Animal Kingdom Ahead of Tropical Americas Project

Jun 16, 2025 in "The Boneyard"

Posted: Monday June 16, 2025 11:50am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has announced that The Boneyard, the popular dinosaur-themed play area in Dinoland U.S.A., will close permanently after September 1, 2025. The closure is part of the ongoing Tropical Americas expansion, which is transforming the land into a new, richly themed area inspired by Central and South America.

The Boneyard overview

Final Day to Visit: September 1, 2025

Guests will have until September 1, 2025, to experience The Boneyard one last time. The interactive dig site and climbing structure has been a favorite for young explorers since Animal Kingdom’s opening. Beginning September 2, the area will close to begin the next phase of site work for the Tropical Americas project.

A New Play Area Is Coming

Disney has confirmed that the Tropical Americas expansion will include a new kids’ play area, ensuring that Animal Kingdom continues to offer family-friendly interactive spaces. While specific details about the design or theme of the new play area have not yet been released, a successor to The Boneyard is on the way.

Part of a Larger Transformation

The Boneyard’s closure follows the earlier removal of nearby attractions, including:

TriceraTop Spin
Fossil Fun Games
Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures
The iconic Cementosaurus entrance figure

The land clearing and site prep work are part of the park’s biggest expansion in years.

What to Expect from Tropical Americas

Opening in 2027, Tropical Americas will feature:

An Encanto-themed ride-through attraction set inside the magical Madrigal family’s casita
A new Indiana Jones adventure replacing DINOSAUR
A large hacienda-style quick-service restaurant
A handcrafted carousel featuring animals inspired by Disney stories
And now, a brand-new children’s play area

Discuss on the Forums

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Gremlin Gus3 days ago

Idk if this would be possible, but maybe if Disney wants to implement live animals into this land, maybe they can have an animal handler come out with say a Toucan and show it off to guests and maybe give facts about Toucans? That or they should do a Capybara Parade where a bunch of Capybaras go on a parade throughout Pueblo Esperanza or something lol

James Alucobond3 days ago

Well, yes. There will be animatronics of them on the ride, so they’ll be represented in that capacity. But it’s all unfortunately moving into a portion of the park that was never built to support extensive animal exhibits.

psherman423 days ago

That’s such a bummer. One of the characters in the movie’s gift is even the ability to speak to animals.

gerarar3 days ago

Some pics I grabbed today (7/18) from the Boneyard. Also paid my respects for the play area.

Gusey3 days ago

No plans for any animals unfortunately, unless they add a small enclosure like the Crocodile that was in Dinoland. It's not known the exact reason, but it's probably a mixture of money and proximity of Tropical Americas to the parking lot, which was why Dinoland and Beastly Kingdom were designed to be at the front of the park, and the main animal exhibits (Kilimanjaro Safaris, Gorilla Falls & Maharajah Jungle Trek) are located towards the back of the park

James Alucobond3 days ago

No animal exhibits, as far as anyone can tell. The one small crocodile enclosure, which barely amounted to anything anyway, has no equivalent in the new plans. Would be kind of cool if they moved Winged Encounters into the land, though.

psherman423 days ago

Sorry, I didn’t read through all the pages in this thread. But someone already made the missed opportunity to have these say countdown to extinction, right? Also sorry if this has come up, but will the tropical area have animals native to that region? I don’t remember ever seeing anything in the official announcement about that.

seabreezept8135 days ago

High school

lazyboy97o6 days ago

The man himself also connected Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama to the themes of the park. Frankly, I’m less interested in hearing Rhode sell an idea than I am the people who are second in command (or in this case, now actually in charge). That’s where things get interesting because Joe is a unique talent at communicating.

sedati6 days ago

Could this allow for speed changes?

cjkeating6 days ago

I do wonder if Chester and Hesters connected more with international guests? As to me the representation of 'America' was just as valid as the representation of Africa and Asia from the perceptive of someone from the UK. It's kind of like how I watch many American bloggers come to European theme parks and they often seem to take offence at how nearly everyone European park has a 'Wild West' land and they think that is what we all associate America with. Which maybe is true on a superficial theme park level. I think Tropical Americas will be better received by the American guest at WDW because it will feel less familiar than Dinoland USA/Chester and Hesters did and more like Africa and Asia.

Disney Analyst6 days ago

But as @lentesta so beautifully pointed out, from the man himself, the themes of DAK absolutely will be serviced by Tropical Americas and the IP's they have chosen to include in it. And heck, for once we are getting a land not stuck with just one IP. This is a win people.

lazyboy97o6 days ago

You’re highlighting the issue with the philosophy that things can be made to fit. Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama was an example of making something not really up to snuff fit. In its case the issue was financial, but it’s the same root issue with IPs that may have natured featured but aren’t actually about nature.

Disney Analyst6 days ago

Honestly, did most people actually understand or get that from the land as it was? I certainly never did. It just looked like a cheap carnival that had no business being in an immaculate park like DAK. I think far more people will understand the themes and reasonings for the new Tropical America's area and the includes rides, than the former.