Guests Watch in Awe as Disney Dismantles Opening-Day Animal Kingdom Area
Just over two weeks after the closure of The Boneyard, an opening-day play area at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney cast members have already torn down the 27-year-old attraction. This move comes as part of the larger transformation of DinoLand U.S.A. into a new Tropical Americas-themed land, which will include two Encanto (2021) attractions and an Indiana Jones retheme of the DINOSAUR ride.
The Boneyard, which opened with Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in 1998, had been a popular spot for families, particularly young children, who enjoyed the interactive fossil-digging experience. On September 1, 2025, the area welcomed its final guests, marking the end of an era for the fourth Central Florida Disney park. Construction walls were quickly erected around the site, and soon after, Walt Disney World Resort began dismantling the towering playground.
On September 17, 2025, X (formerly Twitter) user @DSNYNewscast shared photos of the construction progress, showing the remnants of The Boneyard. The images revealed that most of the playground had been taken down, leaving only the berm, where a new “artisan-crafted” animal carousel is set to be installed as part of the upcoming Pueblo Esperanza land.
🚧 Latest construction update on Tropical Americas coming to Animal
Kingdom!The Boneyard has been mostly dismantled and demolished, only the berm remains.
This is where the new “artisan-crafted” animal carousel will be located within Pueblo Esperanza in 2027.
🚧 Latest construction update on Tropical Americas coming to Animal
Kingdom!The Boneyard has been mostly dismantled and demolished, only the berm remains.
This is where the new “artisan-crafted” animal carousel will be located within Pueblo Esperanza in 2027. pic.twitter.com/PtXKhuEDG2
— DSNY Newscast (@DSNYNewscast) September 17, 2025
The dismantling of The Boneyard follows the permanent closure of TriceraTop Spin, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama in January. The remaining DinoLand U.S.A. experiences, including DINOSAUR, will cease operations on February 2, 2026, with the last day to visit these areas set for February 1. After that, Walt Disney World Resort guests can expect all of DinoLand U.S.A. to be closed off as work continues on the Tropical Americas area.
Pueblo Esperanza will debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in 2027. Walt Disney World Resort has yet to announce an official grand opening date.
Did you have a chance to visit The Boneyard before it closed permanently? Share your memories with Disney Dining in the comments!
