As of Saturday, January 11, a piece of Disney magic has faded into the past. Walt Disney World Resort has officially retired a beloved collection of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and dinosaur-themed plush prizes tied to the soon-to-be-closed DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
This weekend marks the final chapter for DinoLand U.S.A., a quirky theme park within a theme park that has entertained guests since 1998. Disney Parks fans flocked to the area for one last chance to play carnival games, win exclusive prizes, and say goodbye to a land that has been a nostalgic favorite for decades.
The Final Days of DinoLand U.S.A.
DinoLand U.S.A. has been a cornerstone of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park since opening day, offering a whimsical take on an American roadside carnival. The land features family-friendly attractions like TriceraTop Spin and the Fossil Fun Games, multiple dining locations, and unique merchandise at Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures.
However, the Disney Park land’s days were numbered when Walt Disney Imagineering unveiled plans for a new land inspired by the Tropical Americas. On Sunday, January 12, three areas within DinoLand U.S.A.—Chester & Hester’s DinoRama (including the Fossil Fun Games), TriceraTop Spin, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures—will permanently close to make way for Pueblo Esperanza, a vibrant new area celebrating Central and South American cultures.
Pueblo Esperanza will include attractions inspired by Disney’s Encanto (2021), and a reimagining of the DINOSAUR ride into an Indiana Jones-themed adventure. While some fans eagerly anticipate the changes, others mourn the loss of DinoLand’s vintage charm.
Exclusive DinoLand U.S.A. Prizes Sell Out
One of the defining features of DinoLand U.S.A. was the Fossil Fun Games, where guests could win exclusive plush versions of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and dinosaurs. These prizes, adorned with the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park logo, were available in small, medium, and large sizes. Demand skyrocketed over the weeks leading up to the closure, and the supply dwindled.
X (previously known as Twitter) user @bioreconstruct shared this photo of the final large dinosaur prizes:
There are Dinoland plush available as top tier prizes in skill games at Animal Kingdom.
There are Dinoland plush available as top tier prizes in skill games at Animal Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/FwMjQK9VqY
— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) January 6, 2025
By the final weekend, the small and medium plush toys had completely sold out, leaving only large dinosaur prizes. On Saturday, January 11, even those disappeared. Guests visiting on the land’s last day found that generic Disney plush toys, such as Pride Mickey Mouse, Pride Stitch, and nuiMOs, had replaced the themed prizes.
@vincentprologo won two nuiMOs instead of the exclusive DinoLand U.S.A. prizes:
why are these being given away as prizes in dinoland? the world may never know…
why are these being given away as prizes in dinoland? the world may never know… pic.twitter.com/egJ9CJJUIU
— vincent⸆⸉ (@vincentprologo) December 21, 2024
A Bittersweet Goodbye
Though the exclusive Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse souvenirs are gone, parts of DinoLand U.S.A. remains open–temporarily. Disney Park guests can still visit DINOSAUR, the Boneyard, Restaurantosaurus, Trilo-Bites, and Dino-Bite Snacks through 2025 as Walt Disney World Resort transitions the area into Pueblo Esperanza.
As DinoLand U.S.A. slowly shuts down, Disney Dining would love to hear your memories of the theme park land. Share them with us in the comments!
