Animal Kingdom 2025 Preview: A New Construction Cycle Begins

As kick off 2025, we wanted to compile a series of articles looking at the year ahead to get an overview of what to expect. In this article, we’ll take a look at what Walt Disney World has officially announced for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, along with some of our own predictions on what 2025 has in store for Walt Disney World’s most beautiful theme park. This will be a living article, updated as we learn more about what’s planned for Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2025! (Last updated Feb. 3, 2025)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom 2025 Preview

Animal Kingdom is about to receive an infusion of capital (and construction equipment), the likes of which we haven’t seen at the park in a decade. Construction on Pandora – The World of Avatar began in early 2014 and the land as a whole opened in 2017. We’re on the precipice of change at Disney’s Animal Kingdom once again following investments in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT in recent years. Disney’s Animal Kingdom will kick off the next decade of construction at Walt Disney World with construction set to begin in January. We’ll break everything down by project below, but the big news is that DinoLand USA is going extinct and work begins very soon. Let’s jump right in!

DinoLand USA Phase One Closure | January 13th

Construction walls will be installed starting January 13, 2025. This means that your last chance to experience a number of experiences in DinoLand USA will be on January 12, 2025. The attractions and experiences that will be closed starting January 13th will be the following:

  • TriceraTop Spin
  • Fossil Fun Games
  • Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures Gift Shop

Other attractions and experiences such as DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus, and The Boneyard will remain open past that early January date. Closing dates for those attractions and experiences have not yet been announced, but we know that DINOSAUR will remain open through the end of 2025.

Here’s a look at what will be closed starting January 13th. Walt Disney World previously pushed a premature update to its digital maps that previewed the phase one closure of DinoLand USA.

DINOSAUR Attraction & More Stays Open | Through End of 2025

Walt Disney World confirmed that the DINOSAUR attraction and more would remain open past the January 13th closing date for the other phase one closures. Now, we don’t have confirmation that the Boneyard, Restaurantosaurus, and more will remain open all the way through the end of 2025, but we do know that DINOSAUR will remain open before closing sometime in 2026.

Zootopia: Better Zoogether! | Late 2025

A new show based on Zootopia is coming to the Tree of Life Theater. The new show will include a Clawhauser Audio-Animatronic and 4D effects. Disney first announced the Zootopia show back in September 2023 when they said that Imagineers were finalizing the concept.

It’s Tough to be a Bug | Closing March 17

UPDATE (Feb. 2): Walt Disney World has announced that It’s Tough to Be A Bug will have its final day of operation on March 16, closing permanently on March 17th.


To make way for the new Zootopia show, It’s Tough to be a Bug will close on March 17th.

By closing in mid-March, Walt Disney World will have 250 days before Zootopia 2 hits theaters in late November. Walt Disney World has not announced an exact opening date for Zootopia: Better Zoogether!, but we imagine that they will want to open it shortly after Zootopia 2 hits theaters. More details to come.

Baby Tiger Debuts | January 2025

UPDATE (Jan. 29): Baby Bakso made his debut on the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Bakso will spend mornings getting used to his surroundings over the next few weeks/months as he gets comfortable with a full-time presence in guest view. For photos of Bakso making his debut, check out our article below!

PHOTOS: Bakso the Baby Sumatran Tiger Makes Animal Kingdom Debut
Bakso, the baby Sumatran tiger born back in September, has made his public debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
blogmickey.com

At Walt Disney World Resort, a newborn tiger is making a great addition to a declining species. For the first time in seven years, a Sumatran tiger gave birth to a baby boy named Bakso at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He arrived under the watchful eye of the animal care team members in October and has been backstage for months now.

Recent Additions

Before we close out this article, we’ll take a minute to look at the recent additions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that might be new to you if you’re visiting in 2025!

  • New Lions Join Kilimanjaro Safaris (PHOTOS) – Three new lions have joined Kilimanjaro Safaris after the previous lions retired
  • Baby Elephant Joins Kilimanjaro Safaris (PHOTOS) – Back in February, baby Corra debuted on Kilimanjaro Safaris
  • New Interactive Shoulder Banshees (PHOTOS) – Disney has updated the popular, award-winning toy
  • Breakfast Returns to Satu’li Canteen (REVIEW) – After 7 years, Walt Disney World has finally brought breakfast back to Satu’li Canteen
  • Burudika Returned! – The popular Burudika act in Africa has returned for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdowns
  • New Beats and Strings Act (PHOTOS & VIDEO) – Following the passing of Stephan Mikés, the former Chakranadi act, a new act has debuted in the Asia section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • DinoLand USA Intern Act (PHOTOS) – A new act debuted in 2024 and will continue into 2025 at the Restaurantosaurus Lounge
  • Character Flotillas End, Characters Return to Traditional Meet & Greets – The character flotillas have come to an end and characters returned to traditional meet and greets

As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!

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