DAK 'Encanto' and 'Indiana Jones'-themed experiences at Animal Kingdom

[Tom P.]

This is different from original info. The Boneyard was supposed to live through 2025.

Original:
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Update:

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DinoLand Closing Updates for Animal Kingdom

Discover the latest updates about DinoLand U.S.A. closing at Disney World. There's still time to catch that dino!

disneyparksblog.com

I'm actually quite sad to see The Boneyard closing.

I have fond memories of being there with my kids, being hotter than any human being should ever be allowed to be, going up to the top level where that huge fan is running and standing in front of it, deciding how long I could stand there before I needed to be responsible and walk around and count kids to make sure all mine were accounted for.

 

[Bocabear]

I never even walked through the Boneyard, not having kids...Was it as extensive and exploratory as the Honey I Shrunk the kids play area? that was fantastic with so many places to explore...I even enjoyed it as an adult...well I remember many adults climbing through it back in the day. Universal had another very extensive play area in the Jurassic Park area that was also huge and well themed with caves and water features.... It would be nice if the replacing play arera were something on that scale...and not just another plastic slides and ball pit ...

 

[JohnD]

Exactly! Disney's only adding Tropical Americas to Animal Kingdom so they can stick Indiana Jones and Encanto rides in there because apparently that'll make them more money.

I'm shocked! SHOCKED! That a corporation with a Parks division wants to make a profit. Who do they think they are!

In all seriousness, every area of theme park has something that attracts guests which is why they "plus" up areas. Guests spend money on park entry. They spend money on lightning lanes. They spend money on food. They spend money on gifts. If they're staying on site, they're spending money for a resort room.

Can they do better finding balance? Sure. Most on this forum probably don't like the removal of ROA. Nevertheless, the theme park can't operate without a profit.

 

[solidyne]

Most important question:

Will the new restaurant retain the free refills?

 

[Bocabear]

I'm shocked! SHOCKED! That a corporation with a Parks division wants to make a profit. Who do they think they are!

In all seriousness, every area of theme park has something that attracts guests which is why they "plus" up areas. Guests spend money on park entry. They spend money on lightning lanes. They spend money on food. They spend money on gifts. If they're staying on site, they're spending money for a resort room.

Can they do better finding balance? Sure. Most on this forum probably don't like the removal of ROA. Nevertheless, the theme park can't operate without a profit.

I mean, with the huge price increases over the past few years, and more and more expenses to a Disney vacation they HAVE to be making a profit... I think they are at the edge of a Disney vacvation no longer feeling like a fun thing to do because of the amount of nickel and diming that goes on, and the ridiculous amount of pre-planning and reservations necessary to just have a decent day...all in the interest of them boosting their bottom line.

 

[Ayla]

I never even walked through the Boneyard, not having kids...Was it as extensive and exploratory as the Honey I Shrunk the kids play area? that was fantastic with so many places to explore...I even enjoyed it as an adult...well I remember many adults climbing through it back in the day. Universal had another very extensive play area in the Jurassic Park area that was also huge and well themed with caves and water features.... It would be nice if the replacing play arera were something on that scale...and not just another plastic slides and ball pit ...

Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area was terrifying as a parent. Once your kid got beyond 10 feet of you, you couldn't see them, anymore.

 

[Ayla]

Most important question:

Will the new restaurant retain the free refills?

Probably not (if they even do now). They'll make sure they install the dispensers with the RFID readers, like they have at the resorts.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Probably not (if they even do now). They'll make sure they install the dispensers with the RFID readers, like they have at the resorts.

So? The RFID readers at the resorts do allow for free refills

 

[James Alucobond]

I never even walked through the Boneyard, not having kids...Was it as extensive and exploratory as the Honey I Shrunk the kids play area? that was fantastic with so many places to explore...I even enjoyed it as an adult...well I remember many adults climbing through it back in the day. Universal had another very extensive play area in the Jurassic Park area that was also huge and well themed with caves and water features.... It would be nice if the replacing play arera were something on that scale...and not just another plastic slides and ball pit ...

It’s extensive, and while thematically less impressive than Honey I Shrunk the Kids (IMO, at least), it has a dig site where you can unearth buried fossils, which keeps kids happily occupied for a long time. I’d love to see that element in particular return, especially because it works well with the new archaeologist resident of the adjacent attraction.

 

[JD80]

I mean, with the huge price increases over the past few years, and more and more expenses to a Disney vacation they HAVE to be making a profit... I think they are at the edge of a Disney vacvation no longer feeling like a fun thing to do because of the amount of nickel and diming that goes on, and the ridiculous amount of pre-planning and reservations necessary to just have a decent day...all in the interest of them boosting their bottom line.

I wrote a blog post on touring plans q few weeks ago detailing the cost of a WDW trip going back 30 years. It same interesting data points.

 

[Brer Panther]

I mean, with the huge price increases over the past few years, and more and more expenses to a Disney vacation they HAVE to be making a profit... I think they are at the edge of a Disney vacvation no longer feeling like a fun thing to do because of the amount of nickel and diming that goes on, and the ridiculous amount of pre-planning and reservations necessary to just have a decent day...all in the interest of them boosting their bottom line.

Exactly! They're already making plenty of money, how does Dinosaur existing prevent them from making money? And wouldn't simply refreshing it cost less money than retheming the whole thing?

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Exactly! They're already making plenty of money, how does Dinosaur existing prevent them from making money? And wouldn't simply refreshing it cost less money than retheming the whole thing?

#SAVEDINOSAUR

 

[solidyne]

So? The RFID readers at the resorts do allow for free refills

I was referring to free refills on the regular paper cup drinks (which were available the last time I was at Restaurantosaurus).

Ayla suggested that refills probably will be restricted only to the RFID-equipped cups (as in the resorts and other locations).

It wasn't a suggestion that RFID refills are bad themselves. I was just lamenting the loss of old-fashioned regular refills. Is ABC commissary the only one left? Regal Eagle maybe?

 

[Incomudro]

I mean, with the huge price increases over the past few years, and more and more expenses to a Disney vacation they HAVE to be making a profit... I think they are at the edge of a Disney vacvation no longer feeling like a fun thing to do because of the amount of nickel and diming that goes on, and the ridiculous amount of pre-planning and reservations necessary to just have a decent day...all in the interest of them boosting their bottom line.

Genie and Genie+ really soured me on our last trip. (the first time our trip required those things)
In the past, I only took my phone out to take pictures and text family members if we split up.
With Genie, I was up at day break trying to snag rides every morning.
As well as walking through the parks with my head down staring at my phone.
I hate that, as I never do that anywhere else.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Genie and Genie+ really soured me on our last trip. (the first time our trip required those things)
In the past, I only took my phone out to take pictures and text family members if we split up.
With Genie, I was up at day break trying to snag rides every morning.
As well as walking through the parks with my head down staring at my phone.
I hate that, as I never do that anywhere else.

How long has it been since you have been to the park? Even before Covid during the days of FP+ you would be using the AP to make FP selections after your pre-selects. That’s where you would also get your wait times from if you wanted to see them.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Genie and Genie+ really soured me on our last trip. (the first time our trip required those things)
In the past, I only took my phone out to take pictures and text family members if we split up.
With Genie, I was up at day break trying to snag rides every morning.
As well as walking through the parks with my head down staring at my phone.
I hate that, as I never do that anywhere else.

definitely found that to be the case most with Genie+ - just felt like I was on my phone a lot, not just to book my next thing but monitoring the return times for various attractions the plan out my next few moves ... basically in-park project management

I did find this to be much less with LLMP. As with always being able to hold three our next few moves were generally set it really because tap in, then go in and book another and that was it. Not to say you will never be in your phone but definitely something I like about LLMP vs G+ is that was a lot less of that

 

[danlb_2000]

Exactly! They're already making plenty of money, how does Dinosaur existing prevent them from making money? And wouldn't simply refreshing it cost less money than retheming the whole thing?

It doesn't prevent them from making money, but they probably believe that Indy will make more money. First it will probably sell more merchandise, second they believe more people will ride it then dino thus reducing the need to build more new things.

 

[rle4lunch]

I was referring to free refills on the regular paper cup drinks (which were available the last time I was at Restaurantosaurus).

Ayla suggested that refills probably will be restricted only to the RFID-equipped cups (as in the resorts and other locations).

It wasn't a suggestion that RFID refills are bad themselves. I was just lamenting the loss of old-fashioned regular refills. Is ABC commissary the only one left? Regal Eagle maybe?

we ate at both of those in May and were able to get free refills at the fountain drink machines.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I was referring to free refills on the regular paper cup drinks (which were available the last time I was at Restaurantosaurus).

Ayla suggested that refills probably will be restricted only to the RFID-equipped cups (as in the resorts and other locations).

It wasn't a suggestion that RFID refills are bad themselves. I was just lamenting the loss of old-fashioned regular refills. Is ABC commissary the only one left? Regal Eagle maybe?

ah, i took her post that with the RFID there would be no chance at re-fills.

TBH i don't think i have ever eaten at a non-sit down restaurant at WDW that had free refills with paper cups like that.

 

[CoastalElite64]

About the carousel, I heard that the animal characters will be woodcarvings made from a local villager. This story makes it make more sense than before at least.