Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Disney World has an Animal Kingdom problem right now, and there is no good way to solve it. Disney’s latest announcement shut down one of the few remaining attractions at the park, and with construction on the new Encanto-theme Central/South American land taking years, nothing to replace it.
Credit: Disney
Disney announced yesterday that it would close the Mickey and Minnie Meet and Greet at Adventures Outpost for a brief refurbishment next week. While the work is only expected to last a couple of days, it highlights one of the problems currently facing Animal Kingdom: there’s not that much to do.
Currently, only six attractions are open at the park: It’s Tough to be a Bug, DINOSAUR, Na’vi River Journey, Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Avatar Flight of Passage. In March, It’s Tough to Be a Bug will join the growing list of closed attractions, as it is leaving to be replaced by Zootopia: Better Together.
DINOSAUR is scheduled to join the growing list of closed attractions in early 2026. There is currently no timeline for how long the transition from the current attraction to the new Indiana Jones-theme ride will take.
Credit: Disney
Animal Kingdom clearly needed an upgrade, and removing DinoLand U.S.A. wasn’t necessarily a bad idea, but guests will have to wait until at least the end of 2026 or early 2027 for the new attractions that the Encanto-themed land will bring.
Die-hard Animal Kingdom fans will argue that the park is about more than just the rides, and that is true. Unlike Disney World’s other theme parks, Animal Kingdom is more reliant on the experience of walking and seeing the animals and enjoying the time in nature.
Animal Kingdom also offers two of the best shows on Disney World property: Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond and Festival of the Lion King.
Credit: Disney
While all that is true and is part of what makes Animal Kingdom a great park; however, with only six attractions, Disney shouldn’t be charging $139 for its Lightning Lane Premier Pass. In fact, at this one park, until the new land and attractions are up and running, Disney shouldn’t charge for any Lightning Lane passes at Animal Kingdom.
However, that’s all a fantasy. Even if there were only one ride left at Animal Kingdom, Disney World would still charge for its Lightning Lane pass. So, with the Mickey and Minnie Meet and Greet closing next week and It’s Tough to Be a Bug following shortly thereafter, you just have to ask the last ride left at Animal Kingdom to turn out the lights before they too close for refurbishment.
