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Disney World Reveals Changes To Controversial Attraction Weeks Later

minnie and mickey animal kingdom
Credit: Disney

One of Walt Disney World’s newest attractions is getting new hours.

Jeff Vahle poses with 'Zootopia' characters Nick & Judy Hopps in front of the Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
Credit: Disney

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There’s been a lot of chatter regarding Disney’s Animal Kingdom recently. The park is the newest of the four at Walt Disney World Resort, but this hasn’t stopped it from undergoing an identity crisis.

Multiple sections of the animal-themed park are set to change in significant ways, namely DinoLand U.S.A., which will ditch its prehistoric roots and switch to a new South American-inspired haven.

In 2017, the park received perhaps its biggest update ever, Pandora – The World of Avatar. This new land fundamentally altered Animal Kingdom, changing the way it looks, feels, and operates. Pandora has been received incredibly well by guests, with Disney planning on opening a West Coast version at Disneyland in the near future.

However, most attention is on Zootopia: Better Zoogether, Animal Kingdom’s newest attraction. The 4D theater show opened on November 7, 2025, marking the turn of a new page for the park and Walt Disney World as a whole. The attraction recently turned over a new leaf, with Zootopia: Better Zoogether joining Animal Kingdom’s early and extended evening hours.

Guests staying at eligible Disney Resort hotels now add Better Zoogether to their list of things to do early in the morning before the park opens to regular guests, as well as late at night after the park’s normal closing hours.

Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde in front of the Tree of Life
Credit: Disney

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Zootopia: Better Zoogether replaced It’s Tough to Be a Bug and is located inside the Tree of Life, the central landmark of Animal Kingdom. It’s Tough to Be a Bug was an opening day attraction for Animal Kingdom, welcoming guests since 1998.

The 4D theater show closed permanently on March 16, 2025, to make way for the new Zootopia experience.

“The time has come for citizens from every biome in Zootopia to come together for fur-ocious fun in honor of Zoogether Day!” reads the description for Zootopia: Better Zoogether.

Zootopia: Better Zoogether was announced during Disney’s D23 event in 2023. A lot of projects and expansions were revealed over the course of the night, though Animal Kingdom was arguably one of the biggest stars of the event.

There’s certainly a lot of hype and excitement behind Disney’s Zootopia franchise, and with a sequel releasing this month, it makes a lot of sense for Disney World to feature its own attraction based on the films, but removing Animal Kingdom’s original 4D attraction starring Flick, Hopper, and the rest of the crew from Pixar’s A Bug’s Life (1998) was a very “bug” deal that remains incredibly controversial.

What do you think of Zootopia: Better Zoogether?

About Luke Dammann

When at Disney world, Luke will probably be found eating with his favorite animatronic, Sonny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe. When not at Disney World, Luke will probably be found defending Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe to people who claim "there are better restaurants"

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