It is official. Dinoland USA will be closing soon to make way for Tropical Americas. Animal Kingdom is the most intricate and immersive park in Walt Disney World, and we think the Tropical Americas land will blend seamlessly into that environment.
The new Encanto attraction and Carousel will provide entertainment for Animal Kingdom’s smaller guests. The Indiana Jones attraction looks to appear to adventure seekers, and the food is sure to impress.
Image: Disney
We can’t help but shed a tear (or many) for what will be lost. Sure, many guests think Dinoland USA resembles something you might find at your local carnival. However, there is a deep and comprehensive backstory to this unfavorable land. Before it is forgotten forever, revisit Dinoland and “go get that dino” one last time.
The Icon of Dinoland USA, The Dino Institute
The story of Dinoland is rich with detail, even if it came from a lack of funding during the construction of Animal Kingdom. The story goes like this: The Dino Institute that was first established was very different from the one visitors find today. After the discovery of fossils in Diggs County, a paleontologist founded the Dino Institute. To fund the digs, the students turned a nearby fishing lodge into a restaurant and museum. The students also lived there.
They also opened the Boneyard where people could come to the dig site and as the years went by, they had to keep expanding. In Restaurantosaurus, room after room was added over the years. Guests paying close attention may get an idea of when the different rooms were added based on the age of the items in the room. From fossils to photos, the restaurant is covered with fun details.
Image: Disney
Later, the Dino Institute brought on Dr. Helen Marsh who guests may know from the Dinosaur pre-show. This action led to a new way for the Dino Institute to fund their projects: time travel. With this new income, they opened a new site with labs and a museum. But that wasn’t all. Dr. Marsh wanted to use time travel to create tours that people could take back to the time of the dinosaurs.
Chester and Hester
Prior to the Dino Institute, there wasn’t much in this area except for the fishing lodge and a gas station owned by an older couple named Chester and Hester. When Chester and Hester noticed all the increased traffic to their area as a result of the fossil finds, they decided to capitalize on that so they turned their gas station into Chester and Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures.
Image: Amanda Dwyer
As traffic increased over the years, Chester and Hester opened the park within a park: Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama. Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama opened in the parking lot of the old gas station. Chester and Hester weren’t about to spend a ton on this project. They wanted to save bucks to make bucks. They marketed the little park with billboards and signs, which guests can view when walking through Dinoland USA.
Rest In Pieces: Dinoland USA
The Dino Institute is still offering these pre-historic tours to the public and Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama is still going strong, for now. Whether you say good riddance or a loving goodbye, take one last ride on Dinosaur and make a stop at Chester and Hester’s before the land goes extinct.
