The Boneyard Closes at Animal Kingdom — The BEST Kid’s Playground at Disney World Has Gone Extinct and Been Erased

by

This week marked the closure of the Boneyard, a popular themed play area for children, within Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom. With this closure, one of Disney’s most beloved playgrounds for kids has now come to an end.

Walt Disney World was initially conceptualized with the whole family in focus. As such, each park within the resort features specialized play zones tailored for children up to 12 years old. Over time, some of these areas have been replaced or removed. For instance, the “Honey I Shrunk The Kids” play area at Hollywood Studios was a popular choice; upon entry, it seemed as if kids had been shrunk to ant size due to the giant blades of grass and enormous toy props. Alas, it ceased operation on April 2nd, 2016, giving way for the construction of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.

According to this writer, the top children’s play spot across Walt Disney World was undeniably the Boneyard located in the Dinoland section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. Sadly, the Boneyard closed down permanently on September 1st, 2025, marking the beginning of its transformation into the “Tropical Americas” retheme that replaced Dinoland. It appears that Disney is quite content with their choice to phase out Dinoland and all dinosaur-themed attractions at Animal Kingdom Park, as the entire area is set to disappear entirely.

Why The Boneyard Was the Best Themed Kid’s Playground

On April 22, 1998, The Boneyard play area debuted in DinoLand, USA, serving as the opening day attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. This expansive playground was divided into two main areas. The first, a discovery play zone, offered children an array of slides, caves, fossils, and dinosaur-themed playthings to explore. The second area could be accessed via a bridge walkway, taking you through a life-sized dinosaur skeleton replica, leading to a dig site.

At the archaeological site, children can find and excavate fossils using the plastic tools given on-site. While they’re having fun, our staff members will supervise them under the comfortably shaded area. Meanwhile, parents can take a break and unwind in this engaging activity, making their theme park experience more enjoyable during their busy day.

For children ranging from ages 2 to 12, the Boneyard offers six slides of varying sizes, shapes, and lengths. The slides are creatively designed to resemble an archaeological dig site with scaffolding, offering fun walkways, bridges, a stationary 4-wheel drive vehicle to play on, and even underground tunnels reminiscent of a maze. Our family has spent many hours enjoying this playground since our first visit in 2006. However, as of now, the entrance to that area within Animal Kingdom is entirely blocked, and any trace of it has been removed from the official Animal Kingdom Park maps.

Half Day Park; Full Day Price

With the elimination of the Boneyard, the majority of what was Dinoland, USA is now shuttered.

As a devoted fan, I’m eager to share some exciting and unfortunate news about the Dinosaur ride in our cherished park. Although the thrilling experience remains accessible until February 1st, 2026, it has recently become less convenient to reach. After this date, the expansive area housing the Dinosaur ride will be barricaded from guests for a duration yet to be decided, as it undergoes a transformation into “Pueblo Esperanza,” also known as the “Tropical Americas.” This retheming promises an entirely new adventure waiting just around the corner!

As a cinephile, I find it somewhat puzzling that this new section isn’t simply named after the continent it represents, like Asia or Africa, similar to the others. It seems a bit inconsistent, don’t you think?

Despite Disney’s ongoing construction, prices for a single day adult admission have increased significantly. In 2023, when everything was operational, the lowest cost was around $109. However, today’s rates range from $139 to $169. Unfortunately, with these higher costs, you’ll find fewer activities available compared to before.

While other Disney parks operate until 11 p.m., often extending later for after-hours events or offering late admission for deluxe resort guests, Animal Kingdom typically closes at 6 p.m. on most days.

It’s quite likely that you have already experienced all there is to experience at Animal Kingdom, given there are only six major ride attractions currently in operation. The park’s appeal might not be strong enough for many families to revisit until the Tropical Americas expansion opens, which could be as late as 2028 or even 2029 according to Disney’s construction timeline.

Anything For The Little Ones In The Future?

A glimmer of optimism lies ahead for Pueblo Esperanza, as plans include a children’s play area and a family-friendly carousel in the vicinity.

Although Disney hasn’t disclosed the name of the upcoming children’s play area yet, the design sketches suggest it will be situated closer to the new Indiana Jones-themed attraction that’s taking over the current Dinosaur ride. This means all traces of the much-loved Boneyard will vanish forever.

Although there’s still a chance that this might become as great as Boneyard used to be, the current state of Disney’s projects doesn’t necessarily instill that level of confidence. However, most kids who can enjoy Boneyard today will likely have grown out of it by the time it opens again.

Read More

2025-09-06 19:11