Disney fans woory about these park changes, so we went to the top

The energy was electric at the D23 Disney Experiences Showcase in Anaheim, California, over the summer. That quickly changed.

At the time, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro was like Oprah, famously exclaiming, “You get a car! You get a car! You get a car!” unveiling attraction after attraction coming to Disney parks.

“It was an incredible feeling to stand there up on stage in front of 13,000 people, telling them about all of these ambitious plans,” D’Amaro told USA TODAY. “Feeling that energy come back at me, it just made me want to do even more.”

Squeals, cheers and thunderous applause filled Honda Center like a rock concert as fans learned about a new Villains land at Walt Disney World, the first-ever Coco attraction coming to Disney California Adventure, and more.

But just days later, cries of joy turned into outcries as fans learned that two newly announced Cars-themed attractions would be replacing Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America in Magic Kingdom.

Not long after, fans began worrying about possibly losing Muppet*Vision 3D in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to a newly announced Monsters Inc.-inspired suspended coaster, even though Disney hasn’t confirmed its intended location.

“I love the fact that our fans are speculating and watching every move that we make,” D’Amaro said. “That means they care. That means they're engaged with us. That means they're dreaming and hoping the same way that we are.”

Here’s what Disney fans should know.

Disney first introduced the idea of retheming DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney's Animal Kingdom during the D23 Expo in 2022, but the landscape began changing even earlier when Wild Mouse-style coaster Primeval Whirl closed for good amid the pandemic.

Initially Disney announced other parts of the land would begin closing this fall, but according to Disney World’s website, the first wave of significant closures won’t begin until after the holidays. TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures will shutter on Jan. 13. Disney has not yet revealed when DINOSAUR, The Boneyard, nor dining venues like Restaurantosaurus will close.

Many fans have made a point of going for one last ride in or stroll through the area on recent trips. DinoLand is deeply loved by fans who either grew up with the land, which opened with the park in 1998 or brought their kids to it. DINOSAUR has a cult following, and The Boneyard, like Magic Kingdom’s Tom Sawyer Island, is a prized place for kids to play and burn off energy after walking and waiting in lines all day. Also, Disney Imagineering fans love that DinoLand is an original concept land.

When Disney Legend, former Imagineer and one of Animal Kingdom’s masterminds Joe Rohde recently posted photos and a bit of Restaurantosaurus history on Instagram, fans like Joe Winner replied, “A lot of people didn't ‘get’ Dinoland, but the story behind that land (and how it's told through all the tiny details throughout the land) is some of the best storytelling done in a Disney park EVER.” DinoLand is supposed to be a tourist destination that sprang up after dinosaur fossils were found in the area. Sarah Tizzano wrote, “I am personally sad for the re-theming of this land but always up for new magic!” Rohde said, "As much as I love dinosaurs, let me say that I am excited about the changes to come."

A new Tropical Americas themed land called Pueblo Esperanza will replace DinoLand U.S.A.

“Just like Harambe, the land feels lived in, with a long, rich history — plus there’s a large hacienda which will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort,” Disney Portfolio Executive Creative Producer Michael Hundgen wrote for the official Disney Parks Blog. “The space will be lush and sprawling, featuring a large fountain in the center where the villagers like to gather and tell stories. Additionally, a woodcarver has created a giant working carousel featuring his favorite animals from Disney stories.”

The land will also feature a new Indiana Jones attraction unlike those at other Disney parks and Disney’s first Encanto-inspired ride.

What's coming to Disney parks:All the biggest D23 announcements

Yes, though Disney has not announced exactly when.

“It’s Tough to be a Bug!” is a hybrid 3-D and live show inspired by the Disney Pixar film “A Bug’s Life.” As its webpage warns, it gets dark and loud and can be scary, particularly for young guests. That may be why there hasn’t been nearly the same level of outpouring of nostalgia from guests, though some fans are sorry to see it leave Animal Kingdom’s iconic Tree of Life.

In Winter 2025, a new Zootopia-themed show called Better Zoogether will debut there instead. Few new details have been released but at last year’s Destination D23 fan event, Walt Disney Imagineering President and Chief Creative Officer Bruce Vaughn said, “Our current concept is filled with humor and action, taking you into the different biomes you see in the film and some you have yet to see yet. We’ll meet Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and my favorite, a fantastic Clawhauser animatronic. It’s going to be great.”

Responding to Disney D23’s Facebook post on the retheming, Amber Snipes wrote, “Sad because it's tough to be a bug leans into the conservation story of Animal Kingdom and I don't see how that can be done with Zootopia/a Gazelle concert...” Fellow fan Chrissy Betts posted, “Love the idea of adding Zootopia somewhere in Animal Kingdom but the Bugs Life 3D show is the best of all your 3D shows & it makes sense located under the tree. It’s like you shrunk down to bug size. Zootopia doesn’t make sense under a tree.”

Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America are only closing at Disney World. They will remain open at Disneyland, where “the attraction has the distinction of being the only one designed by Walt Disney,” according to the California resort’s website.

“Walt revered Mark Twain’s novels and wanted the island to reflect the world Twain conjured in his stories,” explains Disneyland’s webpage for Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island. “Days before construction began, he took the plans home and reimagined the design, creating the inlets, coves and atmosphere the island is known for today.”

Disney World’s version of Tom Sawyer Island opened in 1973, two years after Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 and even longer after Walt Disney’s passing in 1966. Even if Florida’s version doesn’t have the same ties to Walt Disney, fans have still reacted strongly to its planned departure. Multiple petitions have been started on Change.org calling for its preservation.

“Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America are two special attractions that remind you of a simpler time and losing them would be a great loss to all Magic Kingdom guests,” notes one petition with over 500 signatures. Among the virtues fans extol are the area’s scenic waters and shady trees, room to roam, and quiet spaces away from crowds.

It’s unclear when Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America will close, but Disney says work in the area will begin early next year for two coming Cars rides.

“The first attraction is a thrilling race rally across the frontier,” D’Amaro said at the D23 Disney Experiences Showcase in August. “Our second attraction is geared especially for our smallest racers, something that the whole family can enjoy.”

Many fans are excited about the new rides, especially now that Lightning McQueen Racing Academy has closed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to make way for a new Villains show next summer. But that doesn’t mean they won’t miss Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America.

In a speech on bringing Disney stories to life at the Inbound business conference in Boston in mid-September, D’Amaro said, “I always remind my team, if we're going to make a change in anything, we must create something that's even better than what was there before. We may not always get this right, but I believe Walt would have wanted us to try. He would have wanted us to be courageous.”

D'Amaro, who’s worked at Disney for 26 years and previously served as president of both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, also cited Walt Disney’s risk-taking legacy while speaking with USA TODAY.

“We will always be introducing new into our theme parks, just like Walt started back in 1955 here at Disneyland,” he told USA TODAY.

Disney parks are always evolving. Just look at EPCOT, which just marked the completion of a yearslong transformation this summer and immediately began reimagining Test Track. That doesn’t mean the past is forgotten.

“We have cast members all across this company, including me, who care very much about making sure that we find a balance between pushing the boundaries on what is new and also preserving the legacy and memory that so many of our fans have here in the parks,” D'Amaro said. “So I'm not surprised that people are speculating, but what they should know is that we take this seriously. We want to hear them, and we think that ultimately, we'll find that balance.”

(This story has been updated with new information.)