Big changes are coming to Disney World, and some of them might sting a little.

Disney has already been in the middle of a huge transformation across multiple parks, and now it looks like two more fan-favorite attractions will soon be added to the closure list. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and DINOSAUR are both scheduled to close in 2026, though Disney hasn’t given us official closure dates yet. The timing here is critical, because both rides are tied to massive park transformations — one featuring The Muppets and the other tied to the new Tropical Americas land at Animal Kingdom. Here’s what you need to know about these two closures and what’s coming next.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has been a staple of Disney’s Hollywood Studios since 1999, but its time with Aerosmith is officially coming to an end. Disney has already confirmed that the coaster will be reimagined into Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, opening in 2026. The problem? We still don’t have an official closing date for the current version of the ride.

Why does that matter? A re-theme of this scale takes a lot of time. The track layout may remain the same, but everything from the queue and storyline to the ride vehicles needs to be redesigned and rebuilt. Since Disney already announced that the Muppets version will open in 2026, the coaster will almost certainly need to close in the early part of 2026 to stay on track. That means time is quickly running out for Disney to give guests a last-chance window to experience the Aerosmith version before it officially heads backstage.

Disney just dropped a ton of new details about the Muppets makeover, and the vibe is completely different from the current attraction. The new storyline will follow Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem as they try to get to a huge Hollywood concert on time. Guests will snag VIP passes, tour the recording studio (now hilariously under Muppet management), and then race across town in a Muppet-style limousine to reach the big show.

Even the iconic giant guitar out front will get a makeover, complete with a vibrant psychedelic design inspired by the Muppets’ chaotic energy. Inside the queue, expect to see penguin audio engineers, Scooter frantically trying to wrangle the band, and plenty of Easter eggs for longtime Muppet fans. And of course, the on-ride soundtrack will feature some seriously rocking Electric Mayhem hits to keep the adrenaline pumping.

So while it’s exciting to see what’s ahead, it also means that if you love the current version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, your days are numbered.

DINOSAUR

Over in Animal Kingdom, DINOSAUR has been holding strong in DinoLand U.S.A. since the park opened in 1998. But this ride has been on borrowed time ever since Disney announced the transformation of DinoLand into Tropical Americas — a brand-new land inspired by the regions that influenced Encanto and Indiana Jones.

As part of this transformation, Disney already confirmed that DINOSAUR would be closing in 2026 to make way for a new Indiana Jones attraction. This will not be a copy-and-paste version of rides we’ve seen before, but rather a brand-new adventure unique to Animal Kingdom. Imagineers are already deep into construction across the land, with permits being filed for DINOSAUR and even minor set updates to keep it running smoothly until it officially closes.

The challenge here is timing. Tropical Americas is scheduled to open in 2027, which doesn’t give Disney a lot of wiggle room. In order to gut the DINOSAUR building and install a completely new ride, they’ll need to close the attraction by early 2026. That means guests are guaranteed to only have the rest of 2025 to ride DINOSAUR before it goes extinct.

Right now, the land is closing in phases. The Boneyard Fossil Fun Site is closing on September 2nd, 2025, and Restaurantosaurus is expected to wrap up operations by the end of 2025. That leaves DINOSAUR as one of the final pieces of DinoLand standing before the big transition begins.

When Pueblo Esperanza (the name of the new land) opens, it will feature two headlining attractions: the new Indiana Jones ride and the first-ever Encanto ride. Add in a carousel, a massive quick-service restaurant inside a Spanish-style hacienda, and a lush rainforest setting, and Animal Kingdom will look very different from what we see today.

What This Means for You

The biggest takeaway is this: if either Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster or DINOSAUR are on your Disney World must-do list, 2025 is the year to prioritize them. By early 2026, both will likely be closed to make way for their replacements. Disney has not yet announced official closure dates, but based on the construction timelines, it won’t be long before we have answers. Once those dates are released, expect crowds to surge as fans rush to ride these attractions one last time.

It’s always bittersweet to say goodbye to Disney rides, especially ones that have been around for decades. But the good news is that both replacements — Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets and the Indiana Jones adventure — promise to bring fresh energy, updated technology, and plenty of fun for future generations of park goers. For now, we’ll keep a close eye out for Disney’s official announcements and let you know the moment those closure dates are confirmed.

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Make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest updates from Disney World!

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What do you think of these closures? Tell us in the comments.