Disney World is always changing. Some areas in Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios feel fresh and new while others do feel tired. In recent months, one of those latter areas got rid of what was possibly the worst ride in any Disney park: Primeval Whirl. Now, it looks as if that area is getting at least some sort of revamping thanks to some news a new permit has been filed.
Primeval Whirl is a part of Dinoland U.S.A. at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Park. The area has some food booths, a restroom, some carnival games, and until recently Primeval Whirl and TriceraTop Spin. On the outskirts of the area is the higher octane ride Dinosaur. In general the concept of having a dino-filled area for kids is a solid one, but this area of the park has, frankly, been a disaster for a while.
Primeval Whirl I’d be willing to defend as one of the worst rides -- if not the worst ride -- to ever grace the parks. It was a rickety rollercoaster that both was jerky and spun riders. I love thrill rides, and I’ve never felt more like vomiting than while on that ride, both as a child and an adult. We learned the ride was ultimately torn down due to Disney being unable to land replacement parts, but I say good riddance.
The other problem with that area is the pricey carnival games. My husband and I actually think it’s really fun to play carnival games, but the setup with tickets isn’t super convenient. Then, I’m also an adult with no children, so when my husband and I play the games we have no interest in keeping the stuffed animals if we win.
But Disney won’t allow its employees to just give the stuffed animals to another child who is playing the carnival game; therefore, they just go to waste (or we have to find a kid to hand the prize to), and the encounter is always super awkward. We’ve since avoided playing the carnival games. Obviously, this is probably not a problem for every guest, but if the carnival games are expensive and weird for a chunk of people and the vomit-inducing rollercoaster has been dismantled, really the most worthwhile portion of this park is the TriceraTops ride, and your mileage may vary there depending on how old your kids are.
In short, the area is really due for an overhaul. The good news is that at least something seems to be happening. Following the rollercoaster’s demolition, Inside the Magic reports that some mesh has gone up in the area indicating further work is going on. A permit was also filed for construction in the area, with Evans Services Group being the construction group listed on the works.
The unfortunate news? Disney World hasn't been particularly open about what may happen to this area of Animal Kingdom and whether or not it will get a new attraction or a complete reworking. For now, we just have the permit and some hope that the theme park will be revamped in a fun and exciting way.
Animal Kingdom has expanded greatly in recent years. It’s signature Tree of Life and certain OG areas have remained familiar -- including the popular Safari ride. In 2017, Disney World opened Pandora: The World of Avatar, which added a stunning new setting to the park. It's already an exciting park to be in, but with a few more improvements, it could really rival what some of its sister theme parks offer.
