For over two decades, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures has been a colorful and quirky staple at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Nestled in the heart of DinoLand U.S.A., this eccentric gift shop possesses vibrant theming and the smallest of prehistoric details amongst the typical Disney merchandise offerings. However, as part of the park’s ongoing evolution, the beloved store will officially close its doors on January 13th, 2025 — meaning the last day to visit is this Sunday, January 12th!
A DinoLand Icon
Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures opened with the park in 1998 with an eccentric design – featuring exaggerated roadside kitsch and dinosaur-themed everything. The shop’s backstory tells a tale of a roadside dinosaur-themed attraction developed by Chester and Hester, two eccentric characters who envisioned a roadside attraction which paid tribute to the prehistoric era in the most over-the-top fashion.
The shop itself was an homage to vintage, over-commercialized roadside attractions, with a sense of humor that blended tacky charm with Disney details. The store was more than just a gift shop; it became a part of the experience, embodying the fun and wacky spirit of DinoLand U.S.A.
— “When in Florida, be sure to visit EPCOT” can be seen in the rafters along the front entrance.
The shop featured its own “dino-rama” with a toy train gliding around the ceiling, passing cityscapes filled with foil stars and meteors hanging from fishing line, with dinosaurs and Godzilla figurines duking it out.
From the fossils, vintage posters and postcards to the plastic dinosaurs glued to or hanging from just about every surface, I simply can’t get enough of the colorful details plastered around the entire shop. I only wish we had more novelty dinosaur trinkets to shop from, instead of it solely offering the same run-of-the-mill Disney merchandise we see everywhere else.
A Fond Farewell to a Quirky Era
Though DinoLand U.S.A. has always been considered the park’s most light-hearted land, the closure of Chester & Hester’s (and eventually the rest of DinoLand) signals a shift towards a new park… one that I’m not quite ready for.
— Peep the little dragon on the right – a nod to Beastly Kingdom!
While Chester & Hester’s wasn’t exactly part of the original plan for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it’s something us fans have come to appreciate and have grown fond of certain elements. It’s always tough to say goodbye, and since Chester & Hester’s is grouped into the complete closure and erasure to DinoLand, this makes it a tougher pill to swallow for DAK and dinosaur fans alike.
As Disney refines its vision for Animal Kingdom’s future, the closing of this iconic little gift shop is part of a larger transformation (a new land themed to Tropical Americas) which brings new attractions and updated theming, yes, but with that comes replacements of beloved spaces and the complete eradication of dinosaurs. I also can’t help but compare the over-the-top decor to the latest Disney park gift shops (Creations at EPCOT or the new World of Disney at Disney Springs) which are much more plain than their predecessors we’re all nostalgic for.
As we bid farewell to Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, we do so with fond memories. The store will forever be a part of Animal Kingdom’s history. As the shop shutters for the last time on January 12th, we can’t help but thank it for all the memories, kitsch and silliness it brought to the park.
Meteor Impact In [5] Days…
If you’re visiting Animal Kingdom in the next few days, don’t miss the opportunity to stop by Chester & Hester’s one last time. Stand underneath the giant Cementosaurus, play for a Dino-Rama plush in the Fossil Fun Games area, grab some souvenir Dino-Rama photo strips at the Photo Booth, and say goodbye to one of the park’s most quirky spots.
