UPDATED April 4, 2024
A NEW LAND is coming to Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom park!
At the 2023 D23 Expo, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro shared that Disney is “building on what makes Animal Kingdom so, so special” with The Tropical Americas! New experiences inspired by the beloved film Encanto and the fan-favorite character Indiana Jones are “being considered” for the reimagined land (currently DinoLand, U.S.A.) at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Disney explained that Imagineers are taking inspiration from some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet in the regions just north and south of the equator here in the Western Hemisphere, including the northern part of South America, stretching up into Central America.
Work is already being done on the Casitas from Encanto to bring them to life inside the land. And, in April 2024, Disney shared that Imagineers are currently on research trips to Mexico to gather inspiration for the new area.
We take a detailed look at the concept art posted above HERE.
This upcoming transformation also means that it’s quite likely that Indiana Jones will be replacing the Dinosaur attraction, as the ride system is similar to the Indiana Jones™ Adventure ride that already exists in Disneyland park.
More on Animal Kingdom’s Transformation
The retheming of this section of the park will be part of a $60 billion project set in motion to update and expand areas to Disney parks globally. In a November 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro has added, “We know what this business is capable of, we know what our fans expect of us, and we’re going all in. You’re going to see more and more of that. As we make our way through some of these ideas, some of them will become real, and we’ll say that’s specifically what we’re going to do, but I want our guests to be on the journey with us.”
“Animal Kingdom is about exploration and adventure,” D’Amaro says. “I was fortunate enough to have run that theme park, so I know how special it is, and I think there are a lot of stories that we can stay true to Animal Kingdom and express new properties in there, and that’s what you see us starting to do.”
Disney shared that there’s still a long way to go with these ideas, but that the Imagineering team in Florida is up for the challenge!
DinoLand, U.S.A ad Transformation Timeline
Also revealed in the spring of 2024, Disney filed a permit with the South Florida Water Management District, and while that may not sound super exciting, it was the LOCATION that got our attention. Why? The permit is for the DinoLand, U.S.A. area of Animal Kingdom!
The permit that was filed was for a trailer compound. Typically, these types of setups come to big construction areas, which has many wondering what this could mean for the future of DinoLand. The permit outlines that the new compound will also have parking and utilities for those who will be working on-site.
PLEASE BE AWARE that no announcements have been made regarding a timeline for this transformation, but we will be keeping you posted on any news along the way! In the meantime, you can learn about EVERYTHING you can enjoy in Disney’s Animal Kingdom RIGHT NOW here!
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