New aerial photos from friend of the site Bioreconstruct give us an updated look at construction across the Tropical Americas site at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The photos capture progress at the Indiana Jones attraction area, the Encanto attraction area, the carousel, and Pueblo Esperanza plaza. We also got a look at an off-site area where crews are fabricating theming elements. Here’s a look around!
Tropical Americas Construction Update: Indiana Jones Temple, Encanto’s Casita, and More
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Steel framing for the Indiana Jones attraction’s Mayan temple continues to rise at the former DINOSAUR building
- Encanto’s show building receives faux mountains as the Casita’s walls continue to rise
- Latest look at the Pueblo Esperanza carousel and clock tower area at the entrance to the land
Indiana Jones Temple
The steel framework for the Mayan temple entrance continues to take shape at the former DINOSAUR attraction building. A multi-level steel superstructure now rises to envelop the existing building. Crews are actively working on the frame from boom lifts. The temple structure extends forward and upward from the existing portion of the building.
Woodcarver Carousel
The carousel’s steel ring is being flanked by the queue building, following the concrete pour for its base back in March. The steel forms a large decagonal support structure with a dense steel lattice rising from its center. That lattice doesn’t appear to be standard scaffolding, so we’ll keep an eye on it as work progresses. A mobile crane was actively placing steel during Bioreconstruct’s flyover. Wood-look roof truss framing is beginning to fan out from the ring toward what will become the carousel’s canopy.
A second, unattached ring section sits staged nearby. Surrounding the carousel pad, block walls and poured concrete walls will likely form the attraction’s support building.
Pueblo Esperanza
Multiple buildings and/or walls within the Pueblo Esperanza town are under construction. Poured concrete and block walls are rising near the carousel, with scaffolding giving crews access to apply theming.
Steel framing is visible at the entrance corridor for the land’s signature clock tower. A wood-and-steel canopy structure extends from it. As we previously reported, the main corridor into Pueblo Esperanza will take guests under an archway and past the clock tower into the main square, with a large fountain planned for the center where villagers gather. A nearby block building has its walls partially up, with window and door openings already roughed in.
Encanto Attraction Area
The Encanto show building is making wonderful progress. Crews have installed and are connecting rooftop chillers, ductwork, and exhaust equipment across most of the roofline. As we previously reported, crews are busy building the faux mountains that will sit on top of the building, providing depth to the scene. Right now, steel mesh is being installed, with finishing work and theming to follow.
The Casita’s concrete block walls are rising in front of the show building. Actually, it’s likely that the walls seen are for the foundation of the structure, and a hill will be installed around it. A curved poured-concrete wall sits just beyond the Casita’s foundation, distinct from the building’s rectangular walls, and may be tied to landscaping in front of the building. Crews finished installing the final piece of structural steel for the Encanto ride building back in February, and the building skeleton has been complete since then. Construction has since shifted to the queue building and Casita facade in front of the attraction building.
Off-Site Fabrication
In a backstage area at Animal Kingdom, crews are also fabricating theming elements in a staging yard. New photos show pre-fabricated rockwork and facade sections in various stages of completion. Some pieces are still raw, surrounded by scaffolding, while others have more finished stone-textured surfaces.
Rows of flat panels are laid out nearby, several showing paint and finish tests in different color washes and weathered textures. The yard also includes support equipment like a telehandler and work trucks.
Story So Far
- February 2025: Walt Disney World filed a permit revealing the demolition plans for DinoLand USA and the final layout of Tropical Americas
- August 2025: Imagineering filed a permit for the Indiana Jones retheme of the DINOSAUR attraction
- October 2025: Construction on the Encanto attraction went vertical, with the show building’s steel structure beginning to rise
- December 2025: The first vertical steel structure for Encanto became visible from within the park
- February 2026: DinoLand USA fully closed to guests and was turned over to construction crews
- February 2026: The final piece of structural steel was installed for the Encanto ride building
- February 2026: Construction began on the Encanto ride’s queue building and Casita facade
- February 2026: Early construction and texture testing began on the Indiana Jones attraction’s Mayan temple facade
- February 2026: Aerial photos showed the base of the carousel taking shape
- March 2026: In-park work began on the Mayan temple facade in front of the former DINOSAUR building
- March 2026: Concrete was poured for the carousel’s base
- April 2026: Steel framing for the Pueblo Esperanza clock tower and surrounding buildings began taking shape
- May 2026: Steel framing for the Indiana Jones temple facade continued climbing above the former DINOSAUR building shell
- July 2026: Imagineering extended its set installation permit for the Indiana Jones attraction into summer 2027
Disney has confirmed that the Tropical Americas land will open in 2027, though the company has not announced a specific opening date for the land or any of its individual attractions. We’ll continue to bring you the latest construction updates as work progresses.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!