Walt Disney Imagineering closed out D23 Expo 2026 with a striking new addition to its pavilion. A model of a head sculpt of the Tsukán now sits on display at the Anaheim Convention Center. The Tsukán is the serpent Audio-Animatronics figure at the center of the ride’s climactic finale scene. We got an up-close look at the sculpt on the Expo’s final day, August 16th.
Tsukán Head Sculpt Debuts at D23’s Imagineering Pavilion
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- A hand-sculpted Tsukán head for the Indiana Jones Attraction is on display at the Imagineering pavilion
- The sculpt shows the serpent with an open jaw, curved fangs, and a raised, feather-like crest running down its neck
- A human-scale reference figure placed beside the sculpt shows the animatronic head towering well above head height
The new Tsukán sculpt sits on a platform inside the pavilion, next to the model of the Mayan temple. The snake’s neck curves upward before the head tips forward toward guests, jaw open wide. A small human-scale reference figure stands at the base of the display. That figure is roughly the size of the largest fang of the creature, a clear sign of how large the finished Tsukán animatronic is meant to be. A placard beside the piece reads “Indiana Jones Attraction: Tsukán Audio Animatronic Head Sculpt.”
Individually detailed, overlapping scales cover the head in shades of green, with a lighter, cream-colored underside along the jaw. Tall, feather-like spines run from between the eyes, back along the crown of the head, and down the neck. The spines flare outward in a style that echoes feathered serpent imagery found throughout Mesoamerican art and architecture. Bright blue eyes sit deep in the textured scale work, glowing against the green.
We could see a pair of long, curved fangs on the upper jaw inside the open mouth. Smaller teeth line the lower jaw, and a dark blue interior suggests the cavernous inside of the creature’s throat. It’s sure to be an imposing figure, especially for guests who don’t like snakes.
This is not the first time Imagineers have shown off the Tsukán this week. Imagineers Michael Hundgen and Chris Beatty introduced the character during Friday’s “Horizons: A Carousel of Progress” showcase, when Disney announced the ride’s name and shared its first story details.
The Tsukán’s Role in the Ride’s Story
The Tsukán is a serpentine creature drawn from Maya legend. In the story, it protects the passage to the Underworld beneath the temple ruin at the heart of the attraction. At Friday’s panel, Hundgen and Beatty said the ride takes guests through a portal to the Underworld, where the Tsukán appears alongside other dangers like giant scorpions and swarms of bats. The creature builds toward a final confrontation late in the ride. That framing lines up with the sculpt on display, presenting the Tsukán as a recurring, escalating threat rather than a single jump scare.
From what it sounds like, the Audio-Animatronic snake will lunge toward guests in a narrow escape. This is not unlike the finale scene of the former DINOSAUR attraction.
Disney has said the team is hand-sculpting the Tsukán’s Audio-Animatronics figure rather than relying solely on digital fabrication. The approach is meant to make the finished creature more lifelike.
Story So Far
- August 15th: Disney announced the attraction’s name, Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, along with story details introducing the Tsukán as the serpent guardian of the Maya Underworld
- August 16th: A hand-sculpted head of the Tsukán Audio-Animatronics figure went on display at the Imagineering pavilion, giving guests their first up-close look at the character’s finished design
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