Good morning from Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where the Tropical Americas construction site has reached new milestones. The large tower crane that loomed over the site for months came down earlier this month. Elsewhere on site, the Encanto Casita continues to rise, and the carousel queue roof is now enclosed. We also got our first look at painted finishes being tested on Pueblo Esperanza’s rockwork.
Tower Crane Removed From Tropical Americas Site
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- The large tower crane that stood over the site for months came down earlier this month
- The Encanto Casita steel frame continues to rise near the mesh mountain range
- Test paint swatches now show up on Pueblo Esperanza’s sculpted rockwork
Standing on the bridge connecting Discovery Island to Tropical Americas, the removal of the tower crane is noticeable. The tall tower crane that anchored the skyline since September 2025 was removed earlier this month. It’s absense is an encouraging milestone as the project continues to a 2027 opening timeframe.
Tower cranes typically come down once the biggest pieces of construction are installed. Its removal here suggests the installation of the land’s tallest and heaviest elements has finished or is close to it. A second, smaller crane remains active on site. That crane continues to assist with “smaller” work such as the construction of the Encanto Casita.
The Casita’s steel frame continues climbing near the large green show building that will house the Encanto attraction. We reported new vertical steel going up at the Casita site earlier this month. That structure has kept taking shape since. Workers in harnesses and a boom lift were actively assembling additional crossbeams and bracing during our visit.
Behind the Casita steel, the mesh mountain range that will eventually carry rockwork and greenery still rises above the construction walls. Scaffolding envelops much of the mesh as crews begin to add concrete to theme the rocks.
The woodcarver carousel building has reached another milestone since our last update. Plywood now covers the roof structure over what appears to be the carousel’s queue area. That gives the building an enclosed profile for the first time.
First Look at Pueblo Esperanza Themed Finishes
Perhaps the most exciting development from this visit came at the Finding Nemo and Expedition Everest side entrance to Pueblo Esperanza. There, we got our first in-person look at painted finishes being tested on the land’s sculpted rockwork. Crews have brought in test paint swatches as color references for painters. This gives us a preview of the rich, layered detail we can expect once the scenic painting is applied to the bare concrete rockwork.
Warm gold and ochre tones layered with rust-red accents mark the test sections, painted directly onto the sculpted concrete rock texture. The contrast is striking next to unpainted, raw gray concrete rockwork elsewhere on site. What currently sits as plain structural concrete will eventually carry that same richly weathered, sun-bleached look.
Additional rockwork columns and an arched structure nearby remain in their raw, unpainted state within scaffolding. Those sections show the sculpted texture crews have carved into the concrete before any color goes on. A group of what appeared to be Imagineering or construction team members gathered near the rockwork during our visit. The purpose of that gathering wasn’t clear to us.
Story So Far
- Disney officially broke ground on the Tropical Americas project in January 2025
- A crane arrived on site in June 2025, signaling a shift from land clearing to active construction
- The carousel’s concrete base was poured in March 2026, with its steel frame going vertical in April 2026
- Crews installed carved wood roof trusses on the carousel building in July 2026
- The entrance archway and Encanto Casita steel both advanced in early August 2026
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!