Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro walked Monstropolis, Tropical Americas, and Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge with the Walt Disney Imagineering teams building them, then thanked those teams on social media. In his post, which includes photos from behind the construction walls, D’Amaro said the ideas, details, and stories are all coming together. He added that seeing the work in person makes him even more excited for what’s ahead. All three projects are scheduled to open, at least in part, in 2027.
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro Tours Monstropolis, Tropical Americas, and Lakeshore Lodge With Imagineering
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- D’Amaro toured three Walt Disney World projects with Imagineers and thanked the teams behind them.
- His photos offer an inside look at Monstropolis, Tropical Americas, and Lakeshore Lodge.
- All three projects are scheduled to open, at least in part, in 2027.
Walt Disney World has three major 2027 projects under construction at the same time, and Disney’s CEO made a point of thanking the people bringing them to life. Before becoming CEO in March, D’Amaro led Disney Experiences, which includes Walt Disney Imagineering. These construction projects and teams are familiar ground for him.
In his post, D’Amaro thanked the Imagineering team, writing that “their imagination & creativity knows no limits.” He also described an energy at Walt Disney World that guests can feel as soon as they pass through the gates.
One photo shows D’Amaro, wearing a hard hat marked “Josh,” on his hands and knees adding his name to a concrete floor already covered in signatures at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge. The room has a wood-paneled ceiling, a triangular skylight, and tall windows on every side. Signing a slab or beam is a longtime construction tradition. It’s a fitting image for a post focused on the people behind these projects.
Monstropolis and Tropical Americas Take Shape
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, one of the photos shows an Imagineer holding a tablet with a Monstropolis rendering on screen. The image appears to be concept art for “Welcome to Monstropolis,” the Glob Theater show Disney revealed at D23 in August. Mike and Sulley stand onstage in front of a packed audience as a canister trails smoke overhead. That show is part of the first phase of Monstropolis, along with Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza, Harryhausen’s, and the Scareporium shop.
Those four locations are scheduled to open in 2027, with the Monsters Inc. Door Vault roller coaster to follow later. Outside the walls, the land is moving quickly. Earlier this month, we saw final themed paint arrive at Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza, with red brick and bronze columns that looked finished.
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the standout photo is the Mayan temple for Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent. Scaffolding still surrounds the structure, but rich turquoise, red, and gold rockwork now covers the upper tiers. What appears to be a large fanged mouth frames an opening at the center of the temple, with turquoise carved panels on either side.
That’s a big step from aerial photos of the temple in September. Back then, the carved rockwork sat only at the very top, and steel was still exposed below it. D’Amaro’s photo suggests installation has worked its way down the facade since then. Across the rest of the land, Tropical Americas’ personality is starting to peek through as aged finishes and themed steel replace bare structure.
Another photo shows a close-up of a hand-carved wooden column. A large flower rosette sits between carved leaves, with rows of rounded beading above and below. The level of handcrafted detail is impressive and exactly what Disney fans are used to seeing at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Lakeshore Lodge Nears Its July 2027 Opening
D’Amaro’s third stop was Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, the new Disney Vacation Club resort on Bay Lake. Disney says the resort opens July 1st, 2027, and reservations opened in phases from October 6th to October 8th. One photo shows two Imagineers smiling in front of what appears to be the resort’s main building. Rows of balconies rise behind a canopy structure that is still under construction.
Inside, D’Amaro signed a piece of the concrete floor in what appeared to be the lobby area.
Guests already have plenty to look forward to. Disney has shown The Wetlands, the resort’s pool and lazy river complex themed to Pocahontas. Over the summer, Disney Vacation Club also quietly renamed two of its pools, which are now called Lakeshore Lagoon and Cypress Point.
D’Amaro closed his post by telling fans he can’t wait for them to experience it all. With all three projects aiming for 2027, that wait keeps getting shorter.
Keep Reading
- Final themed paint is arriving at Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza, giving us our first real look at the colors of Monstropolis.
- Tropical Americas’ personality is starting to peek through with aged finishes, themed steel, and new rockwork across the land.
- Colorful rockwork first appeared atop the Indiana Jones temple in September aerial photos, a great comparison to D’Amaro’s new look.
- D’Amaro outlined his priorities as CEO in March, with a focus on pairing creativity and technology.
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!