New aerial photos from friend of the site Bioreconstruct show more of the Mayan temple for Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent installed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. A carved middle tier with a large central face now sits between the crown and the faux temple entrance, where exposed steel framing stood in the earlier photos. The large mobile crane from September is gone from view, and crews now work from scaffolding and boom lifts. Here’s the latest.
Indiana Jones Temple Construction Photos at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- A carved middle tier now fills the space that had exposed steel framing in the earlier photos.
- Scaffolding now rises along the front of the temple, with mesh rockwork forms wrapping the lower tiers.
- Boom lifts and staged materials have replaced the large crane seen in September.
Bioreconstruct’s photos show clear progress since the last aerial update, when exposed steel framing still separated the crown from the entrance tier. Imagineers are building Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent at the former DINOSAUR attraction. We reported the ride’s name and story when Disney announced them at the 2026 D23 Expo. Now a carved section fills the space between the crown and the entrance.
Before we get to the latest aerial photos, here’s a look at the model that was on display at D23 Expo. In the model, we can see what the temple should look like when construction wraps up.
A Middle Tier Arrives
The biggest change since our last update is in the middle of the facade. In early September, bare steel framing separated the upper from the lower tier. The top looks the same in the new photos, so the new work is everything beneath it. A carved section has been fitted on top of an area where the steel was, with a large central face and curled turquoise scrollwork. Carved figures sit at the corners. The three sections stack into one tall facade.
Turquoise, red, and tan details carry across all three tiers, so the new section blends in. The almost fanged opening at the base appears to match the Witz, the monster figure Maya archaeologist Dr. Ivan Batun pointed to at D23 Expo. We covered his explanation of the Witz as an entrance to the underworld in our last photo update.
On the back, we see exposed steel framing beneath the tan rock crown. The sides of the temple are also themed and look to be close to the final look.
Working on the Weekend
Workers in hard hats and bright safety vests stand on the scaffolding at multiple levels, and a few more work on the rooftop next to the temple’s crown. Two green boom lifts sit on the sand-covered ground in front. Orange cones and caution tape mark off the area as crews continue to piece the temple together from prefabricated chunks. Work is happening at the base, the middle tiers, and the roofline at the same time.
A paved area to the side holds stacked scaffolding frames and planks. A white pickup, generators, and a long steel truss can be seen lying on the ground. One mesh rock form also sits near the tree line, which suggests crews may be staging or adjusting pieces on site. That much staged material points to more installation ahead.
Disney has not announced an opening date for the attraction or Tropical Americas. Our understanding is that the plan is still to open the land in 2027, despite the fact that Disney removed the 2027 timeframe from one of its webpages.
Story So Far
- On August 15, Disney announced the name and story of Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent at D23 Expo.
- On September 6, new aerial photos showed themed rockwork chips installed atop the temple structure.
- On September 10, we explained why a missing 2027 timeframe on one Disney webpage does not signal a delay.
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!