New Aerial Photos Reveal Tropical Americas Taking Shape at Disney's Animal Kingdom

30 days ago in "Tropical Americas"

Gallery / 18 Photos
Tropical Americas Full Site Aerials — Animal Kingdom Construction Update May 10 2026

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Posted: Monday May 11, 2026 7:21am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

New aerial photos from @bioreconstruct on X give a latest view of how Tropical Americas is taking shape at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Encanto attraction moving along

The Encanto attraction building is one of the most advanced structures on the site. Work is continuing on the queue area toward the front of the building. Looking at the rooftop, a significant amount of infrastructure is already in place — HVAC units and mechanical systems are visible, pointing to interior fit-out work well underway.

Encanto Attraction

Carousel structure taking shape

One of the most recognizable elements in the photo is the carousel, clearly visible mid-site with its circular yellow base. Work is continuing on the vertical structure surrounding it. This will form part of the central hub of Pueblo Esperanza, the fictional town at the heart of Tropical Americas.

Village Entrance and Carousel Construction

Tropical Americas Full Site Aerials — Animal Kingdom Construction Update May 10 2026

Village Entrance and Carousel Construction

Also visible nearby are the beginnings of village facades that will line both sides of the land's entrance near the carousel.

Village Entrance and Carousel Construction

Playground area cleared

Toward the center of the site, a large cleared area is visible. This is where the Tropical Americas playground is expected to take shape.

The Indiana Jones Playground Area and Retail

The Indiana Jones Playground Area

Indiana Jones temple work underway

On the right-hand side of the image, the former DINOSAUR building is mid-transformation. Work is underway to convert the entrance into a Mayan temple facade, in keeping with the Indiana Jones theme.

Indiana Jones Entrance Work

Tropical Americas will bring the first-ever Encanto attraction to a Disney park, a new Indiana Jones ride, a large quick service restaurant, and the playground to Disney's Animal Kingdom when it opens in 2027.

Wide view of the Tropical Americas Construction Site

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lazyboy97o1 day ago

Cost cutting and cost escalation may have similar outcomes, reduction in scope, but they are not the same thing. Disney is not completely in control of cost escalations.

Nickm20221 day ago

it will be themed^ and when it comes to concerns of cost cutting I just feel the cruise line would face those issues before any of the park projects. and the sooner the project is projected, the less likely it will have cost cuts. meaning I just really doubt this is the project they're gonna cut corners on given this is them fixing the main (and IMO only real) problem area of AK

Disgruntled Walt4 days ago

Looks like the Dino Institute to me. Remember, they're just covering up the facade that was already there.

Mr. Sullivan4 days ago

It looks to be themed to part of the temple in the artwork

Br0ckford4 days ago

Pure spec, but I'd guess an Indy gift shop when it's all said and done.

eddie1044 days ago

It looks themed in the second concept art.

Unknown Egyptian4 days ago

I’d like to raise a point of concern that I haven’t seen brought up. In the Indiana Jones Mayan temple concept art and physical model, the area by the attraction exit (DINOSAUR gift shop) seems to be an unthemed concrete or steel wall. Do we know if this area will be themed or left bare? It seems like it would be noticeable, and that simply having trees wouldn’t do much to help it blend in.

lazyboy97o5 days ago

The risk to this project is price escalation For anything not fully paid. The sourcing for an attraction can be global and there are a lot of things where shipping isn’t included. We’ve effectively lost 20% of the world’s fuel supply and that is going to have an impact, and a prolonged one at that, eventually.

TrainsOfDisney5 days ago

How many times have we heard this? I consider Galaxies Edge a fail all things considered. (Rise itself is a success of course). Josh could add live entertainment to galaxies edge if he wants…. The force is with him if he desires.

Disstevefan15 days ago

All we can do is speculate at this point. As time goes by, labor and materials will just get more expensive so there may be scope cuts (drink 'em if you got 'em) to stay within budget. In their movie business, they overspend, and seemingly have no budget, making a movie folks forget in a few months. In their theme park business they are very strict in the budget, and if need be, scope cut for something that will be around and be seen by millions on a daily basis for decades! - See World (celebration?) in EPCOT. ;) ;)

Nickm20225 days ago

1. I think if any project is gonna suffer it would be cars. as monsters they just put out a video discussing the extra stuff they're doing. TA is prob 65% done. Villians they know they can't fail. And even with cars it's not like that's gonna cost that much. I much rather expect to see other stuff suffer and not these major projects 2. while they could do a phased opening for a number of things I really hope they don't

Disstevefan16 days ago

I agree, Dinosaur was great in my opinion. I guess some Disney spreadsheeter said dinosaurs are no longer fun for the kids? It seems Disney wants to erase dinosaurs and they are gonna do what they gotta do? Pure speculation on my part, but maybe the switch to IJ in the attraction is firstly is BECAUSE IP, and maybe costing less somehow because its some sort of partial clone of the one on the west coast? Pure speculation on my part, I wonder if DisneyParks pays a license fee to the Disney movie business because the new ride is IJ; moving fake money from one place in the company to another place in the company and Disney does not have to actually pay real money for a license fee like they would have if they used an IP they did not already own?

James Alucobond6 days ago

Do you honestly think an intricate narrative and knowledge of IJ franchise lore are going to be integral to this playground? First, it will be broadly themed to the larger land, I assume as an extension of the Mayan temple that serves as the setting for the attraction. Second, IJ actually presents an opportunity to maintain what resonated from the boneyard through archeology; in other words, they could still have a dig site, just with different kinds of artifacts or discoveries. Even if you want to assume that IJ will somehow be centrally important to the playground beyond visual references, perhaps it would be relevant to remember that experiences like the IJ stunt show have been entertaining guests of all ages for decades.

RKpb6 days ago

They really lost it. I have been on the Indiana Jones ride and dinosaur kills it everyday of the week. IJ ride just runs around with a bunch of lights or whatever, made no sense to me or has any ties to the movies. Replacing the boneyard with an IJ themed playground again makes no sense and lost touch with the kids. Ask the kids if they know what a dinosaur is and then ask them if they know Indiana Jones, I bet you get . Does a kid relate to 1981 action movie? or dinosaur's in general. Think about it, is the playground for adults or kids?