Photos: The Hills of Tropical Americas Take Shape in Latest Update from Disney's Animal Kingdom
Guests visiting Disney's Animal Kingdom can really start to see the future of the park taking shape on the horizon on the site of the former Dinoland U.S.A.
The land closed earlier this year, being completely inaccessible save for one pathway around the perimeter to allow for the construction of the new Tropical Americas section of the park, originally revealed at Destination D23 in 2023 at Walt Disney World. There, we learned that a new attraction themed to the Walt Disney Animation Studios film, Encanto, would take over a spot of land that once was the home of Primevil Whirl and the rest of Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama. An Indiana Jones-themed attraction will take over the site of Dinosaur, which closed earlier this year. Later, we learned a new a carousel themed to wooden carvings of popular Disney animal characters will also be featured in the center of Pueblo Esperanza - the fictional town that Tropical Americas will be home to.
You can see much of the new features taking shape already in the land, now with wire framing to make the distant hills above what will be the Madrigal Family Casita, and home of the Encanto-based attraction. Closer to the construction walls, you can also see the structure that will serve as home to the new carousel.
This is all visible from the bridge off of Discovery Island past Flame Tree Barbecue to the new area. Closer to the Theater in the Wild, home of Finding Nemo: The Musical - The Big Blue and Beyond, another structure is taking shape. Likely another entry archway into the new land. Devotees may recall that this blocked pathway once served as Highway 498 that served Diggs County and the Rest of Dinoland U.S.A., but is currently behind walls. The new arch structure stands fairly close to where the giant Sauropod dinosaur statue (affectionately called Cementosaurus) once stood marking this side's entrance to Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama and some of the midway games.
No specific opening date has been revealed for the new land, though it is slated to open sometime in 2027.
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