It’s official, a brand-new expansion is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom including Encanto and Indiana Jones replacing DinoLand U.S.A. in a much-needed reimagining of this area of the park and it’s called: Pueblo Esperanza.
In this post, we are going to discuss everything that was announced regarding the Animal Kingdom expansion and the subsequent DinoLand U.S.A. replacement (Pueblo Esperanza), and what to expect in the coming years.
DinoLand U.S.A. was one of the weakest lands in any of the 4 Walt Disney World theme parks, and fans have been clamoring for an overhaul to this area for some time. To bring in both Encanto and Indiana Jones means new attractions for the park and will be a huge improvement to what is there currently.
Finally, Disney is no longer just discussing the DinoLand changes and they now have concrete plans for the area which we will go over. They have come through on there promise to deliver real attractions and lands coming to the Disney parks, and not just the “Blue Sky” ideas they have given us in recent years.
All the plans Disney shared are considered real, which means they will happen, although we usually see small changes from announcement to project completion, so we will be on the lookout if anything changes.
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Table of Contents
(UPDATE) – Timeline for Tropical Americas Land Becoming Clear for Animal Kingdom Expansion
You are likely as excited as me about the upcoming Tropical Americas expansion in Disney’s Animal Kingdom which was highlighted at the latest D23 Expo, but now we finally have a clearer timeline of when the old attractions are closing and when the new ones will be ready.
Disney hasn’t made the official announcement at this time, but insiders have said that it will be a phased closure which will begin before the holiday season in 2024 and carry on into 2025.
The first phase of the closure will be Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama. That is the carnival-looking area toward the entrance of Dinoland. The games will close, as well as TriceraTop Spin. Once those attractions are shuttered, construction will begin on the highly-anticipated Encanto-themed dark ride.
It makes sense to start construction here since Disney will be creating the ride from scratch and it will take the most time of the two attractions.
Speaking of the other ride, guests will still be able to ride Dinosaur through the end of the year and into 2025. This makes sense because Disney doesn’t want to lose the ride capacity of another attraction unnecessarily, so the longer they can keep it open, the better.
Then in 2025 the second phase of the closure will begin when Dinosaur closes for good to make way for the new Indiana Jones-themed ride. As we already knew, this will have a completely different story from the Disneyland version, and according to sources it will “feature a journey through a newly discovered Maya temple. Guests will join Indiana Jones on a quest to explore the temple and uncover the mysteries of a rumored mythical creature lurking deep inside.”
We still don’t have any hard dates for the closure of the current Dinoland U.S.A. attractions, but at least we have a bit more clarity into how the closures will be handled. Stay tuned for more soon and keep reading for a more detailed look at this new land including concept art…
(UPDATE) – New Tropical Americas Land Announced for Animal Kingdom Expansion
Ever since Disney showed us a Blue Sky look at what the potential Animal Kingdom expansion could look like at the D23 Expo, we have been salivating over the possibilities. And now, we finally have confirmation that the project is almost ready to begin construction and demolition of DinoLand USA will begin shortly.
Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro made the announcement at the “Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase” during the D23 Expo at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. He revealed that an all-new land will be replacing DinoLand and it will be based around the Tropical Americas theme (as we knew already).
He also revealed the name of this new land: “Pueblo Esperanza” or roughly translated “Village of Hope.”
“A new adventure awaits at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park with the addition of a new space themed around Tropical Americas. Welcome to Pueblo Esperanza.
Work on this new 11-acre section of the park is set to begin later this year. Just like Harambe, the land feels lived in, with a long, rich history — plus there’s a large hacienda which will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort.
The space will be lush and sprawling, featuring a large fountain in the center where the villagers like to gather and tell stories. Additionally, a woodcarver has created a giant working carousel featuring his favorite animals from Disney stories. It’s a new take on a classic attraction that young families are going to love.
That’s not all that will be located here – the new land will include not one but two signature attractions!”
In fact, two Disney-owned IPs have now come into the forefront…
Encanto and Indiana Jones.
During the “A Celebration of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” presentation at Destination D23, Josh D’Amaro was back to give audiences a sneak peek at what the future of the Animal Kingdom may look like in the coming years.
He also invited Imagineering Boss Bruce Vaughn to talk about ideas that Walt Disney Imagineers have for this land.
They shared Disney Imagineering plans for DinoLand U.S.A to be replaced by a Tropical Americas themed land with stories from both the Encanto and Indiana Jones franchises. They also shared some concept art of how the land may look when completed.
As part of their research, Imagineers are looking at some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet in the regions just north and south of the equator in the Western Hemisphere – the northern part of South America, stretching up into Central America.
Bruce Vaughn said, “Imagine a land filled with authentic experiences from this part of the world. With all of the placemaking and storytelling you’d expect. Look, it’s a beautiful region to explore and has been the inspiration for so many magical stories over the years. We’re looking forward to bringing all of that to life.”
Vaughn continued, “Imagineering has been talking about stories from this part of the world; Encanto with Indiana Jones just rose to the top. They give us so much to play with. We have a long way to go now and a lot more to discover. But our team here in Florida is all over it.”
These choices make sense both financially and thematically. Encanto is the biggest hit for Disney Animation since Frozen, so it’s within everyone’s interest to get this into the parks immediately. And Indiana Jones is a beloved character that is always popular with fans.
We know how much Disney likes to promote its IP in the parks, so these just make sense.
(UPDATE) – Preview of Models for Pueblo Esperanza in Animal Kingdom
Recently, Disney has been sharing a ton of new details on their next upcoming projects, and one thing we got to see at the D23 Expo was a behind the scenes look at the Encanto/Indiana Jones land coming to the Animal Kingdom.
Lines were literally almost one hour long just to see the models, and we must say it all looks quite impressive!
A few months back, on the Walt Disney Imagineering Instagram page, they released a first look at the working models they are using for this new land, as well as details of a recent trip Imagineers took to the Yucatán Peninsula to get inspiration for this Tropical Americas land.
At the D23 Expo, we got a look at the entrance way to the land which is similar to the original concept art. We also got a look at the front of the two main attractions for the land.
Here is the entrance to Casita Madrigal (the Encanto House ride):
Here is a closer up look from the front:
And walking up to the front of the new Indiana Jones attraction which will replace Dinosaur:
In the meantime, keep reading for all the latest details on the Tropical Americas project at the Animal Kingdom and what type of attractions you can expect to see when it does get built.
Dinoland Transformation Overview
Even though we’ve known for years that Dinoland U.S.A. needs an overhaul, it was somewhat surprising that Disney was willing to talk about it right now and share some of the Imagineers’ ideas for this area.
This new unnamed land is themed to the tropical Americas and would replace the entire DinoLand U.S.A area.
We can see that the land is really broken down into two themed areas. In the forefront is an Encanto-themed area. In the back of the concept art and much more vague is the Indiana Jones area, with some kind of temple facade on the outside.
Though the concept art is vague and we can’t make out everything in it, this new land would include at least 3 attractions, plus shopping, and dining options.
This section of the presentation also included information about the upcoming Magic Kingdom expansion in Frontierland which will include a Disney Villains land as well as a huge Cars-themed addition to Frontierland. Encanto was mentioned at the original announcement at the D23 Expo in 2022, but they didn’t want to do that in 2 parks.
They were very insistent reminding fans that these projects are no longer “early concept explorations” or blue sky ideas. They are in active development. Plans are drawn. Dirt is moving. Josh D’Amaro even insisted: “I just want to be clear about this: We are doing everything you’re going to hear tonight.”
One thing is sure, however, Disney seems committed to getting rid of DinoLand U.S.A. They have listened to fans’ complaints and know that something drastic needs to be done to this land.
New Attractions
So far 3 attractions have been announced for the new expansion, though it’s possible there will also be a fourth one at some point in the future.
As you know, there were always 3 attractions in DinoLand, and it would make sense that they will continue to have 3 in this updated version of the land.
Attractions for the Pueblo Esperanza land are:
- Indiana Jones Ride replacing Dinosaur
- Encanto Ride (Madrigal Casita attraction)
- Carousel ride
Let’s break each of these down and what we know so far.
Indiana Jones Ride – This one is tucked in the back right corner of the concept art but it’s easily recognizable with its Indiana Jones-themed exterior. This is the area where the Dinosaur attraction currently sits and it would be replaced by an Indiana Jones attraction.
“A new Indy experience is set to arrive in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and will be different from any other Indiana Jones experience around the world.
In this new venture, the man with the hat has recently discovered a perfectly preserved Maya temple, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to explore it. He’s heard rumors about a mythical creature deep within the temple — and he’s got to see it for himself. So, he brings us along on the adventure… but will there be snakes? We’ll just have to wait and see.”
It also helps that a little attraction over in Disneyland called Indiana Jones Adventure uses the exact same ride system that Dinosaur does, so expect that to stick around with a complete re-theme of the ride. But we are stoked that this is going to be a completely different story which means we are lucky enough to have totally different Indy attractions for each coast.
Playground Area – When you enter DinoLand on the left you find the Boneyard Dig Site, which is essentially a kids’ playground. That is being replaced by a giant working carousel.
Looking at the new concept art, and the details they shared at the D23 Expo, this is an extremely detailed carousel that a woodcarver has created featuring his favorite animals from Disney stories.
It really looks incredible and it makes sense that they would need a kids’ attraction of some sort in this spot. Not the most exciting part of the project, but families will find it interesting nonetheless.
Encanto Casita Ride – What I am most excited to find out more details about is the Encanto area on the left and what the attraction will be like there. We do know that it will be a dark ride, and it sounds incredible.
“If you’re a fan of drawers, floors, and doors, let’s go! The first-ever “Encanto”-themed ride-through attraction is coming to Animal Kingdom, featuring the beloved Madrigal family from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film.
Inside the Casita, Antonio has just received his special gift — the ability to communicate with animals — and his room has transformed into a rainforest.
Guests will journey through the magical Madrigal manor in vehicles inspired by furniture that has been brought to life. Going beyond the film’s story, guests will journey into Antonio’s jungle-themed room. They’ll encounter characters like Mirabel and Bruno.
It’s time to go explore alongside him, and you never know what member of the family you might bump into…“
From the concept art the whole area around the Casita looks gorgeous and it’s surrounded by a pink-hued river inspired by Caño Cristales in Colombia.
No, it’s not just some magical river from the film, but it’s an actual pristine river in the Serrania de la Macarena mountain range gets its name from an aquatic plant called Macarenia clavigera that changes color dramatically throughout the year. Sometimes it’s various shades of hot pink, light green, maroon, yellow, red or blue.
But we are not only excited for the landscapes, but rumors are that the attraction here may be based on the Mystic Manor ride system from Hong Kong Disneyland. In my opinion, this is one of the best attractions that Disney Imagineering has ever created, and anything similar would be a huge win for the Animal Kingdom.
However, we are cautiously optimistic about that since no trackless ride vehicles have yet been confirmed for the ride and we could end up getting an omni-mover ride instead (which would be very disappointing imo).
This ride would be located where Primeval Whirl once stood, and the area now occupied by the boardwalk-style games in Dino-Rama. The footprint of these two areas is likely large enough to house the new ride, and if more space is needed, there is still more land behind them that Disney can expand out into.
Other Areas of the Expansion
This new “Tropical Americas” land will not only feature attractions, it will also have at least one restaurant, and we are sure there will be plenty of places to go shopping as well.
Disney is all about saving money, so they will no doubt try to reuse some of the current spaces in Dinoland U.S.A. for this new land. A dining location like Restaurantosaurus and a shop such as Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures could easily be rethemed.
In fact, if you look at the concept art, you can clearly see that a new restaurant will be coming to the building where Restaurantosaurus is currently located. There will probably be another quick service dining location in place of Dino-Bite Snacks too.
We should also take note of the entrance. The arch at the entryway has been overlayed with the same style architecture as the buildings inside the land.
As you start walking down the pathway, we see what appears to be snack stands on the right with a seating area to eat. Not too much shade here, but the tables do have umbrellas.
The lush tropical setting makes it visually stunning and the setting fits in nicely with the theming of the park, only adding to its natural beauty.
Will the Dinosaur Ride Close Too?
Yes, sadly, Disney has confirmed that Dinosaur the attraction will end up closing and be replaced by the Indiana Jones ride.
While I am a huge Dinosaur (and dinosaur) fan, an Indiana Jones ride is a natural replacement, technically speaking at least.
Again, though we don’t have all the details about the Indiana Jones E-Ticket, we can safely assume it will keep its current ride system, which just so happens to be identical to, guess what…the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction in Disneyland Park.
Disney is keeping the current Dinosaur track and ride system in place and is seamlessly reimagining the theme of the ride to Indiana Jones with a brand new story.
It won’t be an identical clone of Indiana Jones Adventure for a couple of reasons. For one, the way the temple is laid out in California is different than the way the track goes at the Animal Kingdom, so effects like the drawbridge and others may not be doable here.
Also, Disney’s Animal Kingdom needs to make a splash, and by making it a “different” ride, at least they can sell fans on it and give them more of a reason to visit.
Now, what I would have really loved to see is an original story involving Indiana Jones, time travel, and dinosaurs, which would give Disney Imagineers a reason to use some of the existing dinosaur animatronics. Sadly, that is off the table.
It’ll also be interesting to see what they do with the attraction queue and if they extend it longer than it currently is. That’s one of the highlights of the Disneyland attraction and the current space in Animal Kingdom is much smaller.
What is probable is that the existing Dinosaur show building is left in place with the interior getting completely removed and re-done to fit the Indiana Jones attraction, but without any significant extension. This would be like when The Great Movie Ride show building was emptied for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
When Will the Dinoland U.S.A. Transformation Take Place?
This expansion was once talked about in a presentation about “blue sky” projects together with the Beyond Big Thunder Mountain expansion over at the Magic Kingdom.
But now that the plans Disney showed have officially been green-lit, and Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions are actually getting built, we can start thinking of a timeline for the opening.
From the D23 Expo announcement it reads: “construction on the land is set to begin this fall (2024) and will open in 2027.”
We also know that this will be a phased closure/construction as work on the Encanto attraction will begin in 2024, but Dinosaur will remain open into sometime in 2025.
At this point it’s too hard to pin it down to an exact date, but since construction will start by the end of 2024, the end of 2027 brings us to 3 years. Galaxy’s Edge took roughly 4 years from start to finish, but that was a much more complicated project than Pueblo Esperanza, so 2027 seems like a reasonable target.
But just because it’s seemingly the #1 priority doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily going to be open anytime soon.
However, things never quite go perfectly with Disney construction project, especially when attractions need to then stick to a budget, things tend to get more complicated.
Disney is extremely slow at building new attractions/lands, and an overhaul like this will likely take all of 3 years to build, perhaps more. That’s why if a small delay happens, we wouldn’t be shocked.
All that being said, our guess is that the new Pueblo Esperanza will likely open sometime in 2027 or 2028 at the latest. That’s a realistic timeline. It gives Disney a few months to get started on construction, then 3 or 4 years to actually get it built.
No, it won’t be a direct response to Universal’s Epic Universe (that opens in 2025), but nothing will at this point since Disney has been dragging its feet for so long to get new projects in the pipeline.
The positive news here is that Disney executives are listening to what the fans want and they know they need to make run-down areas of the parks like DinoLand better.
My Thoughts
Overall, we are pretty happy with what Disney has shared so far about the new Tropical Americans land.
I know many people would have liked to keep the Dinosaur theme and name for this land, maybe even bringing in a classic unbuilt ride like the Excavator roller coaster. However, that is now off the table and Disney is confident in changing themes.
In my opinion, overhauling DinoLand is well overdue, and it’s perhaps the weakest land at Walt Disney World. Yes, I do love Dinosaur the attraction, but at the end of the day, if I have to sacrifice it to bring back life to this section of the park, I’ll do it.
The carousel to me is a big upgrade over The Boneyard, and we understand they needed to add something for little kids here.
The Madrigal Casita/Encanto attraction is rumored to be something similar to Mystic Manor from Hong Kong Disneyland, and if that is true, it’s a HUGE upgrade over Primeval Whirl and Dino-Rama. I would make that trade any day of the week.
The remaining question is if the new Indiana Jones ride will be at least as good as Dinosaur. It’s hard to say at this point without knowing 100% what the ride proposed in this expansion will be like, but it’s not likely to be worse than Dinosaur.
We are huge fans of Indiana Jones Adventure and even if we got an exact clone of the Disneyland ride, we’d still like it better than Dinosaur, and that is coming from a Dinosaur fan. The fact that Disney has confirmed this will be an entirely new Indy ride with a unique story makes it even better.
Then there’s also the question of if Encanto and Indiana Jones are a good fit at the Animal Kingdom.
Thematically, I think both properties fit in with the overall message of the Animal Kingdom just fine. Disney is calling this area “a”Pueblo Esperanza” which roughly translates to “Village of Hope” and it is essentially a “tropical Americas” land. And to me, it fits in well with Africa and Asia also represented. Thematically, it actually works better than DinoLand U.S.A. imo.
You can squarely put me in the camp of fans that are totally onboard with a Tropical Americas land featuring Encanto and Indiana Jones. I think this introduces two more IPs to the park to pacify the shareholders, but ones that thematically fit into the park.
Sure, there are no animals of note in either franchise, but wildlife native to the many regions of the tropical Americas can easily be added to this land and would be great fits for the ecological diversity of Animal Kingdom.
I have no doubt an Indiana Jones attraction will be a big success, and if the Imagineers can hit it out of the park with the Encanto section, the parks drawing power will increase substantially, and we may finally eliminate the overall feeling that it’s only a half-day park.
Again, just keep in mind that shovels have yet to hit the dirt, and this version of the Animal Kingdom expansion could always get some changes between now and when it opens so I’m holding my breath. However, if this reaches its full potential, count us in the crowd that is extremely excited about this change from DinoLand!
What Happened to the Moana and Zootopia Project?
The first time we heard Disney officially talk about replacing DinoLand U.S.A. was at the 2022 D23 Expo, where Disney Parks Chairmain Josh D’Amaro showed some early concept art of what a transformed Dinoland could look like with a Moana and Zootopia-themed in its place.
As you may recall, Disney has built a Zootopia land in Shanghai Disneyland, along with an E-Ticket dark ride to headline that area. So why not bring that over to the Animal Kingdom?
After the latest updates, we know that Disney has done a complete 180 and instead of Moana and Zootopia, we will be getting Indiana Jones and Encanto. There are a few reasons for the change…
First of all, to fit Moana, it would have had to been an area themed around the South Pacific. Besides Moana, there aren’t many other Disney IP that would technically fit that part of the world. The Rescuers maybe? Swiss Family Robinson? Yeah, I don’t see those coming to a Disney park anytime soon.
In fact, in the previous announcement, Disney had Zootopia in there with Moana, so apparently, they couldn’t come up with anything else thematically similar either. Honestly, those two IPs, though we love each of the individually, we don’t think they really go that well sharing the same space.
Then, there is the fact that adding Moana to Animal Kingdom is in doubt since the Moana: Journey of Water attraction is already in EPCOT. At first I didn’t think they would want two Moana attractions at the same resort.
However, I have softened my view on this in recent months seeing as Moana continues to be one of the highest-streamed films in the world, and the fact we are getting Moana 2 shortly, as well as a Moana live-action movie.
That said, though it is a great franchise, I’m not sure I want it in two parks over a stronger IP like The Lion King which still to this day doesn’t have a ride in the parks.
I can also see Animal Kingdom purists getting upset with Zootopia coming to the park since it doesn’t really fit the whole “conservation” theme, even if it is about Animals.
Joe Rohde has commented that in Zootopia “animals are proxies for humans and human issues rather than animals in their own right facing animal-related issues. We try to enforce the ‘no pants’ rule. Classic characters excepted.”
Speaking of Zootopia, Disney did announce that a new Zootopia show is replacing “It’s Tough to be a Bug” inside the Tree of Life, which could very well eliminate any possibility of that IP being used in other parts of the park.
We are fine with this change and supposedly, the animals and their biomes will be highlighted and not the metropolis of Zootopia. While it’s not ideal, it’s also not a dealbreaker for us and we realize that it needed a shot in the arm to bring the crowds back once again.
Getting back to the DinoLand replacement, honestly, I’m really happy that the previously announced project from the D23 Expo in 2022 was not given the green light right away and Imagineers had time to think over the space and what would fit best. Tropical Americas fits so much better imo and in the end they made the right choice.
Indiana Jones and Encanto are much better picks imo, and if Imagineers are really allowed to work with a budget that a land of this scope deserves, it has tremendous potential.
Other Animal Kingdom Expansion Ideas
Let’s not be foolish, even though we now know that we are getting an Encanto and Indiana Jones land, Animal Kingdom is no where finished and it still needs to add to its lineup of attractions if it wants to really become a full-day park.
Here are some other ideas that have been thrown around as to what could have replaced DinoLand U.S.A. that Disney should now consider for other areas of the park:
Add More Indiana Jones – Before this latest announcement, bringing in an Indiana Jones-themed attraction/land was the popular rumor and the one that made the most sense from a theming perspective, so it makes sense that if it becomes as popular as we think it will, in the future they could easily add another Indiana Jones attraction.
The attraction Dinosaur we know is being re-themed to a ride similar to Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland, and even though we aren’t getting a full Indiana Jones land, it’s nice to see that Disney feels that it’s at least worth including in part of the re-theme.
But something else could also go behind the attraction to expand out the land (maybe an Indy coaster).
The two rides would compliment each other and you can keep the archeology theme going. Maybe even make it about dinosaur bones or something to pay homage to the old DinoLand U.S.A
Either way, don’t expect to see any new Indiana Jones experiences at Hollywood Studios, they have probably scrapped those ideas at this point, so far down the line adding more Indy to Animal Kingdom would be a good move.
Crush’s Coaster – Another option could be to make a duplicate of Crush’s Coaster for Walt Disney Studios in Disneyland Paris. Disney loves to bring over existing attractions from other parks, and something Nemo-themed would fit right next to “Finding Nemo…The Big Blue and Beyond”.
I’m not sure though how that would fit in with the rest of Pueblo Esperanza, but technically, the Finding Nemo show doesn’t really fit into the Tropical Americas theme either, and nobody complained about that being a part of DinoLand all these years, so what’s so bad about adding one more attraction.
Ideally, you could make the expansion bigger than just Crush’s Coaster. At that point, you can annex Finding Nemo out of Pueblo Esperanza and join it with Crush’s Coaster, plus something else and create a mini-land all of its own there. Since they already have the plans for this coaster, it would be a cheap addition.
Raya and The Last Dragon – There have been some fans throwing around theories about a Raya and the Last Dragon-themed area or attraction coming to the Animal Kingdom, but I never really thought it would have been a great fit for a DinoLand U.S.A. replacement.
I’m sure they could turn this exciting animated film into a great ride, but thematically, it would be better off in Asia if you do it, rather than putting it over here or making this an expansion of Asia. Re-theming something like Kali River Rapids would make more sense if you are dead-set on getting Raya in there (I’m not).
But there is also a ton of space that can be built to the side of or behind Expedition Everest for any kind of Raya ride. I’m just not sure this franchise has enough of a following to make it the face of a new attraction.
Wakanda – Bringing something Black Panther-themed to Walt Disney World would be a huge draw for Marvel fans, and with a land on the scale of Pandora, it would probably be absolutely stunning. Black Panther 2 was received well, and it’s one of Disney’s biggest money-making franchises.
The only thing is that it would probably cause even more problems among the Animal Kingdom purists since there isn’t much of a connection with animals to make it justifiable to build here.
Whatever they end up building, it will surely be home to some of the best new attractions coming to Disney World in the next few years.
That wraps up our look at the new Pueblo Esperanza land with the Encanto and Indiana Jones expansions. We’ll be finding out more info in the coming months so stay tuned for more!
If you are going to Disney World soon, make sure to read our Disney World Planning Guide for all the tips and info you will need to cover everything! Also, check out our Disney World Crowd Calendar so you know when the best time to visit is!
Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about the proposed Pueblo Esperanza (Tropical Americas) land…
- Are you happy to see a land themed to Encanto and Indiana Jones?
- What are some other attraction ideas for the land?
Let us know in the comments section below!
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My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.
Sandra
Saturday 5th of October 2024
I am so excited about all these expansions. However, I hope the do keep the classics as well. They should incorporate The Jungle Book in AK Personally, the classics are the best.
marion
Monday 19th of August 2024
These changes will bring a lot of interest back to AK. A refresh and new attractions are welcome. It keeps the park a place where folks come back to. Like Pandora it will bring visitors and spark interest in AK, a park that deserves more attention. Indy is one of my favorite action characters so I am really looking forward to the redu.
marion
Sunday 24th of March 2024
Wakanda could work as it is the jungle. And it could have a cool themed shopping / eating section. It would draw Marvel fans to the park. Indy would work too with jungle / Sahara type theming like in some of the movies. Whatever it is I'm sure it will be exciting and done well.
Lindsey Dahle
Thursday 21st of March 2024
Your Animal Kingdom Park Guide was the first post I read that made me truly excited to revisit Animal Kingdom, and these ideas about the new reimagining of Dinoland USA did the same! I was always on the fence about whether Animal Kingdom was worth the time and walking (so, so much walking), but you’ve convinced me it deserves at least a full day. On our last visit, we ran out of time to see Pandora – The World of Avatar, and we won’t make that mistake again. I know the popular opinion is that all the Avatar attractions are best experienced at night; do you agree? Is there any reason to go in the morning and then circle back once the sun sets? – Lindsey
Jeremy
Friday 15th of September 2023
Indiana Jones does not match Animal Kingdom in any way. If anything it belongs in hollywood studios. Dinolands flaw was they carnivsl theme is not a real pull. Look at Universals success with its Jurassic Park area. I would have rather seen then move dinoland off to the side area a little and bring in the originally planned Beastly Kingdom that Eisner axed