Indiana Jones & Encanto Land Coming to Animal Kingdom | Pueblo Esperanza

It’s official, a brand-new expansion is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and it’s replacing DinoLand U.S.A. with a new land called Pueblo Esperanza, also known as the Tropical Americas.

This new area will bring Encanto and Indiana Jones to Animal Kingdom in a much-needed reimagining of this section of the park, and now we finally have a much clearer idea of what Disney is building here.

In this post, we are going to discuss everything we know so far about Pueblo Esperanza, including the new Indiana Jones attraction, the Encanto ride, the carousel, dining, shopping, the construction timeline, what happened to DinoLand U.S.A., and my thoughts on the whole project.

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 should be a huge improvement over what was there previously.

Of course, I know there are plenty of people who are sad about losing DINOSAUR, and I get that. I’m a huge Dinosaur fan myself. But if Disney was going to replace DinoLand, this is about as interesting of a direction as they could have gone.

Finally, Disney is no longer just discussing the DinoLand changes and they now have concrete plans for the area which we will go over. This is not just another “Blue Sky” idea. Dirt is moving, construction is underway, and the old DinoLand U.S.A. is now officially in the past.

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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Latest Pueblo Esperanza Updates

The biggest new update is that Disney has now revealed much more information about the three attractions coming to Pueblo Esperanza.

The new land will include:

• Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent
• Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto
• El Carrusel de los Animalitos

That gives Animal Kingdom two major new attractions, plus a family-friendly carousel, in addition to dining, shopping, and other areas throughout the land.

The Indiana Jones attraction is replacing DINOSAUR, while the Encanto ride is being built in the former Dino-Rama area where Primeval Whirl and the carnival games once stood.

Disney also revealed more story details, attraction names, ride vehicle details, and even more about the animals and characters we’ll see in the Encanto ride. That means this article is no longer just about what may happen to DinoLand U.S.A. We now have a much better picture of what is actually replacing it.

What Is Pueblo Esperanza / Tropical Americas?

Ever since Disney first 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 underway with the construction and demolition of DinoLand U.S.A.

Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro made the original 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.

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.

These choices make sense both financially and thematically. Encanto is one of Disney Animation’s biggest hits in years, 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.

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.”

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 listened to fans’ complaints and knew that something drastic needed to be done to this land.

Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent

The biggest thrill ride coming to Pueblo Esperanza is Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, which is replacing DINOSAUR in the back of the land.

This is one of the most important parts of the whole project because DINOSAUR was the only real headliner in DinoLand U.S.A., so Disney needed something strong to take its place.

Thankfully, this is not just going to be a clone of Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland. Disney has confirmed that the Animal Kingdom version will have a completely new story, and that is exactly what we were hoping for.

In this new attraction, Indiana Jones has discovered a mysterious ancient Maya temple near a cenote, which is a water-filled underground cave. According to local legend, the passage leads directly to the Maya Underworld and is protected by a giant serpentine creature called the Tsukán.

During the ride, guests will rendezvous with Dr. Jones and get pulled into the Underworld, where they will face monstrous bats, giant scorpions, fire, snakes, and eventually the Tsukán itself.

And yes, you may be asking, “why’d it have to be snakes?” Apparently, Imagineers have a pretty good answer for that.

Disney also revealed that Harrison Ford is being used as the actual model for the Indiana Jones Audio-Animatronics figure in the attraction. Believe it or not, this will reportedly be the first time his actual likeness has appeared in a Disney attraction anywhere in the world and we’re excited he’s finally being included.

That’s a pretty big deal. The Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea versions of Indiana Jones are amazing attractions, but the animatronics there do not use Harrison Ford’s actual face. So this gives the Animal Kingdom version a unique selling point right away.

Imagineers have also said they are working with archaeologists, anthropologists, and Maya experts to make sure the attraction and land are handled with authenticity. That is important because Animal Kingdom has a higher bar for this type of thing than some of the other Disney parks.

The attraction takes place in the world of the ancient Maya, and Disney says the artwork inside the attraction will be highly detailed and original. The temple entrance is also already under construction, so this is very much a real project at this point.

Replacing DINOSAUR

Of course, this new Indiana Jones ride comes at the expense of DINOSAUR, which is now closed permanently.

While I am a huge Dinosaur (and dinosaur) fan, an Indiana Jones ride is a natural replacement, technically speaking at least. The reason is that DINOSAUR and Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland use a very similar ride system, so the bones of the attraction already make sense for this kind of reimagining.

Disney is keeping the current DINOSAUR ride system in place and is 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 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.

Overall, I’m sad to see DINOSAUR go, but if Disney is going to replace it, Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent sounds like it has a ton of potential. If it comes anywhere close to the quality of Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure, Animal Kingdom is going to have a huge winner on its hands.

Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto

The other major attraction coming to Pueblo Esperanza is Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, the first-ever Encanto ride-through attraction.

This is the ride I am most excited to find out more details about because Animal Kingdom desperately needs a family-friendly dark ride, and this could end up being exactly that.

The attraction takes place inside Casita, the magical Madrigal house from Encanto. The story is centered on Antonio’s gift day, when he receives his special ability to communicate with animals.

That is a perfect setup for Animal Kingdom. Instead of just putting Encanto in the park because the movie is popular, Disney is focusing on the character whose story connects the most naturally to animals and nature.

Inside the Casita, Antonio’s room has transformed into a lush rainforest, and guests will journey through the magical Madrigal manor in vehicles inspired by pieces of furniture that have been brought to life.

Disney says the ride vehicles are supposed to feel like Casita has magically assembled furniture to carry guests through the rooms. The vehicles will feel alive and dynamic, reacting to the scenes around them like characters themselves.

That sounds much more interesting than a basic slow-moving dark ride, and if Disney pulls it off, this could be one of the most charming family attractions at Walt Disney World.

The attraction will include more than 50 animal species, all accurate to Colombia. Walt Disney Imagineering worked with Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment team to make sure the animals included in the ride are authentic to the region.

Some of the animals shown include a capybara getting a haircut, a toucan, and a donkey.

Disney is also creating new rooms inside the Madrigal house that were not seen in the film, which is a smart move. Instead of just retelling the movie, the attraction can expand the world of Encanto and give guests something new.

Several voice actors from the original film are also returning, including:

• Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel
• Jessica Darrow as Luisa
• Diane Guerrero as Isabela

Another important detail is that Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto will have no height requirement, making it something the whole family can ride together.

That is a huge win for Animal Kingdom. The park has a lot of animal trails and shows, but it needs more actual rides that everyone in the family can experience together.

What Will the Ride System Be Like?

Disney has not officially confirmed the ride system manufacturer, but the vehicle revealed at D23 has given us some clues.

Based on the vehicle model and outside analysis, the attraction appears to use a tracked dark ride system, possibly from Zierer. The vehicle shown has two rows and appears to seat eight guests total, with four guests per row.

The interesting part is that the system being discussed can spin, pitch, and roll, which would make it much more dynamic than a standard dark ride. It will be more of an immersive experience where what you see and feel match up perfectly.

Again, Disney has not officially confirmed all of this, so we have to be careful here. But if this analysis is correct, Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto could be a very impressive family ride with a lot more movement and energy than I originally expected.

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 that 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. If the Encanto ride ends up being as ambitious as it sounds, this could be a huge upgrade over Primeval Whirl and Dino-Rama. I would make that trade any day of the week.

El Carrusel de los Animalitos

The third attraction in Pueblo Esperanza is El Carrusel de los Animalitos, a new animal-themed carousel.

Looking at the new concept art, and the details Disney shared at D23, this is an extremely detailed carousel that a woodcarver has created featuring his favorite animals from Disney stories.

The carousel will include 22 hand-carved animals inspired by Disney and Pixar stories. Some of the animals and characters mentioned include Scuttle, Squirt, Pua, Pascal, Simba, Eeyore, Kuzco, Heimlich, and more.

No, this is not the most exciting part of the project. Let’s be honest, it’s still a carousel and no one is rope-dropping the park for a carousel. But it does make sense that Disney would want a family-friendly attraction in this spot, especially since DinoLand previously had kid-focused offerings like The Boneyard and TriceraTop Spin.

If the carousel is done with the kind of detail Disney is promising, it could be a really nice supporting attraction and a beautiful centerpiece for the land.

It also adds some kinetic energy to Pueblo Esperanza, which is important. Lands feel more alive when there is movement, music, and something for families with little kids to do.

So while Indiana Jones and Encanto are obviously the headliners here, El Carrusel de los Animalitos should help round out the land.

Dining, Shopping, and Other Land Details

This new Tropical Americas land will not only feature attractions, it will also have at least one restaurant, shopping, and other areas to explore.

Disney has confirmed that Pueblo Esperanza will include a large hacienda, which will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort. That is a big deal because Animal Kingdom can always use more dining capacity, especially in a new land that is going to be very popular when it opens.

There will also be souvenir shopping throughout the land, though Disney has not yet revealed all the specific store names or merchandise details.

Another interesting addition is a Maya-inspired play area where young explorers can unearth artifacts and investigate the natural wonders of the rainforest through hands-on exploration and play.

That sounds like the spiritual replacement for The Boneyard, which makes sense. It gives younger kids something interactive to do, while also tying the play area into the larger Tropical Americas story.

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 was located. There will probably be another quick-service dining location or snack stand somewhere in the land too.

We should also take note of the entrance. The arch at the entryway has been overlaid 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.

What Happened to DinoLand U.S.A.?

DinoLand U.S.A. is now closed, and that marks the end of one of Animal Kingdom’s original lands.

Originally, this article had a lot more information about the phased closure timeline for DinoLand, including when TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, The Boneyard, Restaurantosaurus, and DINOSAUR were closing. That made sense at the time, but now we are past that point.

The first phase of the closure included Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama. That was the carnival-looking area toward the entrance of DinoLand. The games closed, as well as the kiddie ride, TriceraTop Spin. Included with those was also Fossil Fun Games.

The Boneyard also closed, and that area is being replaced by the new carousel and play space.

DINOSAUR was the last major piece of DinoLand to close, and that was the biggest loss for fans. Even though DinoLand as a whole needed help, DINOSAUR still had a loyal following and was one of the more intense dark rides at Walt Disney World.

It was also one of those attractions that only Animal Kingdom had. Yes, the ride system was similar to Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland, but the dinosaur theme gave it a unique identity.

Still, there is no denying that DinoLand U.S.A. had run its course. The land always had a strange mix of ideas, from the serious Dino Institute to the roadside carnival of Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama. Some people loved that backstory, but for the average guest, it never really clicked the way Disney hoped.

In my opinion, overhauling DinoLand was well overdue, and it was 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 life back to this section of the park, I’ll do it.

Preview of Models for Pueblo Esperanza in Animal Kingdom

Disney has been sharing a ton of new details on their 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 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 Animal Kingdom and what type of attractions you can expect to see when it opens.

When Will Pueblo Esperanza Open?

The big question now is: When will Pueblo Esperanza open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

From the original D23 Expo announcement, Disney said construction on the land was set to begin in 2024 and that the land would open in 2027.

Since then, we have seen the phased closure of DinoLand U.S.A., demolition work, and construction progress throughout the area. The Encanto attraction began first since it is being built from scratch, while the Indiana Jones attraction is taking over the existing DINOSAUR building.

At this point, Disney has not announced an exact opening date or even a specific season for Pueblo Esperanza. The broad expectation is still 2027, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the land opens in phases. Maybe one side of the land earlier in the year then the other side in late 2027 or after.

That is not confirmed by Disney, but it would make sense.

The carousel, dining, shopping, and some of the outdoor areas may be able to open before everything else. The Indiana Jones attraction is using an existing ride building and system, so that could also theoretically be ready before the Encanto ride, depending on how much work Disney is doing inside.

The Encanto ride is being built from the ground up, and based on what we are seeing, it may be a more ambitious attraction than some originally expected. If anything slips into 2028, that would be the one I would keep an eye on.

Again, that is just speculation for now. Disney has not announced a phased opening and has not said that anything is delayed.

Things never quite go perfectly with Disney construction projects, especially when attractions need to stick to a budget. Disney is extremely slow at building new attractions and lands, and an overhaul like this is not a small project.

All that being said, our guess is that at least part of the new Pueblo Esperanza land will likely open sometime in 2027, with the possibility that some parts could slide into 2028 if Disney decides to open the land in phases.

No, it won’t be a direct response to Universal’s Epic Universe, which opened 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, I am pretty happy with what Disney has shared so far about the new Tropical Americas 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 was 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 life back 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.

Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto sounds like it has the potential to be exactly the kind of family dark ride Animal Kingdom has needed for a long time. If the ride system is as dynamic as it appears, and if Disney fills it with physical sets, characters, music, and animal details, this could be a huge win.

The Indiana Jones ride also sounds better than I expected. I was already excited about the idea of getting an Indiana Jones attraction in Walt Disney World, but the fact that it has a unique story, Harrison Ford’s likeness, a Maya temple, and a giant serpent makes it much more interesting.

The remaining question is whether the new Indiana Jones ride will be at least as good as DINOSAUR. It’s hard to say until we ride it, but honestly, it’s not likely to be worse than DINOSAUR if Disney gives it the budget and attention it deserves.

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 Animal Kingdom.

Thematically, I think both properties fit in with the overall message of Animal Kingdom just fine. Disney is calling this area “Pueblo Esperanza” which roughly translates to “Village of Hope” and it is essentially a Tropical Americas land. To me, it fits in well with Africa and Asia also represented. Thematically, it actually works better than DinoLand U.S.A. in my opinion.

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 not a ton of 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. And with Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto focusing on animals from Colombia, Disney seems to understand that connection.

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 park’s 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 this project could always get some changes between now and when it opens, so I’m not completely 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 Chairman Josh D’Amaro showed some early concept art of what a transformed DinoLand could look like with a Moana and Zootopia-themed area 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 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 them individually, don’t 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, 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, we recently got a new Zootopia show which replaced “It’s Tough to be a Bug” inside the Tree of Life, and that should likely eliminate any possibility of that IP being used in other parts of the park.

While we are not happy with the Zootopia show and feel it’s a big downgrade from “It’s Tough to be a Bug”, we understand why Disney made the decision to feature this IP in the parks. There is already a Zootopia 2 and another film is on the way so naturally they want to promote the franchise and feel it will be a shot in the arm to bring the crowds back to the park.

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 nowhere 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 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 even an Indy coaster.

The two rides would complement 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 from Walt Disney Studios Park 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 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 is 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, Animal Kingdom still needs more. Pueblo Esperanza is a great start, and it should be home to some of the best new attractions coming to Disney World in the next few years, but the park still needs more capacity if Disney really wants guests to treat it like a full-day park.

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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