Overview
- On-site and aerial photos from late August show fresh roof trusses, expanding white steel framing for the Encanto Casita, and new themed rockwork inside the former DinoLand U.S.A. construction zone.
- Disney confirmed at D23 that the land’s three marquee attractions are Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto (an Encanto dark ride), El Carrusel de los Animalitos (a family carousel), and Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent (a retheme of DINOSAUR).
- Former lead designer Joe Rohde said there are no plans to include live animals when the land opens, and he framed animal exhibits as a possible later addition if funding and business plans allow.
- Disney is reusing and roofing existing DinoLand buildings, hiding larger show structures behind themed rockwork and hills, and targeting a 2027 opening for Pueblo Esperanza while focusing initial resources on rides and show systems.
- The shift toward IP-driven attractions at Animal Kingdom changes the park’s traditional live-animal emphasis and raises questions about how conservation storytelling will be presented and whether animals will be added in future phases.