Carousel Canopy Frame Taking Shape as Aerial Photos Reveal More Construction Updates on Animal Kingdom's Tropical Americas

We have a new angle on most of the headlining attractions of the new Animal Kingdom area as they take shape above the barren construction grounds.

Latest Updates to Tropical Americas from Bioreconstruct

Aerial photos on Tropical Americas from bioreconstruct

X user and Orlando-area aerial photographer bioreconstruct has shared an updated perspective on construction efforts underway for the upcoming Tropical Americas area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The in-construction expansion is a major reimagining of the former DinoLand U.S.A. area into a new land centered around a village themed to Central and South American cultures. The village, officially named Pueblo Esperanza, will bring with it a new Encanto-themed ride, an Indiana Jones attraction replacing DINOSAUR, and additional dining and family-friendly experiences related to these properties and the broader culture evoked by the new land.

Let’s take a look at the latest aerial angles on the project work thus far, courtesy of bioreconstruct:

Encanto Ride

The Encanto ride, specifically its show building, is by far the largest new developing element in the Tropical Americas area. The higher floors of the structure are visible from park guests’ view as they walk towards the construction area from Discovery Island.

We tracked developments on the metal framework here for many weeks, and it appears that many of the building’s structural elements are near completion. Work on the attraction’s interior will soon be completely obscured as the last few exterior walls are added.

A wedge shape of lower-level framework can still be seen jutting out from the main entry section for the show building. This zone will hold part of the ride’s queue, which will extend closer to the center of the Pueblo Esperanza area.

Most of the queue and show building will eventually be hidden by trees and rolling green hill facades, as suggested by the land’s concept art. The nearby gift shop, formerly Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, is expected to be re-themed into a new store.

Indiana Jones Ride

After the DINOSAUR marquee was removed, work has progressed to transform the former Dino Institute into a Maya temple. Given the inherent similarities between the former DINOSAUR attraction and the existing Indiana Jones ride systems, the extent of work on this area entails more of an additive renovation and total retheme, as opposed to the demolition and brand new construction required elsewhere in the area.

The existing building is expected to remain, but the temple facade will be installed in front of it. Crews can be seen in these aerial photos cutting some of the trees adjacent to the attraction’s entry walkway.

Crews recently poured concrete in front of the existing building, where there were previously reflecting pools, planters, and an Aladar statue. These were torn out, and the courtyard was leveled. Wooden frames for the temple’s foundation were installed a few weeks ago.

The structure of the land’s former Restaurantosaurus is also expected to undergo similar treatment, preserving the current infrastructure and heavily redesigning the exterior elements. You can see progress on the restaurant building below. Notably, the popular Aistream section of the right-side dining room has been removed.

Pueblo Esperanza Carousel

These latest aerial shots reveal that construction on Tropical America’s central attraction has made significant progress. Horizontal metal beams now form the perimeter structure, which encircles the concrete foundation and can be seen installed at the top of the vertical supports that were installed last week. Concept art for the carousel suggests the adjacent concrete structures we can see taking shape in these photos may ultimately connect to the ride itself.

The carousel will feature several Disney animal characters as the ride’s wood-carved seats. We got an early look at one seat themed to Kevin from Pixar’s Up at the 2024 D23 convention.

More Tropical Americas Construction

Bioreconstruct also managed to capture this behind-the-scenes photo of a small staging area where designers can be seen working on smaller reference models for various aspects of the new land. Though it’s difficult to make out specific details at this distance, we know that reference and model work taking place here helps to guide workers as they develop the full-scale structures, textures, and other motifs to be found throughout the area. You can take a closer look below at some of the visible models for a hint of the land’s aesthetic yet to come.