The future village of Pueblo Esperanza continues to emerge from the former DinoLand U.S.A., with landscaping and themed finishes now joining the extensive structural work.

Overview

The latest aerial photos from bioreconstruct have given us an updated look at the developing Tropical Americas area at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Work is progressing on the entrances to Pueblo Esperanza, several village structures, the future carousel, the Encanto attraction, and the transformation of the former DINOSAUR attraction into a new Indiana Jones adventure.

A nearly top-down aerial view illustrates the scale of construction across the former DinoLand U.S.A. Most of the land remains an active worksite filled with cranes, construction vehicles, temporary access roads, utility lines, and stacks of building materials. To help with the sense of scale on the project, the above photo shows Expedition Everest in the top left corner and the park’s security checkpoint in the bottom right.

The massive Encanto show building dominates the northern end of the site. The future Pueblo Esperanza village occupies the area in front of it, while the carousel and entrance structures are taking shape closer to the former DinoLand entrance. Existing buildings from Restaurantosaurus and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures remain at the southern end of the land but are undergoing extensive transformations.

One of the most notable new additions is a mature tree that has been transplanted among the developing northern entrance area. Workers can be seen tending to the tree, while orange fencing protects its large base.

We first got a ground-level look at this new tree during an earlier visit. The arrival of the mature tree suggests that larger landscaping efforts may be ramping up even as major structural construction continues around the land.

Given its position, this tree may become one of the first sights park guests see when visiting Tropical Americas from the northern entry.

Here is an airborne overview of the construction so far, courtesy of bioreconstruct. We’ll take a closer look at each area below:

Tropical Americas will represent one of the most culturally rich regions in the world, representing parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America. It will consist of the fictional village of Pueblo Esperanza, featuring a new carousel, an Encanto ride, and an Indiana Jones ride (reimagined from DINOSAUR). There will also be a new playground added to the land. Restaurantosaurus is also being reimagined into a new dining venue as part of the land’s transformation.

Indiana Jones Attraction

Steel framing remains attached to the exterior of the former DINOSAUR show building, where crews are constructing the facade for the upcoming Indiana Jones attraction. The framework rises several stories and includes multiple projecting sections that will eventually help form the attraction’s Maya temple exterior.

Though we haven’t spotted any major updates to the exterior of this structure, boom lifts remain positioned around the tall central framework, indicating that work is clearly ongoing while other new buildings develop elsewhere in the land.

Encanto Attraction

Some of the land’s first apparent rockwork is beginning to develop around the show building for the Encanto attraction.

Stacks of concrete blocks, buckets, pallets, and other finishing materials have been positioned immediately around the structure. Crews also appear to be building out several different levels, walls, and elevated pathways within the relatively compact footprint.

Mesh material and masonry elements are taking shape around the structure, providing the foundation for the more rockwork and other natural-looking surfaces that will eventually help blend Pueblo Esperanza into the surrounding landscape.

We got a ground-level look at this steel framing and mesh after they were recently installed along the top of the show building, visible from certain angles within the park. These elements will form the underlying shapes for rockwork that will help disguise the enormous attraction facility.

Carousel Attraction

The future carousel is taking shape near the northern entrance to Tropical Americas, where crews have continued building its circular foundation and the structures surrounding the attraction.

The finished carousel will be housed beneath a large canopy and feature hand-carved wooden animals inspired by Disney characters, including Kevin from Up. It will serve as one of the central attractions within Pueblo Esperanza when the land opens in 2027.

Restaurantosaurus and Chester & Hester’s

Over near the former Restaurantosaurus area, a long facade has been assembled from a mixture of steel framing, concrete-block walls, and wood roof trusses. A tall steel tower rises from the left portion of the structure.

Blue-green exterior sheathing covers part of the existing building. Given the existing structure is set to be repurposed, rather than demolished, it’s likely there is still a large amount of unseen interior work happening for the transformed dining venue.

Backstage Theming and Testing

The aerial photos also provide another look at the backstage area where Disney has assembled numerous theming samples. Freestanding wall panels, painted architectural finishes, sculpted rock formations, and other mock-ups are arranged throughout the field and into an adjacent paved lot.

These pieces are not intended to be installed directly in Tropical Americas. As seen in previous aerial updates, they allow Imagineers and construction teams to compare finishes and evaluate how materials withstand Florida’s intense sunlight, heat, humidity, and rain.

The collection has the appearance of a miniature outdoor showroom, with completed samples standing alongside pieces still being painted or assembled.

Disney has not announced a specific opening date for Tropical Americas beyond 2027.

Check out our dedicated page for Tropical Americas construction updates.

Which part of Pueblo Esperanza are you most excited to explore? Share your thoughts with us on social media.

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