Lower than one month after the Boneyard closed, Walt Disney World has made main progress on demolition and building of Tropical Americas in Animal Kingdom. Right here’s an replace on Encanto, which is poised to go vertical very quickly, and the critter carousel in Pueblo Esperanza, the hub in coronary heart of the rainforest that may open forward of schedule.
In case you missed it, the Boneyard had its final day of operations over Labor Day weekend, with building partitions rapidly going up in a single day blocking the principle entrance to the land below the “OldenGate Bridge.” Walt Disney World had beforehand moved ahead the closure of the play space from 2026 to September 2025 to accommodate building timelines.
The identical day the Boneyard closed, Walt Disney World introduced the extinction date for the rest of Dinoland, USA. DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus, Dino-Bites Snacks, and the remainder of the items outlets and eating spots will shut as of February 2, 2026. It is a little over one 12 months after Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama closed and began demolition. What’s beginning to go up within the place of that carnival part is the first matter of this submit.
Dinoland USA, which was itself two distinct areas, is being changed by three areas of Tropical Americas. First is Pueblo Esperanza, the hub in coronary heart of the rainforest that’s identify interprets to “Village of Hope.” This shall be dwelling to a big quick-service restaurant and also will supply a critter carousel as an attraction.
After leaving the Pueblo Esperanza, company can enterprise deeper into the rainforest to search out not one however two signature points of interest! To the proper from Pueblo Esperanza is a new Indiana Jones Journey attraction, which is able to change DINOSAUR. This shall be a brand new twist on IJA that shall be completely different from the prevailing variations, making this the third non-cloned model of the attraction. Clearly, all of them bear similarities–but additionally all inform distinctive and distinct tales.
To the left is the Encanto magical Madrigal Casita darkish trip, which is more likely to be a family-friendly Omnimover–maybe like an Encanto-ized model of Mystic Manor. Contained in the Casita, Antonio has simply acquired his particular reward — the flexibility to speak with animals — and his room has remodeled right into a rainforest. It’s time to go discover alongside him, and also you by no means know what member of the household you may stumble upon.
Encanto Attraction Script Information
The primary replace on Encanto is that Jared Bush, who’s the Chief Inventive Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, revealed yesterday on Twitter that his “homework” whereas flying dwelling from Europe was to put in writing “new phrases for the magical, fantastical Familia Madrigal!”
He additionally added that Walt Disney World followers “is not going to consider what the Imagineers are cooking up” for the Encanto attraction.
Bush was named Chief Inventive Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS) one 12 months in the past. He beforehand acquired the Academy Award for Encanto, for which he was each director and a author. He now oversees the inventive output of your entire WDAS, and a part of that course of is collaborating with Imagineering on this growth. It’s simply considered one of a number of upcoming parks tasks on which WDAS and WDI are working carefully.
Bush’s tweet is a enjoyable tease, however that’s actually about it. We already know the fundamental premise of the attraction, which fortunately was arrived on lengthy prior to now. My hope is that Walt Disney Animation Studios and Imagineering take the task severely.
The dialogue for Tiana’s Bayou Journey is dangerous (when it’s not incomprehensible). And never in a ‘so dangerous it’s good’ kinda manner that makes it quotable. A little bit of cheese is ok for Disney points of interest–that’s one of many issues followers love about DINOSAUR. However that needs to be offset by a coherent story, dialogue that’s higher than a Little Golden Ebook, and a little bit of sharp wit. There’s a secret sauce to the perfect Disney trip scripts, and hopefully WDAS/WDI land on that right here, as a result of the recipe for TBA produced one thing barely edible.
Let’s flip to the newest building growth, which is that the Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom undertaking has reached a serious milestone as of late September 2025…
Encanto Attraction Building
We’re going to be specializing in two areas with right now’s replace. First is the Encanto growth, which replaces Dino-Rama and has a present constructing that’ll be constructed backstage.
(All aerial pictures courtesy of theme park eye within the sky bioreconstruct, a extremely really helpful observe who graciously offered the development pictures right here.)
These first few pictures are mainly high-level aerial establishing photographs.
DINOSAUR is within the higher left nook of the above picture–the inexperienced present constructing. The outside of that backstage construction is unlikely to alter in any respect. It’ll get a brand new facade, however there’s no purpose to consider anything in regards to the construction shall be altered. This is kind of how the opposite variations of the IJA present constructing look.
Instantly under DINOSAUR is kind of the backstage space the place the Encanto present constructing shall be constructed. To the proper of that’s the former dwelling to Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama, which is able to quickly grow to be the ‘Village of Hope’ and Encanto growth in Animal Kingdom. It’s presently identifiable as grime. On the decrease proper, you’ll be able to see the Theater within the Wild, dwelling to Discovering Nemo: The Musical, and the seating space for Rivers of Mild (RIP).
For a bit extra context, the above picture reveals Restaurantosaurus on the decrease left and DINOSAUR on the decrease proper.
You’ll additionally discover units of building partitions that lower by way of two completely different undertaking websites. The left set (above Restaurantosaurus) is the Boneyard demolition; the proper aspect is Encanto growth.
There’s one ultimate set of buildings we haven’t actually lined, which is the previous Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures reward store; it’s simpler to see within the subsequent picture, with one rooftop studying “Souvenirs.” Like Restaurantosaurus, that’s being reimagined versus changed. Therefore it not being demolished together with all the pieces else in Dino-Rama.
Up till now, we’ve been protecting the demolition of Dino-Rama and backstage services, versus the development of the Encanto attraction. That’s now not the case, as we’re beginning to see–at the least from the sky–foundations being poured and footers put in. It appears to be like like utilities have additionally been buried.
Mainly, building crews are laying the groundwork for the present constructing to go vertical. As we commented lengthy earlier than building even began, the demolition and basis phases at all times take longer than followers count on.
There are often complaints in regards to the sluggish tempo of the undertaking and even purposeful delays. We keep in mind listening to that first about New Fantasyland, and just about each undertaking since. (In equity, a number of the post-2019 tasks have been purposefully delayed or slowed.)
Listed below are just a few extra angles of Encanto earlier than we get to this week’s large information:
Within the above picture, you’ll be able to see the bottom for a tower crane (the white construction on the higher left). This picture was taken over the weekend and, as you’ll be able to see, all that’s there may be the bottom.
Solely a pair days later, the fully-assembled tower crane is now on-site, dominating the skyline at Animal Kingdom from the car parking zone to Africa. Now that this tower crane has arrived, work ought to begin to go quick.
Followers will undoubtedly discuss building being accelerated, however that is merely the conventional tempo of tasks. Issues seem slow-going within the demolition and basis levels, after which vertical work seems to maneuver at lightning pace. There shall be claims of a brand new fiscal 12 months being the difference-maker, however that’s not it in any respect. That is simply how work usually progresses.
Simply inside the previous couple of months, we’ve seen the very same state of affairs play out in Avengers Campus at DCA. To borrow a line, Disney building occurs sluggish after which all of the sudden. The Avengers Campus went vertical in a rush, and so too will this.
Since even earlier than demolition began, we mentioned an excellent ‘benchmark’ of this undertaking can be whether or not the present constructing is totally enclosed by the tip of the 12 months. That continues to be our hope, and if the crews handle that, Encanto might be nonetheless on tempo to make a late 2027 opening.
This additionally explains why DINOSAUR isn’t closing till February 2, 2026. Even at the moment, it’ll nonetheless be forward of the Encanto darkish trip by advantage of its present constructing and trip system already being “executed.” There’s no manner Encanto is making that a lot progress in ~5 months.
The Boneyard Demolition
Turning our consideration to the opposite aspect of the partitions, demolition on the Boneyard is almost accomplished.
The playground is kind of gone. The part with the Dig Web site, slides and climbable buildings has been lowered to rubble. The bridge that beforehand linked the Dig Web site to the playground is gone. Additionally extinct (doubly) is the dinosaur fossil that stood over the doorway bridge.
That is just like what occurred with Dino-Rama. The primary buildings have been razed in weeks, after which work seemingly slowed as extra granular clean-up and web site prep was carried out. This can nearly actually be an analogous story.
Listed below are just a few extra pictures exhibiting the progress.
We will’t assist however wonder if the brand new plan is to fast-track the critter carousel and have that open forward of Encanto and Indiana Jones Journey. Though it’s getting a later begin, it’s clearly a a lot much less complicated attraction that may be constructed faster.
In regular circumstances, we’d not count on a phased opening. However Animal Kingdom is so gentle on points of interest, and Walt Disney World is clearly delicate about closing an excessive amount of without delay. So having this open by Christmas 2026 and even the primary half of 2027 is perhaps the goal merely for the sake of accelerating the trip roster.
That’s purely speculative on my half, however there’s gotta be a purpose why Disney opted to maneuver ahead the Boneyard’s closure by a number of months. Cynical as we generally are, operational cost-savings doesn’t strike us because the rationale right here.
In the end, we’re happy to see the progress on Tropical Americas. If different tasks supply a benchmark, we ought to be again someday in October with one other main replace on the ‘explosive’ progress of the Encanto show-building. Hopefully that shall be seen from on the bottom contained in the park throughout the subsequent few weeks. It will even be good to see building on the critter carousel by early 2026.
On stability, it’s a bullish signal that Tropical Americas is being accelerated versus delayed. Personally, I want that additionally would’ve occurred with Indiana Jones Journey to offer Imagineers as a lot time as potential to finish the reimagining. (One other lesson from Tiana’s Bayou Journey ought to’ve been that dashing reimaginings is a nasty method.)
As quickly as Zootopia: Higher Zoogether opens and the vacation season ends, DINOSAUR ought to be closing. Truthfully, I might’ve been wonderful with it closing this 12 months throughout the off-seaosn. What’s just a few months when Indiana Jones Journey goes to be round for just a few many years?! The longer DINOSAUR is closed, the extra time Imagineering has to do justice to an bold reimagining. The whole lot I’ve heard about this model of Indiana Jones Journey has me optimistic, together with insiders suggesting it has the potential to be the perfect of the trio.
Tropical Americas is already going to have a troublesome time hitting its 2027 goal date. Whereas Walt Disney World has declined to supply a season for the brand new land (simply someday in 2027), our robust suspicion is that, even with essentially the most aggressive timeline, the 2 marquee points of interest received’t be executed earlier than October 2027. However who is aware of–work has been progressively comparatively rapidly on demolition and the primary crane is now on-site. This timeline acceleration is promising, so keep tuned!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Shocked that the Boneyard has been demolished so quick? Optimistic that there’s a tower crane on-site to construct the Encanto present constructing? Anticipate to see vertical progress in October? Assume our timeline hypothesis is true or flawed? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
