Disney Parks Boss Josh D'Amaro talks more about Disney's plans for Indiana Jones at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Nov 20, 2023 in "Disney's Animal Kingdom"

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Tropical Americas Encanto land concept art at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Posted: Monday November 20, 2023 3:20pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

In a new interview with EW, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D'Amaro discusses Disney's early plans to bring Indiana Jones to Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

D'Amaro first revealed early plans for Indiana Jones to come to Disney's Animal Kingdom during a D23 fan event this past September.

The new land themed to the tropical Americas would replace the entire Dino-Land U.S.A. area, with Indiana Jones replacing the existing Dinosaur ride, and Encanto replacing Dino-Rama.

Dinosaur is replaced in this concept art with Indiana Jones

Fans were surprised by D'Amaro revealing blue-sky concepts still in the early planning stages and not green-lit. D'Amaro told EW, "We've got so many stories to tell, we have so many things we want to make even better in the theme parks. My plan is to continue to share that with the guests. I know people are like, 'My gosh, I can't believe he's saying this. Is he serious, is he not?' The answer is, we are absolutely serious."

Imagineering Boss Bruce Vaughn said at Destination D23, "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."

Tropical Americas Encanto land concept art at Disney's Animal Kingdom

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."

New experiences inspired by “Encanto” – the Academy Award winning Walt Disney Animation Studios film – and the fan-favorite adventurer Indiana Jones are being considered for the reimagined land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

D'Amaro's latest comments to EW today suggest that Indiana Jones remains at the forefront of Disney's plans in Florida, and the parks chairman is talking up Disney's ambitions.

"We know what this business is capable of, we know what our fans expect of us, and we're going all in. You're going to see more and more of that. As we make our way through some of these ideas, some of them will become real, and we'll say that's specifically what we're going to do, but I want our guests to be on the journey with us."

D'Amaro also addressed how Indiana Jones may fit into Disney's Animal Kingdom thematically. Much like when Avatar was announced for the park, fans are skeptical about its suitability for a part centered around nature and conservation.

"Animal Kingdom is about exploration and adventure," he says. "I was fortunate enough to have run that theme park, so I know how special it is, and I think there are a lot of stories that we can stay true to Animal Kingdom and express new properties in there, and that's what you see us starting to do."

You can read the full interview at EW.

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sedati4 hours ago

Exciting, though the sample more resembles the rock-work at Everest than anything we're expecting at Tropical Americas. In fact, the only new rock-work shown so far is some lush mountain backdrops on top of the Encanto show-building. Could this just be for training, or something else entirely? The mock ups done previously were never so large but did accurately reflect what was coming.

gerarar13 hours ago

Trailers/offices now on site and a theme test wall in progress. Source and more:

GoofGoof7 days ago

I feel the same. I was at DLR shortly after Galaxy’s Edge opened (without Rise). I was still happy to see the new land and ride MF but it was disappointing that the headliner wasn’t open. I do think that if part of the land is ready by the start of the Summer and the rest won’t be done until Fall it will probably open in phases. If it’s a few months difference in off times maybe all at once. Disney also probably wouldn’t want people delaying a trip to wait for the land to open. That happened some with Star Wars and was a bigger deal for Universal in the year before each Harry Potter land opened. Maybe this is too minor an addition to move the needle. The Potter lands and SW were much more anticipated.

Nickm20228 days ago

I agree, and this is why I personally think this ride system is gonna be more simple like a omnimover just because it's not as complicated. Honestly my only care/want is that the land opens complete. Don't give me a half ready and open land like Galaxys because that really hurt that land not having Rise ready and hurt first impressions. I want Disney to take their time and only give it to me only when all of it's complete.

GoofGoof9 days ago

Agreed. If both rides were clones and/or rethemes I’d say even less than 3 years would be doable but the Encanto ride is still a mystery (unless I missed something which is very possible). The existing area it is in didn’t take much to demolish but I’m not sure how elaborate the ride will be and the landscaping will still take time even without large rock work. The construction timeline for the last 3 ”lands“ they built at WDW: Fantasyland Expansion - 3 years 3 months (Storybook Circus and rest of land except for Mine Train opened first and took less than 2 years) Pandora - 3 years and 4 months Star Wars Galaxy‘s Edge - 3 years 8 months (the land opened 4 months earlier with Smugglers Run but Rise opened 4 months later to complete the land) All 3 had extensive rock work as well as new restaurants, bathroom facilities and infrastructure to build. This land is recycling most or all of that (maybe at most a bathroom and some food carts near Encanto). It seems like it should be doable in less than 3 years.

GoofGoof9 days ago

I think there’s at least a chance that some of the land opens before the 3 year target (I assume 2027 gives them until December 2027 to stay on target so 3 years and a month from now) The Encanto ride and area could in theory open before the Indy ride since that is being constructed first. They opened Star Wars and Fantasy Land Expansion in phases but Avatar opened all at once so both options have recent precedent. I kinda prefer opening all at once when the whole land is ready but if they could get part open by say Summer 2027 they will probably do that.

Animaniac93-989 days ago

3 years is historically how long it takes for Disney to build major attractions, and this land recycles much of the existing infrastructure. If construction starts January 2025, having it done by late 2027 sounds doable.

arich359 days ago

All of it is supposed to be open in 3 years? Skeptical

wdwmagic9 days ago

Yep we already had that date. timelines at https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/d23/news/13aug2024-d23-2024-key-timelines-for-disneys-upcoming-park-projects.htm

brb10069 days ago

Tropical Americas opens 2027

Timothy_Q10 days ago

hard pass on ice age having any representation in the parks

James Alucobond10 days ago

I don’t really see how? You’d be switching from a modern land where dinosaurs are extinct to one in the Pleistocene, which would still require a similar level of re-theming in order to work well unless you made two side-by-side time travel attractions.

Brer Panther10 days ago

Okay, this is legitimately ridiculous... https://wdwnt.com/2024/11/ice-age-6-in-production/ Not just that they're doing a sixth (seventh if we count the Buck Wild movie) Ice Age after shutting down Blue Sky Studios, but they're still willing to milk the franchise and yet they won't add it to Dinoland? Wouldn't replacing Dino-Rama with Ice Age attractions be at least slightly cheaper than retheming the whole land?

JD8011 days ago

AK is a great substitute for a mid-day break at the resort. Did it twice this last weekend. Went in grabbed lunch at Harambe while waiting to be sat at Nomad lounge for a few cocktails and churros. Sat at Nomad for over an hour or two before heading back to MK.