Walt Disney Imagineering Files Multiple Construction Permits for Tropical Americas at Disney's Animal Kingdom

17 days ago in "Tropical Americas"

Posted: Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:20am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The transformation of DinoLand U.S.A. into the new Tropical Americas land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom continues to move forward with the filing of three new construction permits by Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI).

Tropical Americas Concept Art

Filed today, all three permits are categorized under “General Construction and Area Improvement” and have a standard 12-month expiration date, with the project scheduled to debut in 2027.

Permit Locations and Scope

The three Notices of Commencement (NOC) include:

Two permits for areas that were previously part of Animal Kingdom’s backstage infrastructure, which are now being incorporated into the expanded footprint of Tropical Americas.
One permit for the former Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures store, a themed retail space that permanently closed in January 2025 as part of the first wave of Tropical Americas-related closures.

All three permits are assigned to Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, a long-time Disney contractor that has worked on numerous major Walt Disney World Resort projects in the past.

These permits represent another key step in the multi-year development of Tropical Americas. Recent updates to the site include:

Full demolition of the former Dino-Rama area, with the former Chester and Hester's store and restroom remaining to be repurposed.
Construction site expansion into backstage areas
Confirmation from Disney that The Boneyard will close September 2, 2025

As work picks up pace behind the construction walls, guests visiting Animal Kingdom can still access the remaining parts of DinoLand U.S.A. through 2025, including the DINOSAUR ride, Restaurantosaurus, and The Boneyard (until early September).

Tropical Americas will be an 11-acre area that will include two new signature attractions, including a ride-through experience based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” and an original adventure inspired by Lucasfilm’s “Indiana Jones.”

Tropical Americas Concept Model

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DCBaker9 hours ago

Links to the Notices of Commencement: 620 DINOLAND DR (TRICERATOP SPIN) - Whiting-Turner - General Construction 671 DINOLAND DR (BONEYARD AT DINOLAND) - Whiting-Turner - General Construction 672 DINOLAND DR (WILDERNESS EXPLORER) - Whiting-Turner - General Construction 676 DINOLAND DR (TRILO-BITES) - Whiting-Turner - General Construction

wdwmagic9 hours ago

Tropical Americas Update: Latest Photos and Four New Construction Permits Filed for Disney's Animal Kingdom Expansion https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/tropical-americas/news/11jul2025-tropical-americas-update-latest-photos-and--four-new-construction-permits-filed-for-disneys-animal-kingdom-expansion.htm

TomboyJanet1 day ago

Universal should create a dino digging thing that was fun when i was a kid

wdwmagic1 day ago

Here is a look at the Tropical Americas site from today

TomboyJanet1 day ago

This! I believe if they made starcruiser affordable, accessible, and with better perks it may have had a chance. But no they just HAVE to cater to only wealthy people who barely even want to go anyway. Not the true fans who follow the parks and cherish the memories and grew up going the wrong way to Endor, and Finding the Dreamport, and being thrown in the Briar Patch and having gangsters hijack movie tours and shoot out red lights so they can drive to another movie. Tiana's could have been AMAZING but they just had to make it a "attend the party" ride. like Frozen, and Ratatouille didn't already have that covered. UGHHH That stuck up terf!! She thinks she's sooo cool for being some kind of imaginary rebel against the might of...people wearing the clothes she doesn't want them to wear. but I digress quickly. Disney has to stop trying to be universal. Disney used to be above universal because it had original ideas. That's how I ranked it. A theme park so good it could create rides that were like movie rides but didn't even need a movie cuz YOU were the star! not someone else! You! and that's what I loved as a kid. They are insulting the intelligence of kids by just thinking they will just clap and say look at the characters he he he for every single ride so that's all they have to do is show funny colors and familiar songs. That's only a hook, you need something to keep them grounded. when I was a kid because of Epcot and all these things i got interested in history and science and biology because I would hear "disney World ride words" in my classrooms (like Capillary (body wars), tom sawyer, and Big Bang (uoe) . That magic was better than any stupid sing along

HMF3 days ago

You can blame Iger, Universal and the worlds most infamous TERF for that.

gerarar4 days ago

New Dinosaur merch just dropped. I need the pin. I've been looking for a Dinosaur pin on my visits in the last couple years to no success. :(

BlakeW394 days ago

So agreed. Constant regurgitation of familiar IP is arguably the worst part of the modern film industry, but it's the ENTIRETY of the theme park industry. Even setting aside the issue of thematic cohesion. I am so tired of constant movie rides and movie lands.

DCLcruiser4 days ago

I’m late to the party, but for me, as a kid growing up watching Indy movies, we need more of him in the parks. The Stunt Show was never enough. Other parks have coasters or the car ride. DAK is a great location for Indy’s adventures. He fits into the treasure hunting side of things (we are throwing out paleontology for archeology), the action/adventure side (like Everest), as well as simply the location and incorporation of snakes, or any jungle creature you want. It works. Just make it a great ride.

FigmentFan824 days ago

So how’s construction going?

Incomudro4 days ago

Thing is - problem for Disney is - with the right mindset, with the right creative teams (key word creative) the Starcruiser could have been a spectacular success. The expensive and hideous eyesore barges would have never been installed in the World Showcase Lagoon. And, Tiana's would be one of the greatest rides in the park.

TomboyJanet4 days ago

I both agree and disagree. My problem still number one is that they can't generate park original ip anymore, which makes it look like they are so uncreative. Number two, is those screens....boring....and minimalism.....lame. Its all just corporate packages.