We still are not over all the new and exciting announcements from D23!
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
In case you missed it, D23, The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, took place earlier this month in Anaheim, California, and Disney gave us a glimpse at a bunch of new projects. During the Park Panel, we found out about additions coming to Disney Cruise Line, the international parks, Disneyland, and, of course, Disney World. Each of Disney World’s four parks is slated to get new additions. While it has been a long time coming, it was officially announced that DinoLand U.S.A. will transform into a Tropical Americas Land by 2027. There were three rides announced for this overhaul, but people seem only to be talking about two of the attractions.
The Tropical Americas-themed part of Animal Kingdom now even has an official name! It will be called Pueblo Esperanza.The new land will have Spanish-style architecture. There will also be a large quick-service area inside a hacienda. In the center of Pueblo Esperanza, there will be a large fountain where stories will be told by gathering villagers.
Pueblo Esperanza Model
This new re-themed area of Animal Kingdom will also include a brand new Encanto-themed ride. DINOSAUR will be transformed into an Indiana Jones attraction, which is fitting since the ride vehicles are identical to vehicles used at Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure. However, there is a third attraction that is being overlooked.
Indiana Jones Model
If you take a close look at the concept art, you will see a carousel made by a resident woodcarver that seems to be replacing Triceratops Spin. While another carousel may not seem super exciting, it is a fair replacement for the Dumbo-like attraction currently there, and from the concept art, it looks stunning!
©Disney
At D23, we got a closer look at one of the animals that will be featured in this new attraction — Kevin from UP! Kevin roams around Animal Kingdom and can sometimes be seen near the entrance of DinoLand U.S.A. today.
A carousel model on display at the D23 Ultimate Fan Convention
The model we saw on display is gorgeous and has beautiful artistry. While Kevin is confirmed to be one of the many animals you can choose to ride on, we took a closer look at the concept art to see if there were any other familiar animal friends that we could spot.
We recognize these friends!
While these animals are not confirmed and could be changed since the artwork we received is just concept art, we found six familiar Disney animals in the art. We spotted Hei-Hei from Moana, Timon and Pumba from The Lion King, Scuttle from The Little Mermaid, Abu from Aladdin, and even spotted Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.
A closer look
We can’t wait to learn more about this attraction and see if the animals reflected in the concept art will be part of the final attraction.
It’s Kevin!
As mentioned before, this land is set to be completed in 2027. No official closing date has been made for DinoLand U.S.A., but construction permits have already been filed for this re-theme. If you are a DinoLand U.S.A. fan, we suggest visiting as soon as you can, as DinoLand U.S.A.’s days are numbered.
DinoLand U.S.A.
We are so excited to see Animal Kingdom get some love. We think this new land will help spread people across the park while also introducing brand-new fun offerings! We will keep an eye out for any news regarding this transformation. As always, stay tuned to Disney Food Blog so you don’t miss out on all the latest Disney news!
Learn More About the NEW Tropical Americas Land Coming to Animal Kingdom
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While I understand everyone is comparing attraction to attraction, the carousel, based on the map, looks to be replacing the Boneyard playground.
The carousel sounds adorable! But I am not a fan of Encanto – the movie wasn’t so great and doesn’t fit the theming of AK.
What about the Emperor’s New Groove? Seems like a missed opportunity for a “Run Llama Run” ride, with the riders yelling, “Get your hands in the air!”
Do you know if this will be wheelchair accessible as in have a place for wheelchair users who can not transfer?
I see Kaa from jungle book🤩
Wonder what’s going to happen to the big green dinosaur. That’s the best part of Dino USA. I’ve always loved a good dinosaur attraction/land. It seems hard to believe there will be no more Dino’s at Disney. But I always hated the carnival theming in Dino USA. I just felt it was so out of place in animal kingdom. I have the same issue with the dumbo ride retheme (although circus is appropriate for the story there). And toystory land is one of my least favorite areas for this reason. I just always thought if I want to go to a local carnival I can. Why would I need to have that in Disney World yet it’s a theme that is constantly revisited.
If those characters are the final version, I can see people rushing as soon as the queue gate opens to get their favourite character.
Hi Donna. There will still be dinos at Disney. There’s Gertie at DHS. 🦕🍦