DAK 'Encanto' and 'Indiana Jones'-themed experiences at Animal Kingdom

[DCBaker]

Aerial video from bioreconstruct:

 

[Jedi14]

One thing I have been thinking about recently is the store at the end of Dinosaur. At the moment its themed to the Insititue's gift shop, but how will they theme it to a store within a Mayan Temple? Do we think they might repurpose the shop for something else that will fit a bit better, or will we still just exit through the gift shop as I'm assuming the ride photo spot will remain?

They’ll probably have it that Sallah set up a gift shop for tourists.

 

[ToTBellHop]

They’ll probably have it that Sallah set up a gift shop for tourists.

What will they sell when we don’t actually find jewels and riches because, it turns out, the jewels and riches were the friends we made along the way?

 

[UNCgolf]

What will they sell when we don’t actually find jewels and riches because, it turns out, the jewels and riches were the friends we made along the way?

Friendship bracelets.

 

[HMF]

Yet Tropical Americas as a land is going to be an original theme for a land with IP-based attractions. It's not Indiana Jones Land and it's not Encanto Land. It's themed to the fictional Tropical Americas village of Pueblo Esperanza. And all of the attractions are located in a Tropical Americas environment, whether its a Mayan Temple, the Madrigals home in Colombia or a carousel in the village itself

Still doesn't make it about animals.

 

[HMF]

I’d imagine most posters have at least suggested dinorama needed to be replaced at some point, yourself included.

The contents of the plan, sure, but I’m not sure why this is so suddenly felt to be a divergent minority opinion?

Dinosaur/Countdown were always a bit more split. Mostly because they never met the bar of Disneylands Indy. Which is not to say it had to be Indy.

Dino-Rama was one regrettable part of a larger and could be even better concept.

 

[lentesta]

So @lentesta , how about those slides?

Dropbox folder here. Let me know if they don't make sense.

 

[FigmentFan82]

Still doesn't make it about animals.

sour grapes

 

[flyerjab]

Still doesn't make it about animals.

I have some thoughts on this.

I love DAK. It is my favorite WDW park. Just to be there in the morning, get coffee, and walk through the different lands is satisfying for me. My deal with my wife is that we must do at least one animal trail every visit. And the safari might still be my favorite attraction in all of WDW, mainly because it is always a different experience each time you ride it.

Here is the issue that Disney will always struggle with in regard to this particular park. There are not a lot of rides because of all of the on stage and back stage animal attractions and care facilities. That will always cut down the number of actual rides in this park as they maintain this balance of rides/shows and animal-based attractions.

The animal trails and the safari close at sundown, neutering the park experience into the evening. Attendance numbers show how most people, vacationing to WDW, go to the other parks more. This tells me that the masses really want more rides over more animals.

To increase park attendance historically, Everest was added initially. Then years later Pandora was added. Neither EE or Pandora are about animals, as you put it. But both really helped drive attendance to this park. If they want to keep this park competitive in the Orlando market, they most likely will not be adding actual animal content, at least for now. They want to boost this park’s attendance on a constant and consistent basis. Adding animals - aside from Bluey - is something they don’t feel will do this. Adding known, proven content like the Madrigals and Indy, most likely will. And it helps that all the attractions in TA will be covered or indoors, and can stay open at night. What this park doesn’t need right now is another land where half of the experience closes at night because of the animals. It is an unfortunate reality. I want more animals too but I fear the very thing that the park is centered on prevents it from truly flourishing. Compromise is needed, and another shot in the arm attendance-wise. I believe this will accomplish that. It is current leaderships best compromise - a non-IP land and town where the Imagineers can play a little bit, populated with content that will really help drive attendance, that in the long run should help sustain this park.

 

[FigmentJedi]

To increase park attendance historically, Everest was added initially. Then years later Pandora was added. Neither EE or Pandora are about animals, as you put it. But both really helped drive attendance to this park. If they want to keep this park competitive in the Orlando market, they most likely will not be adding actual animal content, at least for now. They want to boost this park’s attendance on a constant and consistent basis.

Cryptids aren't animals now? They're certainly more fitting for the "Mythical creatures" part of the mandate then the space aliens.

 

[flyerjab]

Cryptids aren't animals now? They're certainly more fitting for the "Mythical creatures" part of the mandate then the space aliens.

I think my main line of thinking was the fact that this park needs more than attractions based on real, living animals to have high, sustained attendance. I would venture to say that even Rohde and his original creative team knew that. Hence, the world of imaginary animals. That would provide for more animatronics and more extraordinary experiences beyond modern day animals.

And to most diehard fans’ despondency, Disney was not satisfied with fan reaction to this dinosaur area, so they are opting for popular IP that one could argue fits into Tropical Americas in a geological perspective. I won’t deny anyone the fact that this new land is more based upon geography, architecture and culinary motifs as opposed to animals. My guess would be that animals, albeit AA versions, will be present in the Encanto ride, and some type of cryptid will be present in the Indy attraction. Raging debate may continue as to the opinionated appropriateness of these IPs in this land within DAK. The two things that I am certain of are: there will be an appreciable attendance jump for DAK once this land opens; park attendance will increase during evening hours - two things that this park desperately needs.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I'm thankful that we're at least getting a real geographical area that fits in with the original Africa and Asia.

 

[EagleScout610]

This thing's definitely getting to 2 hours tommorow.

 

[FettFan]

That absolutely was what DAK needed. But no reasonable treatment of Dinoland ever resulted in taking out Dinosaur for that attraction.

They wouldn’t need to. Dinosaur only needed a new basic storyline and preshow….say the scientists at the institute are “harvesting” dinosaurs to bring back to the present to study in a game preserve, aka the boat ride, which would feature scenes akin to Primeval World and Universe of Energy….triceratops parents watching their eggs hatch or the ornithomimus falling into the watering hole while his flock looks on.

Personally I would have included a winking nod to Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland with a baryonyx popping up from the water with a fish in its jaws.

Show dinosaurs as actual animals that would behave like modern animals, and not just the Insane Murder Lizards of the Jurassic franchise.

 

[Disney Analyst]

The worst thing about Dinosaur was the cheesy storyline and narrator. It really made the ride… annoying.

Can’t wait to ride through a temple with the iconic Indiana Jones soundtrack blasting.

 

[disney fan 13]

I will say, while Dinorama is lame and no one should mourn it's passing (though as a child I quite enjoyed the Boneyard), I do think Dinosaur/CTX in “A” mode is high quality and one of WDW’s best rides.

I do worry that while Dinosaur, love it or hate it, was a very practical effects filled ride, it's possible Indy is a much more screens based experience, especially if the theme is “water” in an attraction where you can't practically have it inside the show building.

On the other hand, they could never really maintain Dinosaur, perhaps it's better the ride is 60% screen and runs in “A” mode 90% of the time then a ride that is 10% screens that runs in “A” mode, generously, 50% of the time
.
As for the convo about IP vs not and consistency of park identity. I think the war about this was lost almost two decades ago. It's not really a relevant conversation in 2026 in a Disney still run by Iger, and especially in a park that already has AvatarLand.

 

[FettFan]

The worst thing about Dinosaur was the cheesy storyline and narrator. It really made the ride… annoying.

I get the feeling that Seeker was originally meant to be a villain in the same vein as JP’s Dennis Nedry, but when someone pointed out the comparison, they made him more of an affable idiot driven by science instead of a greedy slimeball who gets in over his head.

And because of that, the plot falls flat.

 

[EagleScout610]

Any word on wristbands tommorow or is it gonna be a free for all for the last spots?

 

[Gremlin Gus]

Okay so I was looking at the layout that WDWMagic posted earlier and I noticed, the paths for the queue for the Encanto ride did change somewhat since last time

(For the image below, the pathways I marked blue, the show building plus Casita I marked red to make it easier to show what i'm talking about)
View attachment 905629

As compared to what was revealed previously...
View attachment 905630

I also noticed that it does seem that the interior queue space for the ride got reduced as well, but it does seem like the outdoor queue for both Stand-By and Lighting Lane got longer as well

 

[Disney Analyst]

I will say, while Dinorama is lame and no one should mourn it's passing (though as a child I quite enjoyed the Boneyard), I do think Dinosaur/CTX in “A” mode is high quality and one of WDW’s best rides.

I do worry that while Dinosaur, love it or hate it, was a very practical effects filled ride, it's possible Indy is a much more screens based experience, especially if the theme is “water” in an attraction where you can't practically have it inside the show building.

On the other hand, they could never really maintain Dinosaur, perhaps it's better the ride is 60% screen and runs in “A” mode 90% of the time then a ride that is 10% screens that runs in “A” mode, generously, 50% of the time
.
As for the convo about IP vs not and consistency of park identity. I think the war about this was lost almost two decades ago. It's not really a relevant conversation in 2026 in a Disney still run by Iger, and especially in a park that already has AvatarLand.

I really sincerely doubt it’s going to be 60% screens. The most likely scenario is that they are pretty much going to copy what’s at Disneyland / DisneySea, with tweaks to some scenes and the story to fit DAK.

While Indiana Jones is not an animatronic heavy attraction, it’s a thematic dream, with a fun ride profile, amazing music, effects, and fully realized sets.