The World of Pandora is about to get some backup
Good news, friends!
The Animal Kingdom expansion just received the green light! Yep, it’s moving forward, which means that, in the next few years, we can expect new lands, attractions and shows in this beautiful theme park which launched way back in 1998.
In 2023, Disney dropped the first clue about a big expansion. They announced plans to enhance Animal Kingdom as part of their massive investment in theme parks. Rumors circulated about Indiana Jones, Encanto and Zootopia coming to Florida soon, and it looks like they're all set to become reality.
As seen in the official concept art above, Dinoland appears to be transforming into an area called Tropical Americas. In the top right corner, there's a peculiar-looking temple, likely associated with Indiana Jones, set to replace the current DINOSAUR ride. On the top left, there's something resembling Casa Madrigal from Encanto, slated to replace Dino-Rama. I particularly love the vibrant nature of the concept art, with colorful trees and an atmosphere evoking a stroll through a forest. It actually reminds me of Universal's previous emphasis on reintroducing “parks” into “theme parks”, aiming for a greener and more attractive aesthetic.
The expansion goes beyond the concept art
It’s interesting to note that there is a good chance that “It’s Tough to be a Bug” will also close down and give way to an attraction based on Zootopia, which isn’t shown in the concept art. This is purely to inform us of how the dinosaurs in Dinoland will go extinct and give space for something new and fresh. I give this change two thumbs up! Animal Kingdom is often seen as the least popular Disney World theme park, and it certainly needs new attractions and updates. The World of Pandora can’t carry it forever.
Snakes? Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
So, what kind of attractions can we expect to see in a revamped Animal Kingdom? There is a good chance that Indiana Jones Adventure from Disneyland will just be transported to Animal Kingdom, which is… kinda meh, honestly? I want something new and fresh, and I’m usually not a huge fan of rides just being taken from one place to another, even more so when they are pretty old at this point. Indiana Jones Adventure is pretty great, but it’s also from 1995. If they bring it to Florida and update it with new setpieces and technology then that is fine, but just copy/pasting it might be a bit disappointing.
As for Casa Madrigal, no one has any idea of what it might be. I expect to see a kid-friendly ride there, or maybe even a playground area for our little ones? Animal Kingdom already has The Boneyard, which is a great place for the younglings, and I am not even sure if that one is also closing down for good. I also don’t think it’s going to be a 3D theater, since Disney will probably use the Tree of Life to create a new movie or even a motion simulator based on Zootopia.
Whatever they bring, I just hope it’s good. Animal Kingdom deserves more love, and it’s cool to see that Disney plans to make it better; Hollywood Studios got Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land, Epcot got Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Magic Kingdom is the Magic Kingdom. Animal Kingdom deserves more love, c’mon Bob Iger.
What about you, what do you expect to see in a revamped Animal Kingdom? Are you excited to see Dr. Jones in Florida, and the possibility that Casa Madrigal will make an appearance?
