Animal Kingdom construction update: Dinos make way for the Madrigals in Pueblo Esperanza
Construction begins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, making way for the first ever “Encanto” ride as part of the Tropical Americas land.
On Jan. 12, 2025, Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama! went extinct at Disney’s Animal Kingdom near Orlando, Fla. Construction crews have wasted no time removing signs and taking apart attractions to make way for Pueblo Esperanza. Roughly translating to “Village of Hope,” Pueblo Esperanza is a fictional setting for an upcoming Tropical Americas land, and is a gateway to new attractions coming soon to Animal Kingdom.
The park’s popular Dinosaur attraction remains open “through 2025” and will be rethemed to a brand-new Indiana Jones story, taking place in a Maya temple. Elsewhere in DinoLand U.S.A., construction crews started clearing the former Dino-Rama for the first-ever “Encanto” ride, as seen in photos by bioreconstruct.
Construction walls and planters surround the old roadside attraction area of DinoLand U.S.A.
Signs that used to sit atop the Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures shop have been taken down.
Prior to their removal, these signs were perfectly themed to the kitschy souvenir shop below, advertising gifts for sale.
Some signs have only been stripped of their theming, with the signs themselves still standing as of now.
Construction workers began taking apart TriceraTop Spin (a hub-and-spoke ride that exists in three other fonts in Magic Kingdom) just days after the ride’s closure. Since the ride is outdoors, we have a better look at the deconstruction taking place.
The triceratops ride vehicles have been removed from the now extinct attraction, just like their ancestors 65 million years ago.
One of the signs on the construction wall displays Dug, the dog from “Up.” We are thankful Dug is not in charge of construction, or else progress would take a lot longer than projected, as he is quite easily distracted. (This adds to my running theory of who was really in charge when building Tron Lightcycle / Run.)
Dreamers are at work bringing Pueblo Esperanza and Animal Kingdom’s Tropical Americas land to life. With a fountain in the center of the village where its residents tell stories and a carousel brought to life by a woodworker’s carvings of his favorite Disney animals, this new land will be nothing short of magical.
The day when the Madrigals open their Casita to the guests of Disney’s Animal Kingdom (sometime in 2027) will be here before we know it. While you’re here, be sure to check out our video of the Pueblo Esperanza model revealed at D23 2024:
Are you looking forward to this new land? Do you think Mirabel and Dr. Jones should move in to a different park? Let us know in the comments below!
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