NEWS: Disney Files NEW Indiana Jones Permit for Animal Kingdom Expansion

Recently, Disney has announced new lands, attractions, and entertainment headed to the theme parks, new ships coming to the Disney Cruise Line, and so much more.

Tree of Life in Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Keeping up with the latest construction permits Disney World files can be a great way to find out just what is going on around the parks and hotels, and we recently spotted one you might want to know about!

We’re always on the hunt for the latest construction permits filed by Disney to get an idea of what sort of changes might be coming to the parks, and we just spotted one that we think signals major changes for the Pueblo Esperanza retheme at Animal Kingdom!

Pueblo Esperanza Model

Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a permit for general construction at an address that matches up with the entrance courtyard of the DINOSAUR ride, which will eventually become an Indiana Jones dark ride. The work is set to begin in February 2026, which is when DINOSAUR is scheduled to permanently close. Based on this, it seems like Disney will be wasting no time getting this transformation started.

via arcGIS

The contractor listed on the permit is The Whiting-Turner Company, which has been a long-time contractor of Disney World projects. The expiration date on the permit is just one year from the start date, which likely means this permit is for site prep work and not the full retheme. Unfortunately, general construction isn’t too specific, and we don’t have many more details about this particular permit.

New Indiana Jones ride

Disney announced that a retheme was coming to DinoLand, U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom back in 2023. It was later announced that DinoLand would be transformed into an area themed to the Tropical Americas — and that Indiana Jones was a potential contender for new IP in this area.

The new Tropical Americas land coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom lets guests explore a preserved Maya temple – and the ensuing adventure – alongside Indiana Jones.

As described by Disney, the new Indiana Jones attraction will follow “the man with the hat” during a time when he has “recently discovered a perfectly preserved Maya temple, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to explore it. He’s heard rumors about a mythical creature deep within the temple — and he’s got to see it for himself. So, he brings us along on the adventure… but will there be snakes? We’ll just have to wait and see.”

The new Tropical Americas land coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom lets guests explore a preserved Maya temple – and the ensuing adventure – alongside Indiana Jones.

The Indiana Jones ride will be part of the larger Pueblo Esperanza area, which will also feature an attraction based on Encanto. According to Disney, “the land feels lived in, with a long, rich history — plus there’s a large hacienda which will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort. The space will be lush and sprawling, featuring a large fountain in the center where the villagers like to gather and tell stories. Additionally, a woodcarver has created a giant working carousel featuring his favorite animals from Disney stories. It’s a new take on a classic attraction that young families are going to love.”

While we have limited details so far, we’ll be on the lookout for more updates about the Indiana Jones ride and Pueblo Esperanza. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news!