Disney Experiences chairman Thomas Mazloum posted new construction photos from Animal Kingdom’s Tropical Americas and Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge. Here’s what they show and when each opens.
Walt Disney World’s next big land just got a fresh look, straight from the guy in charge. Thomas Mazloum, chairman of Disney Experiences, shared new construction photos on Instagram on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and from Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge.
“These experiences are really taking shape!” he wrote, according to WDW News Today, which first reported the post.
That’s a pretty standard executive caption. The photos are the good part.
What do the new Tropical Americas photos show?
WDW News Today says the post includes a close-up of the painted Mayan-style temple facade for Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent. The facade was sculpted off site and installed in sections on top of the old DINOSAUR ride building.
So yes, the dinosaurs’ old home is now wearing a temple. Indiana Jones would probably tell you not to touch anything.
Another photo shows Mazloum with Imagineers holding up concept art next to the real construction, the classic “is it matching the drawing?” shot. WDW News Today also says he walked Monstropolis, the Monsters, Inc. land going up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, on the same visit.
Want a closer look at the site? Here’s an October construction update from Gotta Go Orlando:
What’s coming to Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom?
Tropical Americas is an 11-acre land taking over the old DinoLand U.S.A. area. Here’s what’s announced:
Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, a ride set in the village of Pueblo Esperanza, from the movie “Encanto”
Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, built inside the former DINOSAUR building
El Carrusel de los Animalitos, a carousel
As for timing, it’s a little messy. In September, WDW News Today noticed Disney’s website had dropped “in 2027” from the land’s description. Then Disney’s 55th-anniversary press kit on Oct. 1 listed the Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions as opening in 2027, according to Mickey Visit.
So 2027 is still the plan on paper. The website is just being shy about it.
When does Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge open?
Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge is set to open July 1, 2027, according to Attractions Magazine. It’s a Disney Vacation Club resort on Bay Lake, between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness.
It’s also being built on a piece of Disney history. The site is the old home of River Country, Disney World’s first water park, which was open from 1976 to 2001 and then sat abandoned for years.
Attractions Magazine says the resort will have 967 places to stay, from small studios up to waterfront Lake Houses and a presidential suite called Hidden Willow.
In Mazloum’s photos, WDW News Today says, he’s signing his name on a round concrete foundation at the lodge, right alongside dozens of other signatures. It beats a ribbon cutting for actually being permanent.
Who is Thomas Mazloum?
Mazloum runs Disney Experiences, the part of the company that covers the parks, cruises and resorts. WDW News Today says he took over in March 2026, when Josh D’Amaro moved up to become Disney’s CEO.
D’Amaro did his own version of this a week ago. On Oct. 20, MickeyBlog reported that he shared Instagram photos after touring Monstropolis, Tropical Americas and Lakeshore Lodge.
“There’s an incredible energy at Walt Disney World right now, and you can feel it the second you pass through the gates,” D’Amaro wrote. “I got to walk Monstropolis, Tropical Americas and Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge with our Imagineers.”
Two top Disney executives posting the same three job sites in one week? Somebody wants you to know the money is being spent.
What else is under construction at Disney World?
Plenty. Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios is aiming for a first phase in 2027, with shops and restaurants first and its big doors roller coaster coming later. Pirates and Princesses reported Tuesday that the first Monstropolis building is already uncovered.
Over at Magic Kingdom, work continues on the Cars area, Piston Peak National Park, and on a Villains land. Disney hasn’t given an opening year for either.
That’s a lot of fences. If you’re visiting Animal Kingdom this fall, the temple is one of the easier things to spot over the construction walls.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WDW News Today (Oct. 27, 2026), Mazloum’s Instagram post, his quote, the photos and his title
WDW News Today (Sept. 10, 2026), Tropical Americas attraction names and the website change
Mickey Visit (Oct. 1, 2026), the press kit’s 2027 openings
Attractions Magazine (Aug. 27, 2026), Lakeshore Lodge opening date, site and room count
MickeyBlog (Oct. 20, 2026), D’Amaro’s Instagram post and quotes
Gotta Go Orlando, the October construction update video
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