First Temple Pieces Rise for Animal Kingdom's Indiana Jones Ride

Construction is moving fast at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, where the highly anticipated Tropical Americas expansion is quickly turning from concept models into actual physical reality. Only weeks after the major announcements at D23 2026, the very first massive pieces of the Mayan temple facade have been spotted rising from the former home of DINOSAUR.

Thanks to new aerial photography captured by the legendary theme park observer @bioreconstruct, we now have our first look at the incredible scale and vibrant details that will define the exterior of Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent.

The Temple Comes to Life in Red and Blue

These newly installed facade pieces reveal exactly the kind of highly detailed physical craftsmanship that fans were hoping for. Far from being a plain stone structure, the top of the Mayan pyramid features intricate, winding scrollwork molded into deep-red stone, highlighted with brilliant pops of bright blue paint.

The details match the miniature temple model that Disney showed off to fans only weeks ago during D23. What is especially fascinating is how these pieces are constructed. Disney’s Imagineers built and painted the facade sections offsite in a nearby backstage facility over several months. This offsite fabrication allowed artists to work under controlled conditions, ensuring the paint and aging effects look pristine before crane crews lifted them into place over the ride's structural steel.

At the moment, only the top and bottom thirds of the pyramid are being fitted with these gorgeous decorative panels. The middle section remains a bare metal framework, waiting for its turn. In classic Disney fashion, the illusion is fully focused on what guests will actually see: the rear side of these vibrant facade pieces shows a weathered, crumbling brown rock texture, blending seamlessly into the jungle backdrop of the rest of the Tropical Americas land.

Transitioning From DinoLand to the Maya Underworld

While we are all thrilled to watch the Mayan temple rise, it’s a bittersweet milestone for fans of classic Animal Kingdom. The site of this massive temple is, of course, the same show building that housed DINOSAUR. The entire surrounding area of the former DinoLand, U.S.A. is currently an active construction site, filled with orange safety webbing, massive piles of dirt, and heavy machinery digging up the past to make way for a brand-new 11-acre land.

Transforming an existing ride is always a massive undertaking, requiring incredible speed and coordination. We've seen similar deep-dive updates across the resort, such as the rapid transition and detailing of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, showing that Disney is focusing heavily on breathing new life into beloved ride layouts. For the new Indiana Jones adventure, the ride will utilize the same basic track layout and ride vehicle style as its predecessor, but the story, characters, and practical effects are being built entirely from scratch.

What Lies Inside the Myth of the Jade Serpent?

So, what actually happens once you walk through those bright blue, red-scrollwork gates?

The adventure is set in the 1950s, placing it chronologically before the events of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In this original story, Dr. Henry Jones Jr. is investigating a mysterious ancient Maya temple located next to a cenote—a deep, water-filled underground sinkhole. Local legends warn that the passageways beneath this temple lead straight to the Maya Underworld, protected by a fearsome, legendary creature known as the Tsukán.

Naturally, we (along with Indy) can’t resist exploring. Riders will be pulled through a mystical portal into the Underworld, facing dark, atmospheric caverns filled with giant scorpions, monstrous bats, bursts of flame, and of course, a healthy dose of snakes.

The highlight of the adventure will undoubtedly be the animatronics. For the first time in any theme park worldwide, Harrison Ford has served as the actual physical model for the Indiana Jones Audio-Animatronic. This means guests will finally see Ford's exact, unmistakable likeness bringing the character to life.

And then, there's the Tsukán itself. Rather than relying entirely on screens or projection mapping, Disney is building a towering, hand-sculpted Audio-Animatronic snake that will dominate the ride’s final scenes.

During the D23 presentation, Walt Disney Imagineering's portfolio creative executive Chris Beatty discussed how this massive snake figure will leave a lasting impression:

"...you’ll encounter the Tsukán throughout Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, including a final climactic confrontation."

— Chris Beatty, Portfolio Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering

Beatty joked that the encounter might permanently solidify a fear of snakes for anyone who rides. Based on the scale of the physical models shown, the final confrontation promises to be one of the most spectacular, high-stakes final show scenes in any Disney park.

With the exterior facade already rising so quickly, the physical reality of Tropical Americas is coming together faster than many expected ahead of its targeted 2027 opening. The vibrant colors, structural scale, and promise of massive physical animatronics make this a project well worth watching. There is nothing quite like watching a whole new world take shape in the parks, and we'll be keeping a very close eye on the skies as the temple continues to climb.