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The clearest look yet at Animal Kingdom’s next big ride change is not a ride vehicle or an opening-date announcement. It is a temple. A new model shown at D23 gives visitors a close look at the Indiana Jones facade that will replace DINOSAUR, and it also makes one practical point much clearer: Disney is keeping the existing ride system while changing almost everything guests see around it.
What is confirmed: Disney has confirmed that DINOSAUR is becoming an Indiana Jones attraction. The facade model and construction images were displayed at D23. Disney has not announced the opening date, a complete ride description, or the new attraction’s queue details.
In This Article
- A detailed temple facade model
- The existing track stays in place
- Guests enter from the temple’s side
- Interior work is underway
- No opening date has been announced
Why Keeping the Track Matters
The new attraction is a reimagining of DINOSAUR, not a brand-new ride system. The track and ride vehicles are expected to remain, while the scenes, setting, and story change. That should help visitors set expectations: this is likely to keep the bumpy, dark ride feel that defined DINOSAUR, even though the dinosaur-era plot is going away.
For now, guests visiting Animal Kingdom before the change takes effect should treat the current version as the one they can actually experience. Our earlier look at DINOSAUR and DinoLand U.S.A. closure timing has the broader background on what is changing around this corner of the park.
What the New Temple Adds
The model shows a colorful Maya-inspired temple covered in sculpted creature heads and weathered paint. Rather than walking up the prominent front steps, guests are expected to enter along the side of the building. That is a useful clue about how the old Dino Institute exterior will be transformed without changing the building’s basic footprint.
Construction footage shown with the model included unpainted sculpted pieces, more finished painted sections, and a glimpse of rockwork taking shape inside. It is early evidence of the new setting, but not a complete preview of the ride’s scenes.
The Story Still Has Some Mystery
The exhibit’s story description has Indy entering the temple to investigate tales of a mythical creature. That gives this version an original hook instead of simply copying another Indiana Jones attraction, but Disney has not yet detailed the creature, major scenes, height requirement, or whether the attraction will use Lightning Lane when it opens.
The absence of an opening date is the biggest planning gap. Families planning a 2026 or early 2027 trip should not build an itinerary around the new ride until Disney posts a timeline. In the meantime, the construction itself is another sign that Animal Kingdom’s former DinoLand area is moving toward a different identity.
Does the preserved DINOSAUR track make you more curious about this Indiana Jones version, or would you rather see a completely new ride? Let us know in the comments below; we would love to hear your plans.
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