Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been deep in the middle of a dramatic overhaul, and fresh updates have revealed just how quickly things are moving behind the scenes.Credit: Trey Ratcliff, FlickrThe space once occupied by DinoLand U.S.A. had been steadily transformed into Tropical Americas, an ambitious expansion inspired by the cultures, wildlife, and storytelling traditions of Central and South America. The roadside dinosaur carnival aesthetic that defined the land for decades had given way to a more immersive vision filled with dense foliage, detailed architecture, and major new attractions.Guests visiting the park in recent months haven’t needed concept art to understand that change is happening. Construction walls have cut across familiar pathways, traffic patterns have shifted, and large machinery has taken over areas that were once home to fossil digs, carnival booths, and the towering Dino-Rama icons.Credit: Anna Fox (HarshLight), FlickrDinoLand officially closed in early February, with DINOSAUR welcoming riders for the final time before shutting down for good. Shortly afterward, the land disappeared from park maps and the My Disney Experience app, marking a clear end to its prehistoric era. DINOSAUR will eventually transform into an Indiana Jones attraction.One of the clearest looks at what was coming next arrived thanks to Walt Disney Imagineering. Inside the Walt Disney Presents gallery at Walt Disney World Resort, Imagineers unveiled intricate scale models previewing upcoming projects across the property.The Tropical Americas model offered a sweeping overview of the land’s future layout. Winding paths curved through thick greenery, eventually opening into a central plaza known as Pueblo Esperanza. The space was designed as a communal hub, complete with a fountain centerpiece and architecture influenced by Latin American design. The model also revealed a carousel featuring hand-carved animals inspired by creatures from Disney films, signaling a family-friendly anchor for the area.Credit: DisneyDisney delivered its first official Encanto construction milestone late last year. Walt Disney Imagineering announced on social media that the project had officially “gone vertical” with the installation of its first steel columns. The structure would house the main show building for what was expected to become one of Animal Kingdom’s defining new additions.Creative details have also begun to emerge. Filmmaker Jared Bush, who co-directed 2021’s Encanto, had been working closely with Imagineering and writing original dialogue for the attraction.The ride is seemingly designed to expand the Madrigal family’s world with brand-new scenes and character moments created specifically for the park. The approach mirrored that of other Disney attractions, which built fresh narratives that complemented their source films rather than duplicating them.Credit: DisneyAnd it seems the attraction may be even more dynamic than first thought. Walt Disney Imagineering has just filed a fresh Notice of Commencement for the Encanto attraction, signaling that the project has officially shifted gears from steel and skeleton into storytelling and scenic magic.The permit, filed at 504 Dinoland Drive in the soon-to-be Tropical Americas land, lists Scenario as the contractor tasked with installing set elements inside the show building–an exciting milestone that practically confirms Imagineering is now focused on bringing Casa Madrigal and the Madrigal family’s world vividly to life for guests rather than just putting up walls and roofs.Credit: DisneyIf the name Scenario sounds familiar, that’s because this isn’t their first rodeo with Disney’s biggest immersive projects–they’ve previously been tapped for intricate scenic fabrications, props, and show set work on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the groundbreaking Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction at Walt Disney World, where their craftsmanship helped solidify some of the most talked-about environments in modern parks.“Scenario was honored to have been the sole rockwork vendor for the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge projects at both the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort,” the contractor said in 2020, via Project Presenter. “The challenges of creating the massive rocky environment were embraced by a solid team that developed unique solutions for such a large rockwork effort.”Credit: Inside the MagicThose past collaborations–featuring detailed architectural ornamentation, rockwork, and immersive show elements– suggest Disney is leaning on a proven partner to help realize the vibrant interiors and environmental storytelling that Encanto’s Casa Madrigal demands.The scale of the project became apparent in aerial video shared by @Bioreconstruct, which documented the vast footprint of active construction. Entire sections of land had been cleared, and new structures were clearly emerging from the ground.More recently, the same creator posted updated images showing a steel framework extending outward from the Encanto show building. The photos appeared to capture the early skeleton of what would become the attraction’s queue area—a space that would eventually be layered with intricate theming and environmental storytelling, hallmarks of Walt Disney Imagineering’s design approach.Credit: DisneyAnimal Kingdom had seen transformative growth before. The debut of Pandora–The World of Avatar reshaped how many guests experienced the park and helped solidify it as a full-day destination. Tropical Americas seems positioned to continue that momentum, weaving recognizable intellectual properties with regionally inspired environments and attractions grounded in cultural storytelling.However, there are still some contentions about Disney’s decision to replace lands and attractions at Animal Kingdom rather than expand, as the company is doing at Magic Kingdom Park with its Piston Peak and Villains additions.Credit: DisneyWith each passing milestone, the redevelopment has become less abstract and more tangible. The prehistoric chapter of this corner of the park has closed, but beyond the construction barriers, a vibrant new setting is steadily rising as Imagineers push forward.How are you feeling about Animal Kingdom’s Encanto attraction? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments below!The post Animal Kingdom’s “Rise of the Resistance” Attraction Moves Forward at Disney World appeared first on Inside the Magic.