The Walt Disney World Resort is in the midst of a massive transformation, and nowhere is that more evident than at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The ambitious project to reimagine the aging DinoLand U.S.A. into a lush, vibrant new land known as Tropical Americas is moving full steam ahead. Since the closing of classic attractions to make way for the new expansion, fans have been eagerly watching the skyline for signs of progress.Credit: Lee (myfrozenlife), FlickrNow, the wait is paying off. Recent construction milestones reveal that the physical structures of this highly anticipated land are finally rising above the construction walls. At the center of the excitement is the first-ever Encanto-themed dark ride, which takes guests inside the magical Madrigal family’s Casita.If you are planning a future Walt Disney World vacation, here is everything you need to know about the latest construction progress at Tropical Americas, a deep dive into the Encanto attraction’s “Garden House” entrance, and our best speculation on when this massive new expansion will finally open to guests.The Dawn of Tropical AmericasWhen Disney Parks officially announced that DinoLand U.S.A. would be going extinct to make way for Tropical Americas, the theme park community was buzzing. The new land is designed to celebrate the biodiverse environments, rich cultures, and compelling stories of Central and South America. By leaning into the immense global popularity of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto and the action-packed thrills of the Indiana Jones franchise, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is poised to receive one of the most substantial upgrades in its history.Credit: DisneyWhile much of the early construction phase involved clearing out the old DinoLand infrastructure—including the bittersweet demolition of the Primeval Whirl site and the clearing of various carnival games—Walt Disney Imagineering is now actively building the future. The massive, warehouse-style show buildings required to house the new Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions have been the primary focus for months. But recently, the project turned a corner, shifting from generic steel boxes to highly themed exterior structures.The Garden House: Entering the World of EncantoAccording to a recent construction update from BlogMickey, the first real signs of theming for the Encanto attraction are officially taking shape. The most exciting development is the steel framing rising for the “Garden House.”Credit: Rick, Inside the MagicFor context, the Encanto ride will feature a towering, forced-perspective facade of the Madrigal family’s magical Casita. However, guests will not simply walk through the front door of the house. To handle the massive crowds expected for this attraction, Imagineers have designed a specific entry conceit: the Garden House.Located to the left of the main Casita facade, the Garden House will serve as the primary entrance to the attraction. This architectural strategy is identical to the one used at the Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom, where guests enter a ground-level doorway to the left of the elevated, grand manor show building.Credit: Rick, Inside the MagicThe recent installation of steel framing confirms the exact footprint and scale of this entrance. Based on scale models previously displayed by Walt Disney Imagineering, the Garden House will function as a covered, heavily themed switchback queue. It is designed to act as a seamless transition zone, taking guests from the lush, open-air landscape of Tropical Americas and gently guiding them into the magical, enchanted rooms of the Casita.Exiting the Casita and Meeting the MadrigalsThe construction progress isn’t limited to the entrance. On the opposite side of the massive Casita show building, structural work is also underway for the attraction’s exit. While guests will enter through the Garden House on the left, they will disembark and exit the attraction to the right of the Casita.Credit: DisneyBut the Encanto immersion doesn’t stop when the ride is over. For fans familiar with the old DinoLand U.S.A. layout, the exit path of the Encanto ride drops guests right near the former Hester & Chester’s Dinosaur Treasures gift shop.Rather than tearing down this eccentric roadside-style building, Disney is reportedly repurposing it. It is currently being transformed into a dedicated character meet-and-greet space. This is a brilliant strategic move by Disney. After experiencing the magic of the Madrigal family on the dark ride, guests will have the perfect, immediate opportunity to meet characters like Mirabel and Bruno in person (though they will need to wait in a separate standby line).The Tropical Americas Carousel Takes ShapeWhile the Encanto attraction is the crown jewel of the new land, it isn’t the only project going vertical. Looking past the Garden House construction, guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom today can also see the steel frame and concrete base for the land’s brand-new carousel.Credit: Rick, Inside the MagicSituated near the front of the Tropical Americas land, this family-friendly attraction will feature a stunning array of hand-carved wooden animals representing the diverse wildlife of South America. The carousel’s steel structure is already dominating the foreground of the construction site, signaling that Tropical Americas will be a multi-attraction land capable of absorbing large crowds and catering to families with small children who may not be ready for the intense thrills of the nearby Indiana Jones adventure.When Will Tropical Americas Open? (Speculation)With steel framing rising in April 2026, the biggest question on every Disney fan’s mind is: When will Tropical Americas actually open?Credit: DisneyWhile Walt Disney World has not yet announced a specific, official opening date, we can use the current construction pace to make a highly educated guess.Building a massive, state-of-the-art dark ride like the Encanto attraction is a multi-year process. The current phase—erecting the exterior steel framing and pouring concrete foundations—is just the beginning of the visible work. Once the exterior shells of the Garden House, Casita facade, and carousel are enclosed, Imagineering will need to spend several months intricately painting, texturing, and weathering the facades to make them look authentic.Credit: DisneySimultaneously, the interior of the Encanto show building will require extensive work. Installing the ride track, programming the complex audio-animatronics, integrating lighting and projection mapping, and rigorously testing the ride vehicles is a painstaking process that typically takes 12 to 18 months.Given that we are seeing the exterior steel taking shape in the spring of 2026, it is highly likely that the major structural and thematic construction will wrap up by mid-to-late 2027. Following months of operational testing and exclusive cast member previews, we anticipate that Tropical Americas—including the new Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions—will officially open to the public in the late Spring or early Summer of 2028. An opening in 2028 would perfectly position the new land as the ultimate summer blockbuster for Walt Disney World, giving the resort a massive marketing push to draw international crowds.Credit: DisneyUntil then, watching Tropical Americas rise from the ashes of DinoLand U.S.A. is an attraction in itself. With the Garden House entrance taking shape, the magic of the Madrigal family is finally becoming a reality at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.The post From DinoLand to the Madrigals: Massive Construction Milestones Reached at Animal Kingdom appeared first on Inside the Magic.