Tropical Americas Brings Immersive Storytelling to Disney's Animal Kingdom

Disney's Animal Kingdom is set to receive a new land called Tropical Americas, which will feature a fictitious in-story town called Pueblo Esperanza. This was revealed at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where Joe Rohde and Joan Hartwig shared their creative vision behind the project. According to Rohde, he had previously attempted to bring a Tropical Americas section to the park but was unable to do so during his time at Walt Disney Imagineering.

Hartwig, who is now the creative director for the park's new land, has finally succeeded in bringing this idea to life. She mentioned that she and Rohde worked on it before COVID-19, when they were able to make progress on the project. The new land will feature immersive storytelling and design work, including IP like Encanto and Indiana Jones.

The conservation message from the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios film, Encanto, is also being brought to life in Pueblo Esperanza. This is a significant aspect of the world-building for the new land, which will be located on the former site of Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama. Rohde and Hartwig discussed how they drew inspiration from various sources, including real-world cultures and environments.