Joe Rohde described new details about the Maya temple at the center of Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, the attraction planned for Tropical Americas at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
The temple design uses a guest-eye view, face-like Chac imagery and research into Maya architecture. Tropical Americas is planned to open in 2027.
The Temple Is Designed for a Guest-Eye View
Joe Rohde photographed the model from above before dropping to guest eye level at D23. From below, the temple's face-like composition suggests a Witz, a living mountain in Maya tradition.
The lower angle gives the structure its own presence before Indiana Jones arrives. The temple is being designed as a place with its own history and visual language inside the new land.
Chac Imagery and Maya Research Shape the Interior
Rohde said the temple is dedicated to Chac, a Maya deity associated with storms, rain, water and fertility. He described elaborate stucco work inside older Maya structures as part of the visual research behind the attraction.
The design research includes work by Indigenous Maya archaeologist Dr. Ivan Batun and Imagineer Brianna Pfost on Maya art and iconography. Those details give the setting a specific cultural foundation while the ride's story remains under wraps.
Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent Is Planned for 2027
The new 11-acre Tropical Americas land will include the Indiana Jones attraction and a first-ever Encanto ride-through experience. The Indiana Jones story sends Indy into a Maya temple in search of a mythical creature.
Tropical Americas is planned to open in 2027. The attraction is being developed as its own Indiana Jones experience for Animal Kingdom.
Sources: Joe Rohde's Instagram post, Disney's Tropical Americas research update and the original Animal Kingdom announcement.
Image credit: Disney Parks Blog.