Disney’s Animal Kingdom construction continues to reshape the park

Walt Disney’s Imagineers are busy remaking large swaths of one of the world’s most beautiful theme parks – Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Not only is James Cameron’s Avatar project coming to the park, but Africa’s Harambe Village is expanding, the Discovery Island hub is getting a variety of improvements (and a new Starbucks), and the river between Asia and Dino-land is becoming a stage for “Rivers of Light.”

Can’t watch the video? More photos below:

Many more walls added to Discovery Island

Construction on your right as you cross bridge onto island. Looks to be utility work going on

The plaza in front of the Tree of Life has been expanded to add room for more performers

Flame Tree BBQ is closed (don’t worry kitchen is still open and serving items at other locations) for refurb

Due to Discovery Island construction, Joffrey’s Coffee location moved adjacent to Flame Tree BBQ

Menu at Joffrey’s

Harambe Village is getting an Africa Marketplace

Plants have been added and buildings are getting themeing treatements

Some good props already, like this water tower

Rivers of Light will require major changes in area between Asia and Dino-Land. Terraced viewing areas,

Expanded banks

In water infrastructure

Work on the dino-land side is progressing

DAK appears to be using this area behind Asia as a staging ground for construction vehicles, but is that some cleared land I see in the back? Australia?

While I wasn’t able to get good photos of the Avatar construction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The project has really gone vertical. The large show building that will eventually house the four-theater ‘flying’ banshee attraction is getting framed out in steel beams. Structures that will become the floating rocks and cliffs that hide the show buildings are also going up. Here’s a screen-cap from that recent drone video (which has now been taken down).

It was announced by James Cameron that the first sequel for Avatar won’t be debuting in theaters in 2016 like originally intended. Instead it will debut sometime in 2017. That means, in theory, Disney’s theme park land based on, at least in part, the sequels could open before the new movies are even seen by audiences? Hopefully there won’t be too many spoilers.

Which construction project at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has you the most excited?