It’s just a metal beam. What can be so special about a metal beam?
It turns out … quite a lot, particularly for Walt Disney World and its cast members working at Animal Kingdom.
Over three days, hundreds of cast members signed their names on a beam that will be installed in the new “Encanto” attraction within the upcoming “Tropical Americas” land. It received over 900 signatures on its first day alone.
Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom expansion, Encanto ride, new land
The new Tropical Americas land in Animal Kingdom’s latest expansion, including attractions like Indiana Jones and a Disney-themed carousel.
For Ketan Sardeshmukh, vice president of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, seeing cast members participate in the park’s expansion honestly feels awesome. He granted the USA TODAY Network-Florida an exclusive interview about what’s new at the theme park.
“We’ve got this brand new experience. The new land is going to be 11 acres … for our cast to be able to literally make their mark on something that’s going to be part of it is huge,” he says in an exclusive interview while in front of the heavily autographed beam.
“You could tell the energy from our cast, getting a chance to be like, ‘Holy smokes, this new offering is coming to us’ means a great deal to them, and it means a great deal to me.”
What are the changes coming to Animal Kingdom?
Disney World fans can expect the upcoming Tropical America expansion to open in 2027.
During Disney’s D23 Convention in 2024, they announced that the land would be called Pueblo Esperanza. It will feature a new Indiana Jones attraction, Disney’s first Encanto-themed attraction, and a new carousel with characters from Disney stories.
Sadly, this new expansion does mean one beloved part of the park is going extinct — Dinoland U.S.A.
DinoLand U.S.A. opened with the park on Earth Day on April 22, 1998, and is currently one of the seven themed areas at Animal Kingdom. Its remaining attractions will close in February 2026.
What is the significance of a Cast-exclusive beam signing?
Back to the beam.
Over the course of the three days, nearly every Animal Kingdom cast member made the trek to sign their names on the beam. After plopping down a magnet with a cutout, many jotted their everyday signature inside the guide, with a few scribbling the date they signed and even adding a small doodle.
Stephen Lim, a Cast Leader at Animal Kingdom, has worked for Disney for 10 years and has attended his fair share of cast-exclusive events. This isn’t even his first beam signing, but it still feels special nonetheless.
He shares that being a part of these intimate moments energizes him and his fellow employees. He adds that moments like these help cast members feel proud of their work and recognize that they’re a key part of the theme parks’ growth.
“We’ve been talking, we’ve been seeing the concept art for a while, but now this is actually becoming reality,” Lim said. “I think there’s a significance when our cast members can actually see these concepts come to life, and they want to be a part of that. They want to put their name on that.”
A strong relationship among cast members directly affects guests’ experience at the parks, Sardeshmukh said. Having cast members be part of every step of these expansions makes the end goal mean a lot more, he says.
“When you can do things that feel like you’re part of (the growth), because you’re literally writing your name on the beam, you understand the story,” Sardeshmukh said. “You can deliver those experiences in a way that, aside from our guests expecting that from us, just makes magic.”
How has Animal Kingdom evolved over the years while maintaining its core focus on animal conservation?
The metal beam will soon join thousands of others to cement its place in the park’s history, but what exactly is Animal Kingdom’s legacy?
The theme park turned 26 last year, opening to the public on April 22, 1998, which is otherwise known as “Earth Day.” In addition to its thrilling attractions and shows, it is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums for excellence in animal management, care, and treatment.
Sardeshmukh notes that for over 25 years, Animal Kingdom has been rooted in its connection to nature. It often leaves its patrons with a call to action after their journey through the park, whether it sparks curiosity about the environment, a desire to engage with longtime legends or a hunger to learn about other cultures.
Regardless of how much the park changes and expands, he stresses that nature and its conservation are always at its core.
“I think that has something that has endured over the last 25 years, and for us to be able to take new stories … it allows us to find ways to keep fresh that consistent message around the connections to nature for both new audiences, as well as ones that love the stories that we’ve told over the last 25 years,” Sardeshmukh said.
‘We’re always growing.’ When does Dinoland U.S.A close?
Over the last year, several of Dinoland U.S.A.’s attractions have closed. Its remaining ride and eatery will close on Feb. 2, 2026.
“We’re gonna continue to have mythical and fantastic beasts and the things that connect to what our rich history is,” Sardeshmukh said. “While I know Dinoland means a lot to our guests, I’m excited that we get to share things with them that are new and very much connected to the heart and soul of what Dinoland has delivered to them.”
Lim, who is currently a cast leader at the land, says he’s proud of the work his team has put into Dinoland U.S.A., adding that their efforts continue through its final weeks. He noted that both guests and castmembers have strong connections to the themed land.
“There is such an energy amongst (castmembers) to show our final guests what they do every single day. We have a lot of guests who have those emotional memories tied to Dinoland,” Lim said, adding, “We love that, and we know that our guests are going to create even more of those emotional connections with what’s coming.”
When does Animal Kingdom’s ‘Encanto’ ride open?
The beam is headed for Disney’s first-ever “Encanto” attraction. It will open at Animal Kingdom in 2027, along with the rest of the new land.
” Inside the Casita, Antonio has just received his special gift — the ability to communicate with animals — and his room has transformed into a rainforest. It’s time to go explore alongside him, and you never know what member of the family you might bump into …” the ride’s description states on Disney’s blog.
Sardeshmukh says this new attraction fits into Animal Kingdom’s overall vibe.
“At the end of the day, Antonio is a character in the movie that speaks and connects with animals, and this park is about that connection between people and animals, and to do it like ‘Encanto’ does with this magical realism and establishing this very vibrant community and how nature is an integral part of that,” Sardeshmukh said.
Lim said it’s not just a beam.
“It’s a big metal beam, but it means more than that,” Lim expresses. “It means (castmembers) get to be a part of history.”
Samantha Neely is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, theme parks, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.floridatoday.com ’
