Walt Disney World is adding a new attraction called "Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent" featuring a realistic animatronic of Harrison Ford [1].
The project marks a significant expansion of the Indiana Jones franchise within Disney parks. By using advanced robotics to recreate the likeness of the actor, Disney aims to provide a high-fidelity experience that integrates the legacy of the character into a new themed environment.
The attraction will be located in the Tropical Americas area of Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom [1]. This new themed land is part of a larger redevelopment plan for the park, where the Tropical Americas area was slated to replace DinoLand USA in 2024 [4].
Actor Harrison Ford, 84, worked with Disney Imagineers to model the animatronic [2, 5]. The use of Ford's direct likeness ensures the robot captures the specific mannerisms and appearance of the actor who defined the role for decades [1].
Disney first announced the project during the D23 Expo in 2024 [1, 4]. The announcement highlighted the company's intent to bring the archaeologist back to the parks through this technological recreation [4].
While some reports suggest Ford is returning for a "next adventure" [2], the primary focus of the attraction is the deployment of the animatronic [1]. This allows the character to remain a permanent fixture of the park regardless of the actor's availability for live appearances.
“The ride will feature an Indiana Jones animatronic directly modeled after Harrison Ford”
The shift toward high-fidelity animatronics allows Disney to preserve the image of aging stars in permanent installations. By anchoring the ride in the Tropical Americas area, Disney is pivoting its Animal Kingdom strategy away from prehistoric themes toward more human-centric exploration and adventure narratives.
