Credit: Disney Leadership at the Walt Disney World Resort has shifted with a major new appointment for the location’s Animal Kingdom theme park.
This year has felt particularly ripe for changes at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Central Florida. No corner of the sprawling 25,000+-acre resort has been untouched by construction, refurbishment, or landscaping. At present, multiple projects are on the go, including the uprooting of DinoLand U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom, the transformation of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, and the arrival of Monstropolis in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Animal Kingdom seems to be the furthest along–after all, it did start the earliest. With DinoLand all but eradicated, the decades-old location is being kept alive by the likes of DINOSAUR. Soon, though, none will be left as Disney prepares to construct and debut its Tropical Americas-themed land, the Pueblo Esperanza.
The Tropical Americas, featuring the Encanto and Indiana Jones franchises, will open in 2027, marking a major new milestone for the Animal Kingdom theme park.
But that’s not all that has changed at Disney’s nature-themed park. A new leader has been announced to manage Animal Kingdom moving forward. Formerly the Director of Transportation Operations at Walt Disney World, Ketan Sardeshmukh has now stepped into the Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom role after the position was left vacant, per WDW Magic.
Earlier this year, Maryann Smith left the park’s VP position to take on the responsibility of Vice President, Food and Beverage and Merchandise at Walt Disney World. Sardeshmukh will continue working under Jeff Vahle, the President of Walt Disney World, as well as Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences.
Aside from the development of the Tropical Americas, the Animal Kingdom will soon welcome another update in the form of Zootopia: Better Zoogether. The new show, which replaces It’s Tough to be a Bug! at the Tree of Life Theater, officially begins performances on November 7, 2025.
The winter season debut of Zootopia: Better Zoogether comes as Disney prepares to bring the beloved characters back to the big screen in Zootopia 2 (2025), which opens in theaters on November 28.
How do you feel about all the changes taking place both upfront and behind the scenes at the Walt Disney World Resort? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!