Countdown - 81 Days to Go!

Disneyland Photo Credit: JillianWallin

🏁 81 Days Out: Grab Your Fedora—It’s Time to Dig Into Indiana Jones!

81 days to go—and as many Disney lovers are aware... A LOT is going on in the Disney parks these days. Especially in Animal Kingdom!

Indiana Jones Queue - Disneyland Photo Credit: JillianWallin

Now, I know a lot of people claim that Animal Kingdom is a half-day park, but honestly, there is so much to do here! And while I’m very excited to have one more chance to ride the ever-lovable Dinosaur ride... I’m even more excited about the Indiana Jones ride coming to Disney World!

Of course, they’re not just going to copy and paste a previously existing version. They’ve got to make it fit with the Animal Kingdom overhaul that’s underway. So, as Encanto and the Tropical Americas take over in 2027, what better time to add a whole new Indiana Jones adventure? Bring on the Mayan temple!¹

But 2027 is still a ways off—so let’s look back to the 1990's when it all began...

🗺️ Park Timeline: Where You Can Ride It

🌍 Park	📅 Opening Date	✨ Notes
Disneyland (CA)	March 4, 1995	Often known as the “ride that is most likely to be down.” I always try to get on it first thing—it’s 100% worth it!
Magic Kingdom (FL)	—	Unlike parks around the world, Magic Kingdom doesn't house any Indy ride or show!
Animal Kingdom (FL)	Coming 2027	Coming soon!
Disneyland Tokyo	September 4, 2001	Crystal Skull… before the Crystal Skull movie? Could this be where they got the idea?!
Hong Kong Disneyland	—	No Indy ride here.
Disneyland Paris	July 30, 1993	While the Stunt Show may be the OG Indy reference… this is the OG ride!
Shanghai Disneyland	—	No Indy ride here either.

🧭 Fun Facts You Might Not Know

1. While Disney World may not have an Indiana Jones ride just yet, the first Indy-related attraction was the stunt show at what’s now Disney’s Hollywood Studios! According to Beyond the Attraction, this show’s been around so long that the children of the original performers are now working it!

   
   

2. Though I can’t recall it myself… as you zoom through the tomb with skeletons galore, do a double take—you might just see one wearing a Mickey ears hat!²

   
   

3. The Paris ride is a good old-fashioned roller coaster… I mean thrill ride!

   
   

4. If you look closely in the queue, you may recognize some of the pieces—fun fact: some of those are REAL props from the movies!³

   
   

5. Thanks to the way the special effects are set up, you could ride it 160,000 times and still experience something slightly different each time!³

   
   

6. Apparently, the queue gives you a hint about whether the ride is running. If the lights flicker like an old-time gas lamp—you're good to go.If they’re steady… settle in, you might be waiting a while.³  If they’re steady… settle in, you might be waiting a while.³

   

   Indiana Jones - Disneyland Photo Credit JillianWallin

   
   

🐍 Final Thoughts

Indiana Jones has been one of my favorite Disneyland rides for as long as I can remember. I also vividly remember the number of times I’ve gotten in line only to be told the ride is down and to come back later. Which prompted my first tip: if you want to try this ride out… go first thing in the morning before the curse of the tomb takes effect!

Let’s hope when Indiana Jones opens in Animal Kingdom in 2027, they’ve found a way to counter the effects of the cursed ark!

📚 References

1. Squires, B. (2025, September 10). Indiana Jones ride will have a new story at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom. Entertainment Weekly. https://ew.com/indiana-jones-ride-new-story-disney-world-animal-kingdom-8691490

2. Brown, R. (2025, August 7). 10 cleverly concealed details you may have missed in Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure. Mickey Visit. https://mickeyvisit.com/secrets-of-indiana-jones-adventure/

3. Epstein, L. (2014, August 11). 22 things you never knew about Disneyland’s Indiana Jones ride. BuzzFeed. https://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/things-you-never-knew-about-disneylands-indiana-jones-rid