Walt Disney World Resort is moving forward with new leadership and major developments at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Ketan Sardeshmukh has been appointed as the new Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, according to WDW Magic. Sardeshmukh most recently served as Director of Transportation Operations at Walt Disney World. He now steps into the role left open earlier this year when Maryann Smith became Vice President of Food and Beverage and Merchandise at Walt Disney World. In his new position, Sardeshmukh will continue to report to Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle and Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro.
His arrival comes as Animal Kingdom undergoes its most transformative period since opening. One of the park’s cornerstone updates is the planned Tropical Americas land, officially titled Pueblo Esperanza. Replacing the (almost) closed DinoLand U.S.A., this new area will highlight the Encanto and Indiana Jones stories and is scheduled to debut in 2027. For now, DINOSAUR remains, but it too is expected to make way as construction progresses.
Alongside this expansion, Animal Kingdom is preparing for a new addition at the Tree of Life Theater. On November 7, 2025, the curtain will rise on Zootopia: Better Zoogether, which takes the place of It’s Tough to Be a Bug!. This experience will debut just ahead of Zootopia 2, the highly anticipated sequel opening in theaters on November 28, 2025.
Across Walt Disney World Resort, change is visible in nearly every direction. At Magic Kingdom, Frontierland is undergoing a major reimagining, while Disney’s Hollywood Studios is preparing for the arrival of Monstropolis. Construction, refurbishment, and landscaping projects span the resort’s 25,000+ acres, making 2025 a year of reinvention across multiple parks.
It’s clear that over the next decade, Disney World will look completely different from what it does now. With new leadership and ambitious projects on the horizon, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is poised to enter a new era of storytelling.
