Construction of the Indiana Jones Adventure

Part 1

Let’s take a trip to Disneyland back in 1993. Word was out that an incredible new attraction had just broken ground at Disneyland. This new attraction, “Indiana Jones Adventure - Temple of the Forbidden Eye” was going to set the bar for immersive theming and storytelling. When the attraction opened in 1995, guests waited hours for the chance to feel like they’re in an Indiana Jones movie. The immersive theming of a lost river delta is masterful, and this level of detail is carried through the entire attraction. Over 15 years later, the Indiana Jones Adventure remains a favorite among Disneyland guests, and continues to be one of the park’s iconic thrill attractions.

I wanted to dedicate space on Bear-ytales.blogspot.com to showcase the construction of this groundbreaking attraction. Living close to Disneyland gave me the opportunity to document this process long before digital cameras and websites made something like this commonplace. Sit back and enjoy this exclusive, and see how The Temple of the Forbidden Eye arose from the Disneyland parking lot.

A lavish exterior queue was on display in Adventureland for many months before the rest of the attraction opened to guests. (Gotta love those tube socks!)

Let's ride one of three operating and dependable Monorail trains for an elevated look at the construction progress, looking west from an area near Disneyland's main gate. The Pirates of the Caribbean show building is on the right.

Looking east across the site. The old Grand Hotel is in the distance.

The cement pit will soon become the Cavern of Bubbling Death.

Looking west, the first pieces of the building have gone up.

The show building was not built on a cement slab. Instead, each support beam was secured in a footer, similar to the supports of a roller coaster.

The original maintenance bay is on the right. Soon after opening it was tripled in size.


Looking north into the future Rat Cave and Dart Corridor.

Track placement is in progress. The interior track will be the future home of the Mud Slide scene, and the left turn behind the giant carving of Mara's face. The track closest to the camera is the future Dart Corridor. From there, your Troop Transport Vehicle will make a sharp right into the Rolling Boulder scene, on the far left of the image.

Part 2