This Walt Disney World trip refurbishment calendar lists the closure schedule for 2025 at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom. Sights shut for routine upkeep, security upgrades, enhancements, and reimaginings. (Up to date March 1, 2025.)
Whereas nobody desires attraction downtime throughout their journey to Walt Disney World, refurbishments are essential to preserve the rides trying good (and protected!) for future guests. Often, there are solely a handful of simultaneous closures, plus new sights being constructed. Word that the checklist beneath contains a number of refurbishments which have both been scheduled last-minute, prolonged, or are longer than regular.
In the event you’re visiting Walt Disney World within the subsequent couple of years, you’ll most likely encounter extra trip closures than previously. There are already a few main sights on the refurbishment calendar that will likely be closed between now and 2026. And these aren’t the one sights prone to go down for lengthy closures within the subsequent 12 months, Walt Disney World made main bulletins on the newest D23 Expo. That building will begin in early 2025, and necessitate quite a lot of trip closures.
Previous to this, Walt Disney World had not been doing almost sufficient preventative upkeep or trip refurbishments through the low season over the previous couple of years. Consequently, you can even count on loads of unplanned downtime. Since this occurs on account of rides breaking downtime, you possibly can’t actually plan for it (therefore it being “unplanned”), however we nonetheless point out this since you ought to put together for rides to go offline throughout your journey. If something is a “must-ride” for you, be sure you prioritize it and provides your self a buffer simply in case it breaks down throughout your days at Walt Disney World.
There’s additionally a whole lot of building occurring, albeit not almost as a lot as even a couple of years in the past. That’s largely as a result of Walt Disney World is now in between improvement cycles, one simply ended with the completion of the EPCOT overhaul and opening of Tiana’s Bayou Journey. The subsequent has simply begun with Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom; work will likewise quickly start on Vehicles Land at Magic Kingdom and Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios.
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Right here is the present schedule of Walt Disney World refurbishments to sights, when the closure begins, and when the refurbishment will conclude, up to date as of March 1, 2025:
Animal Kingdom
- DINOSAUR – TBD closure date in 2026 (probably mid-January 2026)
- It’s Robust to Be a Bug – Closing completely on March 17, 2025
- Kali River Rapids – Reopens on March 14, 2025
- The Boneyard – TBD closure date (probably early 2026)
- TriceraTop Spin – Completely closed
The most recent replace issues Kali River Rapids, which is at the moment closed for its routine winter refurbishment. As all the time, that is as a lot as story of low-demand resulting from climate and crowds as it’s wanted upkeep. Walt Disney World’s web site nonetheless states that Kali River Rapids is “anticipated” to reopen in March 2025, with no particular date set.
Nevertheless, there at the moment are hours listed for Kali River Rapids beginning March 14, 2025. What this implies is that Kali River Rapids will reopen on March 14, on the newest. It would return earlier, however it is going to be open by then. What’s regular right here is for Kali River Rapids to reopen a couple of days forward of schedule if climate permits and demand dictates. The climate often cooperates, and Kali River Rapids finally ends up reopening in early March–a few weeks forward of schedule.
With Dino-Rama now completely closed, we might Kali River Rapids returning as early as the primary week of March. The climate is good sufficient and it’s going to be a busier than regular week resulting from Mardi Gras and youth sporting occasions. Animal Kingdom already doesn’t have sufficient to do when all rides are operational, so it’s going to be a tough couple of years. (Then again, it’s now March and Walt Disney World simply up to date the hours for Kali River Rapids to mirror a mid-month return, so who is aware of.)
Talking of which, Animal Kingdom will quickly be a park in transformation as soon as once more. A Zootopia Tree of Life Present is changing It’s Robust to Be a Bug, and we now know that can shut on March 17, 2025.
A gap date for Zootopia: Higher Zoogether has not but been zoonounced, however with Zootopia 2 hitting theaters on Thanksgiving, the odds-on favourite is round November 26, 2025. Our greatest guess could be shortly earlier than then, each as a promotional instrument and to assist with that peak week’s crowds.
Building is now underway on the Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, which can change Dinoland USA. Partitions are already up across the Dino-Rama half of this enlargement, which was the roadside carnival space of the land. Tropical Americas will function Encanto and Indiana Jones sights, and the enlargement will open in 2027.
The Encanto darkish trip is being constructed on the previous Primeval Whirl web site, whereas Indiana Jones Journey will likely be a reimagining of DINOSAUR. Because the former is a contemporary construct, it’s going to take longer to assemble. We now know that this implies Dinosaur is protected by at the very least the tip of 2025. See When Will DINOSAUR & Dino-Rama Shut at Walt Disney World? for updates on this phased closure.
Magic Kingdom
- Astro Orbiter – Closed till Summer season 2025
- Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad – Closed till 2026
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant Playground – Closed by Spring 2025
- Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade – Completely closed
- Corridor of Presidents – Reopening date TBD
- Liberty Sq. Riverboat – Closing completely in 2025 (probably within the second half of 2025)
- Starlight Night time Parade – Debuting in Summer season 2025
- Tiana’s Bayou Journey – Now open!
- Tom Sawyer Island – TBD everlasting closure (probably within the second half of 2025)
- Walt Disney World Railroad – TBD momentary closure date
The most recent replace for Magic Kingdom is that the Dumbo the Flying Elephant Playground, which is situated within the attraction’s circus tent indoor queue, is now closed for multi-month upkeep. This venture has already been delayed as soon as, and was anticipated to start even sooner than what was initially introduced.
Building permits have been filed for this some time in the past, revealing that the world is probably getting new netting and flooring, at minimal. It’s protected to imagine that different areas of wear and tear and tear may also get replaced. Dumbo the Flying Elephant, the trip, will stay open through the refurbishment–it’s simply the indoor playground that’ll shut, however that may simply be bypassed.
Walt Disney World has confirmed that Corridor of Presidents is closed for a routine refurbishment (somewhat than a reimagining, as was as soon as rumored). In idea, this doesn’t have to be so long as regular since they have already got the Audio Animatronics and dialogue recorded. Nevertheless, we might see Disney maintaining Corridor of Presidents closed till the capability is “wanted” in an effort to save on opex.
Moreover, Astro Orbiter will likely be closed for 6-8 months, with a reopening probably someday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This attraction goes down about as soon as per decade for a closure of this length, which often contains disassembling, servicing, and rebuilding the spinner. As mentioned in The Way forward for Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, we’re anticipating many extra initiatives on this land over the following few years.
Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad is Closing for Refurbishment at Magic Kingdom till 2026! This closure has been rumored for the final 6 months, and have become an open secret as soon as the primary building allow was filed in June. At the moment, work was anticipated to start in August or September.
This BTMRR multi-year closure is notable as a result of there virtually definitely will likely be overlap, at the very least partially, with this venture and work to fill within the Rivers of America and start Vehicles building. Amongst different issues, it will embody connecting BTMRR and Villains Land with Liberty Sq. and Fantasyland.
Walt Disney World has revealed that the newly-announced Vehicles land in Magic Kingdom will change the Rivers of America, leading to everlasting closures of Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Sq. Riverboat. This venture had been in a holding sample till Florida authorized its closing main allow in mid-February, giving Disney the inexperienced mild to start eradicating Rivers of America. Building bidding websites counsel work will start in early March 2025.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t imply that the Rivers of America will shut then. That’s when work on the laydown yards and retaining ponds for displaced stormwater behind the park will start. That prepwork itself is probably going a reasonably concerned venture that can take a number of months. It’s totally potential that there’s no guest-facing work till a lot later within the 12 months.
So far as closing timelines go for the Rivers of America, all Walt Disney World has introduced is that this: “Forward of labor revving into excessive gear subsequent 12 months, company can have loads of time to expertise the appeal and nostalgia of Frontierland as it’s right this moment.” Our guess is that this implies these closures gained’t happen till after Easter 2025.
For additional predictions concerning the Rivers of America closure timeline, see When Will Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island Shut at Magic Kingdom? As with Dinoland USA at Animal Kingdom, that is prone to be a multi-phased closure.
EPCOT
- ¡Celebración Encanto! – Prolonged indefinitely
- Gran Fiesta Tour – Closed till March 15, 2025
- Check Observe – Reopens someday in Late Summer season 2025
The largest factor occurring at EPCOT is Check Observe’s reimagining. The favored thrill trip closed in mid-June, and a reopening date has not but been introduced.
This Check Observe reimagining will probably final till at the very least Late Summer season 2025, with an affordable chance of it taking till October 1, 2025. We count on 12-14 months of downtime, with an outdoor likelihood of the closure lasting even longer if Check Observe 3.0 actually is getting elaborate present scenes like its predecessor, World of Movement.
Trying ahead, Spaceship Earth is lengthy overdue for monitor and trip system upkeep, and that may necessitate a multi-month (if not year-plus) closure. Journey into Creativeness can also be a few decade overdue for a redo, however there’s no phrase that’s on the horizon, both.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Jedi Coaching Academy: Trials of the Temple – Completely Ended
- Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy – Completely Closed
- Villains Unfairly Ever After Present – Opens in Summer season 2025
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid – Reopens in Summer season 2025
Walt Disney World has introduced that Voyage of the Little Mermaid gained’t be returning. A minimum of, not by the identical identify. A reimagined model of that stage present is coming in Summer season 2025 and will likely be renamed to “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey.”
On the stage present entrance, Disney has additionally closed Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy to make manner for a Villains Magic Mirror Stage Present. That is supposedly debuting in Summer season 2025, however we’ll see. The delayed opening of the Little Mermaid present doesn’t precisely instill confidence.
Exterior Theme Parks
- Blizzard Seaside Water Park – Open for the season by at the very least Spring 2025
- Skyliner Gondolas – Two-week phased closure probably someday in 2025
- Storm Lagoon Water Park – Closed for the season by at the very least Spring 2025
Blizzard Seaside has as soon as once more closed, which occurred simultaneous with Storm Lagoon reopening. It is a commonplace seasonal closure, and occurs each single 12 months resulting from a scarcity of demand through the colder time of 12 months. The massive query is whether or not each will function concurrently in Summer season 2025. Our guess, sadly, is that they won’t.
The opposite closure outdoors the parks of which try to be conscious is the Skyliner, which can probably go down for its annual refurbishment someday in 2025. Or perhaps not. In every of the previous couple of years, it might’ve occurred by now. Will Disney’s Skyliner Shut for Refurbishment in 2025? provides predictions as to when the gondolas will shut–or whether or not they may in any respect.
In any other case, the attraction closures above are fairly straight-forward. To the extent that particular dates usually are not but listed, these will likely be up to date as soon as Walt Disney World offers exact begin and/or finish dates.
Along with scheduled attraction refurbs, unscheduled downtime may also happen throughout a go to. This often solely happens for a couple of hours at a time, so in case you discover an attraction is closed throughout your trip and it’s not listed beneath, it’s probably a short lived closure that can final (at most) for a couple of hours. Test with close by Forged Members to substantiate.
For resort work, please see our 2025 Walt Disney World Resort Building & Refurbishments. If you’re anxious that any of resort resort renovations will impression your keep, right here’s a basic rule to bear in mind: room refurbishments hardly ever impression resort stays. These happen in particular clusters, and also you’ll hardly ever discover the work being achieved.
Now, right here’s a little bit of my philosophy regarding refurbishments…
Normal Ideas on Refurbishments
When information comes out about any refurbishment, my fast response is all the time, “that is nice–it means they’re really doing one thing to the attraction!” My thoughts races with the chances of how sights could possibly be improved or plussed by Walt Disney Imagineering. Though we’d miss it on our subsequent Walt Disney World go to, I’m all the time excited.
In studying suggestions from others, I’ve found this angle places me within the minority. Others on-line fume about this, and the way it might alter or impression their trip plans. The saying “trip ruined” has attained near-meme standing amongst some followers, and that felt apt for among the complaints. I can perceive the angle. Assessing the scope of the refurbishment upfront, scheduling liberal refurbishment dates, and opening early (under-promising and over-delivering) is all the time preferable to the choice.
I may also perceive that there’s different pent-up frustration at play right here, starting from radio-silence on initiatives to Walt Disney World’s tardiness in releasing park hours whereas anticipating company to plan a number of months upfront. Neither of those strikes by Disney, amongst others, are defensible. At greatest, this communication is poor visitor service. At worst, it’s demonstrative of a contemptible angle in direction of company.
Nevertheless, I stay of the mindset that this refurbishment extension–and different present refurbishments–is probably a great factor. Among the many most vocal followers upset concerning the extension are those that are like me: company who go to Walt Disney World at the very least every-other 12 months. We’re enjoying the ‘lengthy’ fandom recreation.
From my perspective, investing within the long-term high quality of an attraction is much extra vital than the momentary satisfaction I’ll get out of driving it on my subsequent go to. I get excited when eager about methods rides could possibly be plussed, enhancing the expertise for years to come back. Because of this it all the time perplexes me when regulars contend that their trip will likely be ruined as a result of their favourite attraction will likely be closed.
If it’s your favourite attraction and also you’re energetic within the Disney fan group, meaning you’ve been to Walt Disney World earlier than and doubtless will go to once more. It could thus stand to purpose that you’d need one thing you like to get the TLC it deserves, and proceed to enhance.
DINOSAUR works as a great instance right here. This attraction was once referred to as Countdown to Extinction (“CTX”) earlier than an ill-advised film tie-in was added. Throughout that period, DINOSAUR had a litany of extra results, a lot of its AAs had better performance, and the attraction was, as an entire, extra spectacular.
If you’re a long-term fan, would you somewhat expertise DINOSAUR each single 12 months with 66% of the results working, or each single 12 months minus one with 95% of the results working? For me, the reply to that’s straightforward. I’ll take a superior long run expertise each time. (That that is even a legit query for long-time followers speaks to the ‘on the spot gratification’ nature of issues right this moment, however that’s effectively past the scope of this put up.)
Past that, there’s the rather more compelling justification for normal refurbishments: they’re important for the protection of sights. Whereas we consider these sights as all enjoyable and video games that provide a protected sense of exhilaration, that’s when they’re correctly maintained.
It’s disagreeable to consider, however there have been a number of preventable deaths within the historical past of Disney’s parks. Throughout a darkish period of Disneyland historical past, improper upkeep was the reason for demise on Massive Thunder Mountain (fortunately, Paul Pressler’s reign of terror is over). Years of neglect at Disneyland Paris have led to incidents of damage that could possibly be attributed to a scarcity of upkeep (once more, this has been addressed).
This isn’t meant to scare anybody or provoke an emotional response; the very fact is that Disney’s worldwide security file is sterling as in comparison with different park operators. It’s nonetheless vital to do not forget that these enjoyable, ‘magical’ locations additionally exist in the actual world and use a whole lot of probably harmful parts if security shouldn’t be considered as key. (Or, in Disney’s case, one of many “5 Keys.”)
In relation to upkeep that isn’t important to the protected operation of an attraction, we’re left to ponder what quantity of present high quality must be accepted. If following a strict Nunisian practitioner of the 4 Keys, present is one other paramount consideration, and it ought to all the time be 100%. That is good company propaganda, however I feel the sensible actuality is that 100% is an unworkably excessive threshold in lots of circumstances.
I feel we’ve seen this play out with Expedition Everest. Followers joke concerning the “Disco Yeti” and lament the truth that this jaw-dropping Audio Animatronics determine has not labored in almost a decade. There are quite a few theories as to why the Yeti hasn’t been fastened; what every of those share is that there are large-scale issues and no fast fixes.
Fixing the Yeti would require a closure of at the very least 6 months, and be fairly costly. The working Yeti is really an impressive sight to behold (and one most of you most likely haven’t seen in A-mode until you rode over a decade in the past), however the attraction remains to be spectacular with the Disco Yeti. At this level, it’s probably that Disney has decided the closure would take too lengthy, price an excessive amount of, and the advance wouldn’t be well worth the funding.
There’s additionally the truth that Animal Kingdom is missing in rides. Even after the opening of Pandora – World of Avatar, the park nonetheless is heavy on exhibits and animal reveals and light-weight on rides. Taking one of many park’s flagship rides down for six months to a 12 months to repair one Audio Animatronics determine that company see for 1-2 seconds may not be well worth the sacrifice.
As a staunch proponent of present high quality, I’ve a tough time accepting the identical argument for any attraction in Magic Kingdom, a park with a veritable “mountain vary” and numerous slate of different sights. In actual fact, the identical goes for each fortress park. These parks have sufficient sights to choose up the slack if 1-2 sights should be taken offline concurrently with out ruining any holidays.
Company are understandably involved when it seems an inordinate variety of sights are closing throughout their trip. Walt Disney World holidays usually are not low cost and are sometimes as soon as in a lifetime experiences. First-timers definitely don’t need to miss out on experiences about which they’ve learn intensive hype.
Nevertheless, the issue with a “not throughout my trip” angle like that is that it’s all the time going to be somebody’s (or tens of 1000’s of someones) trip. If sights with present high quality points don’t shut for refurbishments for concern of some company throughout a time-limited window lacking out, all company in perpetuity are going to have a lesser expertise.
Working an attraction with damaged results is simply going to compound issues, and ultimately a single damaged impact will flip into myriad damaged results. Think about this situation park-wide, performed out to its pure penalties. That’s not precisely what I’d name the “Disney Distinction.”
Once more, DINOSAUR is an effective instance right here. If it’s your first go to and also you expertise DINOSAUR with 66% of the results working, you gained’t know what you’re lacking. Using it is going to, little doubt, be superior to not driving it. Nevertheless, I’m guessing your satisfaction ranking of the attraction wouldn’t be almost as excessive, and also you would possibly query why so many individuals love the attraction, and why Disney was lazy with a lot empty, darkish area. (Or, maybe you gained’t: in case you solely ever eat pet food, you gained’t know what you’re lacking in a pleasant steak.)
The factor is, if Disney wouldn’t shut DINOSAUR throughout your trip so that you don’t miss out on it, chances are high that they’d prolong the identical “courtesy” for different company, and it might be commonplace working process to by no means shut something throughout anybody’s trip.
The top results of this could be a park filled with “66% sights” and first-timers could be left questioning why there was a lot hype about Walt Disney World, within the first place. In the event you’re studying this as a lifelong fan, contemplate the likelihood that you simply wouldn’t have turn into a lifelong fan if this have been really Disney’s modus operandi. (In actual fact, I’d argue that Walt Disney World is trending on this route, dragging its toes on a number of needed refurbishments, with the inaction being predicated upon quick time period visitor satisfaction or cost-savings.)
This would possibly sound like we’re making use of ‘heavy’ Rawlsian idea to the lighthearted matter of theme parks, however philosophy isn’t value a rattling if it may possibly’t be utilized to theme parks. 😉
Quite a lot of this would possibly seem to be an effort to absolve Disney of blame in the case of refurbishments, however this isn’t the case. Disney has introduced a whole lot of the visitor unrest regarding refurbishments upon itself. The primary challenge is that Disney has quite a few parks which have opened within the final 20 years with incomplete slates of sights, making it tough to justify taking sights offline for refurbishment. So the 1st step, an entirely impractical step at this level, could be to open theme parks which can be full on day one.
Failing that, Disney might keep away from a whole lot of the visitor backlash regarding refurbishments if they’d schedule extra 3-4 day refurbishments of sights to proactively handle issues with preventative upkeep. Though this could not completely negate the necessity for prolonged refurbishments, it might enhance present high quality throughout the board and assist keep away from a whole lot of conditions the place sights should abruptly shut as a result of they’re in dire want of upkeep. Furthermore, a 3-4 day refurbishment is shorter than the length of most holidays, permitting vacationers to successfully plan across the refurbishment.
On this case, each events planning forward would stop these “trip ruined!” complaints. Don’t fear, Disney, we followers are resilient: we’ll nonetheless discover one thing else to complain about. 😉
Joking apart, I notice that’s a tricky line to attract between an excusable refurbishment and a frustratingly irritating one. Even in case you subscribe to the a point of the ‘philosophy’ I’m advancing, there isn’t a bright-line rule. It’s nonetheless going to quantity to a worth judgment about what ought to ‘set off’ a necessity for refurbishment, what number of sights must be down concurrently throughout Walt Disney World, and what occasions of 12 months are perfect for which refurbishments.
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Your Ideas
Any questions concerning the present refurbishments at Walt Disney World? What do you concentrate on refurbishments on the Disney Parks? Are you extra involved about an improved long-term expertise, or do you suppose “not throughout my trip!”? The place do you draw the road? Every other components you suppose are value contemplating? As talked about, we predict this can be a dialog, so please share your ‘refurbishment philosophy’, or another ideas or questions you might have, within the feedback!