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2026 & 2027 Disney World Refurbishment Schedule & Ride Closures

Nothing is worse than spending hours upon hours planning your trip to Walt Disney World, only to find out your favorite attraction is under refurbishment. That’s why we created this 2026 & 2027 Disney World Refurbishments and Closure schedule, which will help you know what’s open and what’s closed.

Walt Disney World Ride Closures and Refurbishments

In this post, we will look at all 4 theme parks at Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom) and let you know the refurbishment calendar and which rides are closed in each park.

We’ll also cover temporary closures, and which rides in Walt Disney World are permanently closed.

It’s not uncommon for Disney to change the refurbishment dates around on the calendar, so make sure to keep checking back here multiple times before your next trip, so you can see which rides will be open and which ones will be closed. We’ll also cover refurbishments to hotels, restaurants, and shops in Disney World.

Also, if you want the latest Disney World Refurbishment News, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. We’ll bring you the latest updates as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Why Does Disney Do Refurbishments to Rides?

Disney World Refurbishments and Ride Closures

While it’s always the biggest bummer to go to Walt Disney World and have your favorite attraction closed, at times it happens. Sometimes you can prevent it by looking at the closures schedule and planning your trip for another time, but other times, Disney decides to refurbish attractions at the last minute, without notice.

Why does Disney do refurbishments to rides?

As much as we don’t like them, attraction refurbishments are necessary from time to time. With the millions of people that ride these attractions each year, eventually, they break down and need fixing.

Some of the Disney World ride closures could last a few days, and sometimes they last for months. It all depends on the type of work being done. In the long run, it’s best for these attractions and if they didn’t close from time to time, their lifespan would be much shorter.

So while it’s never fun when you can’t ride certain attractions, they are unavoidable.

Walt Disney World Refurbishments

What Disney World rides will be closed in 2026, 2027 and beyond? Below we have a list of all the refurbishments happening in Walt Disney World right now, and which ones will be closed. Each one has a date with the beginning of the refurbishment and an expected completion date.

Again, these dates change often and Disney is unfortunately known to have refurbishments last longer than originally planned, so plan your trip with caution, knowing things can change by the time you get there.

Magic Kingdom

Tron Roller Coaster Construction Update December 2018 Magic Kingdom

Disney’s Magic Kingdom is the centerpiece of Walt Disney World, and there have been numerous refurbishments both big and small over the last few years.

Disney would like to touch up a lot of the older attractions before the festivities begin, but it’s unclear how much is in the budget for big refurbishments. It’s likely we’ll just see a lot of small improvements.

Refurbishments:

  • Astro Orbiter (NOW OPEN) This was a long refurbishment and the most significant this ride has had in years. It was more than regular maintenance and included a full rebuild of the ride system and re-installation of the themed planets.
  • Beak and Barrel (NOW OPEN) This Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge is now open and has quickly become one of my favorite bars in Walt Disney World.
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Closed 1/6/25 – Spring 2026) – Disney has started the long-awaited refurbishment to Big Thunder Railroad. It closed starting January 6, 2025 and will stay that way until at least Spring 2026. This will be the attraction’s biggest refurbishment yet focusing on the ride system, trains and other essential components.
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin (Closed 8/4/25 – Spring 2026) – This attraction will receive a major overhaul including new set elements, updated ride systems and enhanced gameplay features. It will have updated ride vehicles, improved handheld blasters, interactive targets and a new opening scene with “Buddy”, a support robot developed by Pixar and WDI.
  • Cinderella Castle – (Refurbishment from 1/28/26 – TBD) – Cinderella Castle will be undergoing an extensive refurbishment including a refreshed color scheme that is inspired by its original 1971 appearance. The work will require draining the moat around the castle and cranes that will be lifted and lowered each day. Some of the times for the entertainment around the castle will be modified as the work is going on.
  • Country Bear Musical Jamboree (NOW OPEN) – The newly updated version of the classic Country Bears Jamboree is now open with new songs that pay homage to the Opry-style shows of Nashville.
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant queue (Closed 1/27/25 – TBD 2026) Permits have been filed to update the playground flooring and replace the playground netting. Work started in February 2025 and it’s scheduled to open sometime “later in 2025.” No opening date has been announced at this time.
  • Jungle Cruise/Jingle Cruise (NOW OPEN) – This popular ride has returned to its normal theming after having the Christmas-themed overlay (Jingle Cruise) for the holiday season. It will remain as the standard Jungle Cruise likely until the 2026 holiday season.
  • Liberty Square Riverboat (Closed Permanently 7/7/25) This attraction has closed to make room for the new Cars-themed land Piston Peak.
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic (NOW OPEN)This attraction is back up after routine maintenance. Included in this are new seats for the show.
  • Move It! Shake It! MousekeDance It! Street Party (Closed 3/16/20 – TBD)
  • Pete’s Silly Sideshow (Closed 1/4/26 – Late 2026/2027) – This will be closed for a refurbishment which will last at least until the end of the year if not into 2027. Work will happen on the large tent structures and the meet-and-greets that are usually inside Pete’s Silly Sideshow will meet guests in alternate locations as long as work is being done.
  • Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (NOW OPEN) – This is the permanent replacement for Splash Mountain and features characters from Princess and the Frog.
  • Tom Sawyer Island (Closed Permanently 7/7/25) This attraction is closing to make room for the new Cars-themed land Piston Peak.
  • Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant (Closed 8/5/21 – TBD)The location of this quick service restaurant is often seasonal and used for fireworks show rather than a real restaurant.

Coming Soon:

  • Cars Rally Ride – (ETA: 2029)
  • Cars Kiddie Ride – (ETA: 2029)
  • Villains Roller Coaster – (ETA: 2030)
  • Villains Ride #2 – (ETA: 2030)

EPCOT

Spaceship Earth behind construction walls at EPCOT

This is the park in Disney World with the most refurbishments at the time, which is understandable considering the massive transformation project EPCOT is currently undergoing.

Have patience, especially when visiting EPCOT park since it’s likely that attraction statuses could change between now and your vacation.

EPCOT is also the park with the most coming attractions, though again that is very much in flux right now since Disney’s huge budget cuts last year, and they aren’t spending as much money as originally planned.

We anticipate many of the park’s attractions to be delayed and the work as a whole to move much slower than thought.

Refurbishments:

  • Frozen Ever After (Closed 1/26/26 – February 2026) – This attraction is getting new audio-animatronics for Anna, Elsa and Kristoff. They will vastly improve the realism of the figures over the current ones including more expressive faces, smoother movement, etc.
  • Refreshment Port (Closed 1/12/26 – 3/3/26) – This quick service location is temporarily closed for refurbishment. No other updates have been given yet including a reopening date.
  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (Closed 11/10/25 – 11/13/25) – This fan-favorite attraction will close for a few days as the screens inside the ride are being transformed from 3D to 2D. 3D Glasses will no longer be needed.
  • Soarin’ Across America (Opening Memorial Day 2026) – Disney has announced a new film debuting at EPCOT and Disney California Adventure in 2026 which will replace Soarin’ Around the World. No word if the current attraction will have to close or if the transition will be seemless.
  • Spaceship Earth (NOW OPEN) – This closed for temporary maintenance and not a big update to the ride. There may however, be some changes to small things on the attraction including video displays in the ride vehicles or new projection effects.
  • Test Track (NOW OPEN) – Disney has completed an overhaul to the Test Track attraction, let’s call this version 3.0. The update includes homage to the classic attraction World of Motion. The reopening date was July 22, 2025.

Coming Soon:

Hollywood Studios

Disney's Hollywood Studios Best Rides Tower of Terror

Hollywood Studios just recently went through a ton of new construction and now most projects are being done in other parks. No big refurbishments are scheduled for the time being.

Refurbishments:

  • Disney Junior Play and Dance! (Closed 5/25/25 – TBD) – This will temporarily close for a new limited-time experience “Get Animated” as part of the seasonal offerings, at least through September 1, 2025.
  • Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple (Closed 3/16/20 – TBD)
  • Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy (Closed Permanently 10/7/24) This closed down inside Sunset Showcase in 2024 to make room for the new Villains show “Disney Villains Unfairly Ever After” coming in the summer of 2025.
  • Mama Melorose’s Ristorante Italiano (Closed Permanently 5/10/25) Closing permanently for the new Monsters Inc. Land
  • Muppet*Vision 3D (Closed Permanently 6/7/25) Closed permanently for the new Monsters Inc. Land
  • PizzeRizzo (Closed Permanently 6/7/25) Closed permanently for the new Monsters Inc. Land
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (Closing Permanently 3/2/26) – This popular Aerosmith-themed coaster is closing permanently and will be re-imagined into a Muppets coaster.  Disney has not yet announced all the details for the project but we know it will be closed for at least 3-4 months. We will find out more soon. 
  • Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular (Closed 3/16/20 – TBD) All nighttime spectaculars including fireworks shows are closed right now in Disney World.
  • Vacation Fun – (NOW OPEN) – This show has reopened after a short refurbishment. No changes were made to the show itself.
  • The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure (NOW OPEN) The Voyage of the Little Mermaid has permanently closed and has made way for a newly re-imagined show “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” which opened in 2025.
  • Walt Disney Presents (NOW OPEN) The walk-through exhibits and movie portion of the attraction are now running after a small refurbishment.

Coming Soon:

  • Muppets Roller Coaster(ETA: Summer 2026)
  • The Magic of Disney Animation – (ETA: Summer 2026)
  • Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! – (ETA: Summer 2026)
  • Monsters Inc. Doors Coasters – (ETA: 2028)
  • Disney Villains Unfairly Ever After – (ETA: Summer 2025)

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom ride closures like Flight of Passage

There are very few refurbishments going on at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and except for the park’s entrance, everything is very quiet.

Refurbishments:

  • Dinosaur (Closing Permanently on 2/1/26) This will close as part of the Tropical Americas expansion and will be replaced by an Indiana Jones-themed attraction.  It will remain open through February 1, 2026 and then construction on the new ride will begin thereafter.
  • Harambe Market (Closed 10/20/25 – 3/1/26) – This is closing temporarily and will reopen with a refreshed menu with food items including burgers, chicken strips, and other quick service food once located at Restaurantosaurus.
  • Kali River Rapids (NOW OPEN) It closed for a standard refurbishment during the Fall months.
  • Restaurantosaurus (Closing Permanently 2/1/26) – This will close as part of the transformation of DinoLand USA into the new Tropical Americas-themed area of the park.
  • The Boneyard (Closed Permanently 9/2/25) The Boneyard is closing as a part of the new Tropical Americas expansion. A new kids play area is coming in its place.
  • TriceraTop Spin (Closed Permanently on 1/12/25) It closed for the upcoming Animal Kingdom expansion project as well as the entirety of DinoLand USA.
  • Trilo-Bites – (Closed Permanently on 10/19/25) – This will close as part of the transformation of DinoLand USA into the new Tropical Americas-themed area of the park.

Coming Soon:

  • Encanto Ride – (ETA: 2027)
  • Indiana Jones Ride – (ETA: 2027)
  • Zootopia: Better Zoogether! – (Opening 11/7/25)

Water Parks

Both Disney World Water Parks, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach have been closing on and off since March 2020. Since the reopening in July 2020, only one water park has been open at a time. Each time they reopen one, they close the other.

However, last year, starting May 1, 2025, it was the first time that both water parks were open at the same time since 2020. This gives guests the option of choosing which water park or parks they would like to visit.

Blizzard Beach (OPEN)

  • Annual Refurbishment (Closed 9/8/25 – 2/15/26) Blizzard Beach will open on February 15, 2026. It will run simultaneously with Typhoon through September 8, 2026. We will get more info after that on a potential closure for refurbishment.

Typhoon Lagoon (Closed 1/20/26 – 5/26/26)

  • Annual Refurbishment (Closed 2/15/26 – 5/26/26)Typhoon Lagoon will close for a multi-month refurbishment on February 15, 2026 and it will reopen for the summer starting on May 26, 2026 through September 8, 2026. Blizzard Beach will also be open at the same time.
  • Humunga Kowabunga (Closed 1/20/26 – TBD)These popular slides have been closed at Typhoon Lagoon for a refurbishment or potential re-imagineering. Disney has not given many details of the project so we are waiting to find out.

General Disney World Water Park Refurbishment Info

  • The Walt Disney World water parks run seasonally and are closed often due to the weather. The water parks usually close one at a time from January to March annually for regular maintenance and refurbishments, so one park should always be open.

Resort Hotels

Disney World Resort Hotel Refurbishments

With dozens of Walt Disney World Resort Hotels on property, they all need to undergo refurbishments from time to time. These can be on the hotel rooms themselves or any other part of the resorts including the pools, restaurants, lobby, bars, and common areas.

In recent years, many of the rooms at the Disney World resorts have frankly been dated, and not what you’d expect when spending $200-$800 per night or more on a hotel room. Thankfully there are a number of hotels that are getting completely new rooms with new furniture and furnishings.

Showing up to a hotel when there is major work going on can be annoying, and loud construction noise can even make it hard to sleep.

Make sure you look at this list of Disney World hotel refurbishments before you plan your trip so you know what kind of work is being done at your hotel and if you are ok with it.

Unfortunately, there are also still some hotels in Walt Disney World that are closed, many without reopening dates. We’ll continue to update the list as soon as we have those dates. Read our post on Disney World Hotels after reopening to see all the changes to expect when you go and our Rankings of the Best Disney World Resorts if you are trying to figure out where to stay.

Here is the current list of Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Refurbishments:

Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort

  • Fantasia Pool (Closed 9/8/25 – Late October 2025) Closing for routine maintenance and repairs.
  • Lobby Remodel and Update (NOW OPEN) – The entire lobby is getting updated with a refreshed look and new layout and design similar to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Old Key West Resort.

Disney’s All-Star Music Resort

  • Re-Imagined Guest Rooms (NOW OPEN) The reimagining of all the guest rooms at All-Star Music was going on when the resort closed and now the rest of the rooms have been upgraded.

Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort (NOW OPEN)

  • Re-Imagined Guest Rooms (NOW OPEN) Like the other 2 All-Star Resorts, the All-Star Sports was scheduled for a re-imagining of all the guest rooms. Work has now been completed.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort

  • Re-Imagined Guest Rooms (Closed May 2026 through January 2027) This is a months-long refurbishment to all guest rooms in Jambo House. All resort amenities will remain available to guests during this time.
  • Samawati Springs Pool Slide (Closed 9/8/25 to TBD) Closing for routine maintenance and repairs.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas

  • Re-Imagined Guest Rooms (Closed October 2025 through May 2026) This is a months-long refurbishment to all guest rooms in Kidani Village. All resort amenities will remain available to guests during this time.

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

  • Guest Room Refurbishment (Completion TBD) – Guest rooms at Art of Animation are being lightly upgraded with changes to furniture, carpeting, etc. Work is done on the Cars suites, and now is being done to the Nemo suites, with The Little Mermaid and The Lion King after that.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

  • Resort-Wide Refurbishment (Work happening from September 2024 through May 2026) Disney is in the middle of a massive refurbishment to the resort including the guest rooms, common areas and the pool and water play area.  Disney has not provided the details of all the work being done at this time.
  • The Bay Cove Pool & Cove Bar (Closed January 2026 to July 2026) The Bay Cove Poo, the Cove Bar, the water play area, and the whirlpool spa at Bay Lake Tower is temporarily closed for maintenance.  The Bay Lake Pool, the feature poo, the water play area, and the whirlpool spa at Disney’s Contemporary Resort will remain open for guests to enjoy.

Disney’s Beach Club Resort

  • Exterior Maintenance (Early Summer 2025 – 2027) – The resort will undergo routine exterior maintenance and will require the closure of the porte cochere. This should be open again in November 2025, but other exterior maintenance will continue through 2027.
  • Tidal Leisure Pool (Closed Mid January – ) – This pool area is undergoing regular maintenance. The Stormalong Bay Pool area will remain open during this refurbishment.

Disney’s Beach Club Villas

  • No current refurbishments

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

  • Resort-Wide Refurbishment (Work happening from November 2025 through 2026) Disney is in the middle of a massive refurbishment to the resort, however, they have not given details to exactly what is being worked on. More info to come soon.
  • Jellyrolls (Closed Permanently on 4/19/25) After almost 30 years, the popular dueling piano bar at Disney’s BoardWalk has ended operations.
  • The Cake Bake Shop (NOW OPEN) – This new bakery/table service restaurant is takes the place of the old ESPN Zone restaurant. It has savory and sweet options and focuses on its many decadent dessert options including cakes.
  • Big River Grille and Brewing Works (Closed Permanently on 1/21/24) – This restaurant and brewery located on the Disney BoardWalk closed for good on January 21, 2024. Food trucks will be added for additional lunch options.

Disney’s Boardwalk Villas

  • Re-Imagined Guest Rooms (1/10/23 – TBD) The renovation to all the DVC Villas at the BoardWalk Inn is still going on at this time.

Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

  • No current refurbishments

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

  • Fuentes del Morro Feature Pool (Closed 1/13/25 – Late January 2025)The Fuentes del Morro Feature Poo and Aquatic Play Area are closing for regular maintenance until the end of January.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

  • Resort-Wide Refurbishment (Work happening from September 2024 through July 2025) Disney is in the middle of a massive refurbishment to the resort including the guest rooms and common areas.  Disney has not provided the details of all the work being done at this time. 

Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

  • Cabin Refurbishment (Closed April 21, 2024 – TBD) – A select number of the Copper Creek Cabins will undergo refurbishment.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

  • No current refurbishments

Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

  • Chuck Wagon Food Truck (NOW OPEN) – This was a short refurbishment.
  • Meadow Simmin’ Pool Area (Will remain open during the work) A major expansion is underway here will will double the size of the pool area and it will add new recreational features such as a zero-entry pool, a new tennis court, 2 pickleball courts, and new deck space.
  • The Cabins DVC Remodel (NOW OPEN) – The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness were refurbished and have now become a separate DVC property.
  • Trail’s End Restaurant (NOW OPEN) – Trail’s End Restaurant has converted from a table service restaurant to a marketplace concept with expanded quick service options.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

  • Convention Center (April 2025 – November 2025) – Major refurbishment.
  • Courtyard Pool (NOW OPEN) – The Courtyard Pool, Pool Bar and whirlpool spa is closed from January 13 until late February for regular maintenance.
  • Garden Tea Room (Closed 3/14/20 – TBD) – This closed with the resort back in 2020 but it hasn’t reopened since.
  • Main Lobby (Closed April 2025 – November 2025) – Major renovation inspired by the lobby’s iconic birdcage. It keeps the soft piano music, glowing chandeliers, and aromatic floral arrangements create a luxurious, yet relaxing atmosphere.
  • Narcoossee’s (NOW OPEN) – This was closed for a lengthy refurbishment, similar in size and scope to that of Citricos. There are new dining room updates and a refreshed menu.

The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Disney’s Old Key West Resort

  • Turtle Pond Pool and Spa, BBQ Area and Playground (Closed Early January 2026 – Early February 2026) – This pool and amenities area is closed for routine maintenance. During the refurbishment, the other 3 pools at Old Key West will still be available.

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

  • No current refurbishments

Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

  • Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows (NOW OPEN) – Disney has built a a new DVC Tower at the Polynesian Resort on the old site of the Spirit of Aloha dinner show.
  • Kiki Tiki’s Water Playground Resort (Closed 1/21/25 – TBD) The play area near the Lava Pool is closed for regular maintenance. At this time there is no reopening date announced.

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

  • Resort-wide Refurbishment (NOW OPEN) The entire resort has been updated with a refreshed look.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter

  • Resort-wide Refurbishment (NOW OPEN) Over 1,000 guest rooms at Port Orleans Resort have been refreshed with a new interior design made to reflect the New Orleans-inspired look of the resort.

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

  • Magnolia Bend Guest Rooms Update (Closing Early April 2025 – January 2026) Complete reimagining of the Magnolia Bend rooms which are currently mansion-style buildings. I expect the outside style to remain the same but the rooms themselves will get a total refurbishment.

Disney’s Riviera Resort

  • No current refurbishments

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

  • The Paddock Pool Area (Closed 10/13/25 – December 2025) The Paddock Pool area will be closed for regular maintenance in October 2025. While work is being done here guests will still have access to the other pools at Saratoga Springs.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

  • Boat Dock (Closed 1/12/26 – Early April 2026 Closed for a small refurbishment.  Boat transportation will be suspended to all destinations from January 12-30. Boat transportation will resume after that and be available during the project. Bus transportation to all destinations will also be available.
  • Resort-wide Refurbishment (Completion Date TBD 2026?) Construction permits were filed with Adena Corporation who has worked on numerous projects around WDW. These permits have an expiration date of December 25, 2026. At this time we don’t know what will be included but we will keep you updated.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

  • Stormalong Bay (NOW OPEN) – The popular pool area recently underwent a five-month refurbishment. This routine refurbishment included Stormalong Bay, the shipwreck, the lazy river, and waterslide. Everything is now open once again and better than ever!

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (Closed Permanently)

  • Hotel Closure (Closed permanently 9/30/23) – The Galactic Starcruiser closed for good on September 30, 2023.

Reflections – Disney Lakeshore Lodge (Opening in 2027)

  • This is a new Disney World Resort Hotel that was being built on the site of the old River Country water park. It will offer a unique blend of rustic elegance and imaginative storytelling, providing guests with a serene escape along the shores of Bay Lake, between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Site work stopped in 2020 but it will resume soon.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort

  • Swan Guest Rooms Update (NOW OPEN) A full remodel took place to the Swan Resort guest rooms.
  • Meeting and Convention Spaces Update (11/9/24 – TBD 2026) This is a huge 120,000 square-foot, two-floor addition to the convention center including new meeting rooms, a multi-purpose area, pre-function space and an upper ballroom. No opening date has been given yet, just that it will open sometime in 2026.

Disney World Transportation

  • Disney Skyliner (Closed 1/25/25 – 1/31/26 & 1/24/27 – 1/30/27) The whole transportation system will be closed in January 2026 and 2027 for routine maintenance.

Disney Springs

  • Disney Springs Lime Garage (Closed 12/12/26 – 2/11/26) Routine maintenance and structural repairs to the garage. There will be a temporary reopening during the Presidents Day Holiday Weekend. During the work, the other Disney Springs parking structures will be available.
  • Sprinkles (Closed Permanently 1/1/26) All Sprinkles locations have closed down nationwide including the Disney Springs one. No word yet as to what is replacing it.

Ready to Start Planning Your Disney Vacation?

Mickey Mouse partners statue Magic Kingdom

If you feel overwhelmed planning a Disney vacation, use an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner such as Show You the World Travel. They are experts on every Disney location and can tell you where to stay, what to do, how to save money, and give you personalized service for your most magical vacation ever!

Permanent Ride Closures

Permanently closed Disney World rides like Great Movie Ride

While some attractions close only temporarily, others sadly close permanently. This happens when the ride is no longer deemed popular enough or Disney has other plans for that space, perhaps bringing in a new attraction in its place.

Here is a list of the permanent closures in Disney World in the recent past:

Magic Kingdom

  • Disney Enchantment – (Closed 4/2/23)
  • Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade – (Closed 6/23/24)
  • Liberty Square Riverboat – (Closed 7/7/25)
  • The Pirates League – (Closed 3/15/20)
  • The Muppets Present…Great Moments in American History – (Closed 1/1/20)
  • Splash Mountain – (Closed 1/23/23)
  • Stitch’s Great Escape – (Closed 1/6/18)
  • Tom Sawyer Island (Closed 7/7/25)
  • Wishes – (Closed 5/11/17)

EPCOT

  • Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure – (Closed 2/17/20)
  • The Circle of Life – (Closed 2/4/18)
  • Disney Harmonious (Closed on 4/2/23)
  • Ellen’s Energy Adventure – (Closed 8/13/17)
  • EPCOT Forever – (Closed 9/28/21 and again 12/4/23)
  • Illuminations: Reflections of Earth – (Closed 9/30/19)
  • Mariachi Cobre Presents… The Story of Coco – (Closed 6/2/20)

Hollywood Studios

  • The Disney Society Orchestra and Friends – (Closed 10/4/20)
  • Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy (Closed 10/7/24)
  • Muppet*Vision 3D (Closed 6/7/25)
  • Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away – (Closed 2/23/20)
  • The Great Movie Ride – (Closed 8/13/17)
  • The Voyage of the Little Mermaid – (Closed 3/16/20)
  • Wonderful World of Animation – (Closed 5/13/20)

Animal Kingdom

  • The Boneyard (Closed 9/2/25)
  • Finding Nemo – The Musical (Closed 3/16/20)
  • Primeval Whirl – (Closed 3/16/20)
  • Rivers of Light: We Are One(Closed 3/16/20)
  • TriceraTop Spin (Closed 1/12/25)

Resorts/Experiences

Disney World Seasonal Closures

Some closures in Disney World are seasonal, meaning similar work happens on those rides around the same time each year. Some of this is weather-based, like water parks for example, that are less likely to be popular during the Winter.

Here is a list of Seasonal Refurbishments in Disney World. These dates are estimates based on closures in past years:

  • Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park – Closes October to January for general maintenance and seasonal refurbishment.
  • Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park – Closes January to March for general maintenance and seasonal refurbishment.
  • Kali River Rapids – Can close anytime from January to March for general maintenance and seasonal refurbishment.
  • Jungle Cruise – Usually closes in Late October to Early November for Jingle Cruise holiday overlay; closes in Early January to remove holiday overlay.
  • Splash Mountain – This is one of the most refurbished attractions in Disney World. Usually closes in January/February for general maintenance and seasonal refurbishment.

What Season Does Disney Do Refurbishments?

Test Track refurbishment

Disney tends to do more refurbishments and ride closures in the “off-season” and when there are fewer people in the parks.

January and February are popular months and are good times to tune up the rides after the holiday season. This is especially true for water attractions like Kali River Rapids, Splash Mountain, or the water parks.

September is another popular month for refurbishments in Disney World since most of the crowds have gone home with the kids back in school. That means it’s a perfect time to fix up attractions needing maintenance.

While going to Disney World during the holidays or the busy season is more crowded, you are also less likely to find your favorite attraction closed for refurbishment at that time, which is a definite advantage.

Rumored Refurbishments

Figment animatronic Journey Into Imagination EPCOT

There are many rides in Disney World that NEED refurbishing, some staying the same for decades.

Here is a list of some Disney World attractions that have been rumored to be getting refurbishments and could be closing soon. Most of these haven’t been confirmed by Disney yet, but they are the most likely to close.

Magic Kingdom:

  • Big Thunder Mountain special effects additions
  • Walt Disney World Railroad – scene enhancements
  • Carousel of Progress – scene change
  • It’s a Small World – Disney character addition
  • Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
  • Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
  • Astro Orbiter

EPCOT:

  • Spaceship Earth – A total overhaul of this attraction was supposed to happen in May 2020, but then was postponed when the parks closed. No new date has been given yet.
  • Journey Into Imagination This has been the most rumored attraction to be getting a refurbishment, yet nothing confirmed from Disney. Many fans are not fans of the current version, but doing something that keeps Figment in the attraction is a must.

Hollywood Studios:

  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – Rumors of a possible theme change away from Aerosmith.
  • Tower of Terror – It’s possible new special effects could be added

Animal Kingdom:

  • Expedition Everest – We’ve been hearing about fixing the Yeti for years now, but it’s a very complicated task that would take months to do. Not sure that this will ever get done but we can hope.

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about the current list of ride closures and attraction refurbishments at Disney World…

  • Which ride are you most disappointed to see close?
  • Which rides need refurbishing the most?

Let us know in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media.  I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂

Tom

Tuesday 10th of February 2026

You seem about 3 months behind on par and ride status.

Marion

Saturday 25th of October 2025

Thanks for the updates Ziggy. Nice job. Now we can plan accordingly for our upcoming Dec 2025 family trip.

Gary Psinas

Tuesday 2nd of September 2025

The recent closure of Spaceship Earth (8-25-25) is listed under Hollywood Studios and the 2024 closure is still listed under EPCOT. Thanks for all the updates and weekly information Zigster.

George Mells

Saturday 22nd of March 2025

Is the Tiki Room being permanently closed or just undergoing refurbishment and maybe an update? I think i is such a Disney classic that it should go on forever, maybe moved to the Animal Kingdom if the space is needed for something else. Also, is there any indication what will happen to the building of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser attraction?

Frank Lapointe

Saturday 24th of August 2024

Miss the "Great Movie Ride" different film clips could have made an easy up grade, sad to see it is gone.