Three experience closures at the moment are underway at Walt Disney World, all having their final day of operations yesterday and now starting multi-month (or year-plus!) tasks as we speak, January 6, 2025. And much more sights are quickly or completely closing later this month, later this 12 months.
What’s coated beneath might be the ultimate slate of Winter 2025 closures, however anticipate to see much more tasks added to the 2025 Walt Disney World Refurbishment Calendar. Up to now, these would’ve been principally confined to January by early March and August by September. Nevertheless, the previous is now pretty busy and different instances of 12 months have slowed down comparatively–so extra tasks from Could all over September wouldn’t be in the slightest degree shocking. Not solely that, however prolonged closures are going to embody a number of seasons, slower and busier instances.
As we’ve identified on a number of events, there was a whole lot of deferred upkeep and proportionately fewer closures in the previous couple of years resulting from pent-up demand and price range cuts. Walt Disney World additionally misplaced a whole lot of seasoned upkeep Solid Members through the closure, a lot of whom took early retirement or just didn’t return.
That is exactly why “Upkeep & Sudden Downtime” made the checklist of Prime 10 Visitor Complaints About Walt Disney World! Trip breakdowns stay a problem and, in our view, these sudden closures are worse than routine refurbishments as a result of you may’t plan round them. In our view, it’s excellent news that many refurbishments at the moment are being scheduled concurrently, even when it does include the short-term ache of a number of main rides down throughout upcoming holidays.
In any case, simply wished to begin with a fast ‘heads up’ that Walt Disney World has a backlog of postponed tasks from the previous couple of years. A number of sights are overdue for refurbishments and can in all probability get them in 2025 or 2026–the tough factor will probably be timing to keep away from having too many “large” rides down in every park. It’ll assist that pent-up demand is exhausted, staffing has improved, and the cash spigot in Burbank has been turned on for Parks & Resorts, permitting for extra tasks of this nature to (lastly!) occur.
Right here’s what’s already closed as of January 6, 2025…and what else is on the horizon within the subsequent couple of weeks…
Kali River Rapids
Let’s begin in Animal Kingdom, the place Kali River Rapids has quickly closed for a routine refurbishment similar to it does each single winter. I can’t keep in mind the final time Kali River Rapids did not shut in January. I’m truthfully shocked Walt Disney World doesn’t pencil this into the calendar earlier as a visitor courtesy.
As at all times, that is as a lot as story of low-demand resulting from climate and crowds as it’s wanted upkeep. This being a “rip-roaring river raft experience” coupled with present excessive temperatures struggling to interrupt out of the 50s ought to inform you every little thing you’ll want to know.
Kali River Rapids is at present scheduled to reopen in March 2025, with no particular date set. What’s regular right here is for Kali River Rapids to reopen in mid-March on the newest, and forward of schedule if climate permits and demand dictates. The climate normally cooperates, and Kali River Rapids finally ends up reopening in early March–a few weeks forward of schedule.
With Dino-Rama completely closing, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Kali River Rapids returning as early as Presidents Day weekend. Once more, it comes down as to whether the climate is sufficiently good. We have been simply in DCA for New 12 months’s Eve and Grizzly River Run had a 5-minute wait all day lengthy (as lengthy headliners posted triple digits) as a result of it was just too chilly for a rapids experience. Animal Kingdom doesn’t have sufficient to do, however they’re not going to reopen Kali River Rapids in 50-degree temperatures. So it actually comes all the way down to the prolonged climate forecast. That’s kind of what dictates when this experience reopens.
Gran Fiesta Tour
Over at EPCOT, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros has closed for a short lived closure as of January 6, 2025. In response to the corporate’s calendar, the boat experience is at present anticipated to reopen by March 15, 2025.
In fact, refurbishments are at all times topic to alter, so Gran Fiesta Tour might reopen earlier or later. The present timeline means that the purpose is to have it again in direction of the start of the 2025 EPCOT Flower & Backyard Competition and begin of the Spring Break season. That is smart, and the capability is required within the Mexico pavilion in March and April.
Each signal factors to Gran Fiesta Tour merely getting some TLC and obligatory upkeep throughout this multi-month closure. Though there’s been hypothesis of a experience reimagining, there’s a couple of .001% probability of that occuring throughout this temporary (within the grand scheme of issues) closure. It’s in all probability extra about holding the attraction trying nice.
Nevertheless, this Gran Fiesta Tour refurbishment might be laying the groundwork for a future reimagining (see the final two years of Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster closures for routine upkeep within the lead-up to a reimagining that was lastly introduced). As with RnRC earlier than it, we predict one thing will occur right here finally–and we take a deeper dive into that matter in Is a Coco Boat Trip Coming to EPCOT?
Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad
There are a number of main and minor tasks now underway or beginning quickly in Magic Kingdom. The most important is that Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad is now closed for refurbishment as of January 6, 2025. In response to Walt Disney World, the wildest experience within the wilderness is deliberate to reopen in 2026 with a little bit bit of latest magic.
That’s all that’s been formally introduced in regards to the Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad closure, however we all know there are a whole lot of shifting elements to this reimagining, which had been rumored for over 6 months earlier than being formally confirmed by the corporate. There’s additionally rather a lot we will glean from development permits (plural) which have already been filed, and the presence of an infinite crane behind the attraction that towers over Frontierland.
Primarily based on earlier rumors and contractors listed on permits, Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad wants a major refurbishment involving substantial work on the experience system and a whole retracking. This long-planned challenge is seen as preventative work that’s essential to increase the helpful lifetime of the curler coaster, guaranteeing the experience’s longevity and operational standing for many years to return. Therefore the crane–it’s there to take away previous observe and change it with new observe (must be enjoyable to look at!).
There are much more shifting elements to this, together with how the BTMRR closure pertains to the Rivers of America alternative, pathway development connecting this aspect of Frontierland to Haunted Mansion, and work starting on Vehicles and Villains Lands. There’s additionally the matter of a reopening date in 2026. For all of that and extra, see Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad Closed for Refurbishment at Magic Kingdom Till 2026!
Astro Orbiter
Subsequent up in Magic Kingdom is Astro Orbiter. This Tomorrowland spinner will probably be quickly closed for refurbishment starting January 13, 2025, and is deliberate to reopen in the summertime of 2025.
Astro Orbiter will probably be closed for 6-8 months, with a reopening doubtless someday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It is also shortened or prolonged primarily based on the scope of the work, which is presently unknown. Disney could possibly be engaged on the elevators, queue, or experience system itself.
This attraction goes down about as soon as per decade for a closure of this length, which normally consists of disassembling, servicing, and rebuilding the spinner. It additionally usually will get a contemporary shade scheme and new lighting results, however nothing that materially alters the attraction. The identical challenge was simply carried out final 12 months at Disneyland. We wouldn’t anticipate an extension of this one except it does contain the elevators, that are at all times a wildcard.
Corridor of Presidents
Walt Disney World has introduced that Corridor of Presidents will go down for refurbishment beginning on January 20, 2025 and is anticipated to reopen later in 2025. For many who are questioning, that is customary, and exactly what we predicted would occur. (See our standalone put up in regards to the Corridor of Presidents closure, which has been up to date to debunk reimagining rumors (for now).
In concept, Imagineering might take the best possibility, reusing each the prevailing Trump Audio Animatronics determine and dialogue. This could primarily imply ‘restoring’ the present to its pre-2020 standing (properly, plus Biden, who will clearly be moved from center-stage). If that is the result, you may anticipate the closure to be considerably shorter than final time. Walt Disney World might theoretically do a fast refurbishment, having the attraction closed for a month or maybe much less.
All of that is in concept as a result of Walt Disney World may choose to go a budget route and preserve Corridor of Presidents closed longer to avoid wasting working bills. Corridor of Presidents isn’t precisely a marketable draw, that means it’s not “wanted” whereas different sights are closed to assist take in crowds. Disney stating that Corridor of Presidents is “anticipated to reopen later in 2025” as an alternative of offering a selected date–and even season–suggests they may draw it out to economize.
Level being, don’t assume that simply because this might have a faster turnaround time that it really will. Every time Corridor of Presidents does reopen, it’ll in all probability be pretty uneventful. There received’t be something new, per se, to publicize when Trump resumes his talking position and the attraction has change into divisive no matter who’s entrance and heart.
Dino-Rama
Dino-Rama and Dinoland USA will start their phased everlasting closures, beginning with the next in Winter 2025:
- TriceraTop Spin – Closed completely beginning January 13, 2025
- Fossil Enjoyable Video games – Closed completely beginning January 13, 2025
- Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures – Closed completely beginning January 13, 2025
The final day to expertise this experience and different choices will probably be January 12, 2025. Development partitions for the reimagining to Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom will go up in a single day and be seen to visitors on January 13, 2025.
The Boneyard, Restaurantosaurus, Dino-Chunk Snacks, Trilo-Bites, and DINOSAUR will keep open for now based on Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World has individually confirmed that visitors have “by 2025 to go get that dino…earlier than extinction” indicating that DINOSAUR is not going to shut till someday in 2026. Our expectation is that the experience closes in early January 2026, much like the above timelines, with the purpose of holding it open by the vacation season rush.
It stands to cause that the identical will probably be true of the Boneyard, Restaurantosaurus, and perhaps Trilo-Bites. These don’t essentially want to shut earlier. Given their areas and the turnaround time wanted to reimagine or change them, they may even keep open a bit longer than DINOSAUR.
It’ll come all the way down to what is smart from a capability and crowd-absorbing perspective. With DINOSAUR closed, will visitors actually be venturing to this dead-end nook of the park? Even with DINOSAUR open, it’s potential that demand drops to the purpose that Walt Disney World opts to shut the play space or eating choices earlier. Once more, this can be a firm large on saving working bills each time potential.
Blizzard Seaside
Not on any official checklist, however Blizzard Seaside has already had its first closure of 2025, with at the very least two extra on the horizon. Walt Disney World has up to date its calendar to point that Blizzard Seaside will probably be closed January 7-8, 2025.
That is nothing out of the unusual. Walt Disney World’s water parks routinely shut through the winter months when the each day excessive temperatures don’t break the 60 diploma barrier. It’s the very same story right here as with the Kali River Rapids closure–lack of demand. (I nonetheless keep in mind one chilly winter day when my household visited Blizzard Seaside within the 90s, considering we might “deal with” it since we’re Michiganders. Suffice to say, Blizzard Seaside actually felt on-theme that day, and was completely devoid of crowds. I had a blast, however I used to be a child—I’m certain it will’ve been depressing as an grownup.)
Anyway, we don’t usually report on Blizzard Seaside closures as a result of it’s mainly simply reporting on the climate. And Central Florida together with a lot of the nation are within the midst of a chilly entrance proper now. Every day lows in Bay Lake will probably be within the 40s (minus Friday) by January 18, 2025. It’s completely potential that Blizzard Seaside could possibly be closed for 8 consecutive days, and 10 out of the following 11 days.
That’s a giant deal by itself, however it’s much more important given Walt Disney World providing free water park admission in your check-in day in 2025. In the event you dig into the tremendous print, Walt Disney World makes clear that this perk is topic to the water parks being closed resulting from climate, and that “no refund or credit score given for any such adjustments or cancellation. Park admission and choices aren’t assured.”
From that, it appears fairly clear that visitors arriving on days when the water parks are closed resulting from climate are merely out of luck. I’m however curious as as to whether Walt Disney World will supply any visitor restoration choices for many who are impacted by this and plan their journeys round it. As an example, is Walt Disney World merely going to throw its fingers up and say “powerful break!” to a household that books a redeye flight to benefit from this free water park day? This perk is already very restricted in its utility resulting from realities of flight instances and water park hours, so having no restoration possibility can be a foul look.
For no matter it’s price, the tremendous print typically says issues like this and Walt Disney World’s unofficial coverage is rather more versatile. So should you’re one of many uncommon households that’s planning your journey across the water park day, I’d completely advocate inquiring about various choices. I’m not likely certain what one of the best plan of action is since that is model new and unprecedented, however I’d in all probability contact Disney as quickly because the closure hits the calendar (earlier than touring). Failing that, asking Solid Members on the entrance desk of your lodge upon arrival is another choice, as is inquiring at Visitor Relations. As at all times, you catch extra flies with honey, so be well mannered–and ensure to elucidate the way you purposefully deliberate round utilizing the perk.
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Your Ideas
What do you consider Walt Disney World closing so many sights suddenly? Are you prepared to “sacrifice” driving sights in your subsequent Walt Disney World trip if it means experience refurbishments and reimaginings that enhance the visitor expertise? Or would you like unreliable rides in poor form, however which can be really open (or at the very least, scheduled to be)? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
