This Walt Disney World journey refurbishment calendar lists the closure schedule for 2024 at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom. Points of interest shut for routine upkeep, security upgrades, enhancements, and reimaginings. (Up to date March 15, 2024.)
Whereas nobody needs attraction downtime throughout their journey to Walt Disney World, refurbishments are essential to hold the rides wanting good (and secure!) for future guests. Often, there are solely a handful of simultaneous closures, plus new sights being constructed. Be aware that the listing beneath consists of 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 now, the excellent news is that refurbishment ‘season’ has wrapped up in time for the beginning of Spring Break, which is without doubt one of the peak journey occasions. The dangerous information is that Walt Disney World has not been doing practically sufficient preventative upkeep or journey refurbishments through the low season over the previous few years, so you possibly can count on loads of unplanned downtime attributable to breakdowns. Right here’s a rundown of what to anticipate the following few months when it comes to deliberate attraction closures at Walt Disney World…
There’s additionally plenty of building occurring, albeit not practically as a lot as even a number of years in the past. Nevertheless, that massively understates the present closures and impression of building on guests to Walt Disney World all through the rest of the 12 months. Talking of which, in the event you’re in search of opening dates relatively than closures (and reopenings) to current sights, see the Disney Parks Venture Timeline for 2024 & Past. That covers each the official opening dates, plus our predictions about what’ll doubtless be delayed.
In order for you all the newest updates on attraction closures and journey refurbishments–subscribe to our free Walt Disney World electronic mail publication. We additionally share different information and on-the-ground reviews from the parks, when reductions are launched, and rather more.
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 15, 2024:
Animal Kingdom
- DINOSAUR – TBD closure date (doubtless late 2024 or early 2025)
- It’s Robust to Be a Bug – TBD closure date
- Kali River Rapids – Reopened early!
- Primeval Whirl – Completely closed & demolished
The one “actual” refurbishment on the calendar was Kali River Rapids, which was closed for its routine winter refurbishment for the final two months. As at all times, that is as a lot as story of low-demand attributable to climate and crowds as it’s wanted upkeep.
The excellent news is that’s previous tense and Kali River Rapids reopened early. The dangerous information is that it wasn’t by a lot, and never in time for the begin of this week’s 10/10 crowd ranges. As we famous when the refurbishment began: “Kali River Rapids typically returns forward of schedule if climate permits and demand dictates. Provided that Spring Break begins early this 12 months, we wouldn’t be stunned to see it reopen not less than one week earlier than that–assuming the climate cooperates.”
Whereas demand did dictate, climate didn’t precisely cooperate. With chilly climate once more within the forecast subsequent week, Kali River Rapids in all probability received’t be widespread subsequent week, both. (Be aware that you just will get moist on Kali River Rapids–don’t make the error of assuming Disney controls the soak-factor on colder days. Not with this journey!)
Past that, a Zootopia Tree of Life Present is changing It’s Robust to Be a Bug sooner or later sooner or later–doubtless someday in 2024.
What else is subsequent for Animal Kingdom is unclear. Primeval Whirl completely closed and the corporate has confirmed that what’s presently Dino-Rama is the following massive enlargement website at Walt Disney World. They’ve additionally formally introduced that the substitute would be the Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom.
What’s nonetheless not 100% confirmed is what this space will characteristic. Walt Disney World has teased Encanto and Indiana Jones ideas which are supposedly simply “into consideration.” It’s our understanding that they’re a accomplished deal, however different current official initiatives have been cancelled even after building began. DINOSAUR being transformed to Indiana Jones Journey is nearly a positive factor, and we anticipate it closing both late this 12 months or early in 2025.
Magic Kingdom
- Nation Bear Jamboree – Reopens in Summer season 2024
- Splash Mountain – Completely closed
- Tiana’s Bayou Journey – Opening in Summer season 2024
The entire winter journey refurbishments at Magic Kingdom are actually completed, and people sights have reopened. At present, the 2 sights closed in Frontierland are reimaginings. Nation Bear Jamboree is being remodeled into Nation Bear Musical Jamboree. A precise reopening date is presently unknown, however the attraction will come again in Summer season 2024. This is smart–Walt Disney World in all probability needs to get it accomplished earlier than Tiana’s Bayou Journey opens.
Our expectation is that a number of the modifications might happen in a single day, however the Audio Animatronics additionally want TLC. Actually, it might final a number of months–the longer, the higher. The attraction might use a good quantity of affection.
Additionally underway is the reimagining of Splash Mountain into a brand new journey primarily based on The Princess and the Frog. Imagineering has wasted no time in starting the transformation into Tiana’s Bayou Journey, and the brand new mountain is shortly taking form.
Development partitions are up round Chick-A-Pin Hill and building employees could be noticed on and across the attraction engaged on the overhaul. The transformation timeline is an aggressive one, and however Tiana’s Bayou Journey has made important progress within the final a number of months.
In truth, Walt Disney World simply introduced that Tiana’s Bayou Journey will open in Summer season 2024. As mentioned in that publish, our prediction is that it debuts in mid-to-late June 2024. Whether or not Nation Bear Musical Jamboree opens on the similar time stays to be seen.
EPCOT
- CommuniCore Corridor & Plaza – Opens in 2024
- Luminous: The Symphony of Us – Now displaying!
- Moana’s Journey of Water – Now open!
- Check Monitor – TBD closure date
- World Celebration – Now open!
After 4 lengthy years of building partitions across the middle of the park, World Celebration is now open. Together with it, Moana’s Journey of Water has debuted. Nevertheless, partitions are nonetheless up round CommuniCore Corridor & Plaza, which is slated to open in 2024. It’d debut for the EPCOT Flower & Backyard Pageant, however our guess is that it opens for a brand-new summer time occasion.
Again in World Showcase Lagoon, Luminous: The Symphony of Us has now debuted. That is EPCOT’s new everlasting nighttime spectacular, changing the non permanent EPCOT Eternally and Harmonious earlier than that.
Wanting ahead, Check Monitor goes to be reimagined once more, however no date is ready for that closure. In truth, it might not even happen in 2024. Past that, Spaceship Earth is lengthy overdue for observe and journey system upkeep, and that will necessitate a multi-month (if not year-plus) closure. Journey into Creativeness can 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
- Star Wars: Galactic Spectacular – Completely Ended
- Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster – Closed now by Summer season 2024
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid – Reopens in Fall 2024
Two very massive additions to this schedule. The primary is that Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster is Closing for Multi-Month Refurbishment in 2024. That covers all the pieces we all know in regards to the doubtless finish date and the scope of the venture.
Walt Disney World additionally has introduced that Voyage of the Little Mermaid received’t be returning. Not less than, not by the identical identify. A reimagined model of that stage present is coming in Fall 2024 and shall be renamed to “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey.”
Exterior Theme Parks
- Storm Lagoon Water Park – Reopens on March 17, 2024
- Blizzard Seaside Water Park – Closes on March 16, 2024
- Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort – Completely Closed
The massive replace right here is Storm Lagoon will reopen and Blizzard Seaside will shut March 16/17, 2024. It is a commonplace seasonal closure, and occurs each single 12 months attributable to an absence of demand through the colder time of 12 months. The massive query is whether or not each will function concurrently in Summer season 2024. Our guess, sadly, is that they won’t.
In any other case, the attraction closures above are fairly straight-forward. To the extent that particular dates will not be but listed, these shall be up to date as soon as Walt Disney World offers exact begin and/or finish dates.
Along with scheduled attraction refurbs, unscheduled downtime can even happen throughout a go to. This often solely happens for a number of hours at a time, so in the event you discover an attraction is closed throughout your trip and it’s not listed beneath, it’s doubtless a short lived closure that can final (at most) for a number of hours. Verify with close by Forged Members to verify.
For resort work, please see our 2024 Walt Disney World Lodge Development & Refurbishments. In case you are frightened that any of resort resort renovations will impression your keep, right here’s a basic rule to remember: room refurbishments not often impression resort stays. These happen in particular clusters, and also you’ll not often discover the work being accomplished.
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 at all times, “that is nice–it means they’re really doing one thing to the attraction!” My thoughts races with the probabilities of how sights may very well be improved or plussed by Walt Disney Imagineering. Though we would miss it on our subsequent Walt Disney World go to, I’m at all times excited.
In studying suggestions from others, I’ve found this attitude places me within the minority. Others on-line fume about this, and the way it could alter or impression their trip plans. The saying “trip ruined” has attained near-meme standing amongst some followers, and that felt apt for a number of the complaints. I can perceive the attitude. Assessing the scope of the refurbishment upfront, scheduling liberal refurbishment dates, and opening early (under-promising and over-delivering) is at all times preferable to the choice.
I can even 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 visitors 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 perspective in direction of visitors.
Nevertheless, I stay of the mindset that this refurbishment extension–and different present refurbishments–is probably factor. Among the many most vocal followers upset in regards to the extension are those that are like me: visitors who go to Walt Disney World not less than every-other 12 months. We’re enjoying the ‘lengthy’ fandom sport.
From my perspective, investing within the long-term high quality of an attraction is much extra necessary than the non permanent satisfaction I’ll get out of using it on my subsequent go to. I get excited when eager about methods rides may very well be plussed, enhancing the expertise for years to return. Because of this it at all times perplexes me when regulars contend that their trip shall be ruined as a result of their favourite attraction shall be closed.
If it’s your favourite attraction and also you’re lively within the Disney fan group, meaning you’ve been to Walt Disney World earlier than and possibly will go to once more. It will 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 instance right here. This attraction was once known as Countdown to Extinction (“CTX”) earlier than an ill-advised film tie-in was added. Throughout that period, DINOSAUR had a litany of further results, a lot of its AAs had higher performance, and the attraction was, as an entire, extra spectacular.
In case you are a long-term fan, would you relatively expertise DINOSAUR each single 12 months with 66% of the consequences working, or each single 12 months minus one with 95% of the consequences working? For me, the reply to that’s simple. I’ll take a superior long run expertise each time. (That that is even a respectable query for long-time followers speaks to the ‘instantaneous gratification’ nature of issues as we speak, however that’s properly past the scope of this publish.)
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 secure 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 may very well be attributed to an absence of upkeep (once more, this has been addressed).
This isn’t meant to scare anybody or provoke an emotional response; the actual fact is that Disney’s worldwide security report is sterling as in comparison with different park operators. It’s nonetheless necessary to keep in mind that these enjoyable, ‘magical’ locations additionally exist in the true world and use plenty of probably harmful components if security will not be seen as key. (Or, in Disney’s case, one of many “5 Keys.”)
In relation to upkeep that’s not important to the secure 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 at all times 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 now we have seen this play out with Expedition Everest. Followers joke in regards to the “Disco Yeti” and lament the truth that this jaw-dropping Audio Animatronics determine has not labored in practically a decade. There are quite a few theories as to why the Yeti hasn’t been mounted; what every of those share is that there are large-scale issues and no fast fixes.
Fixing the Yeti would require a closure of not less than 6 months, and be fairly costly. The working Yeti is really a powerful sight to behold (and one most of you in all probability 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 doubtless that Disney has decided the closure would take too lengthy, price an excessive amount of, and the development wouldn’t be well worth the funding.
There’s additionally the fact 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 displays and lightweight 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 visitors see for 1-2 seconds may not be well worth the sacrifice.
As a staunch proponent of present high quality, I’ve a troublesome time accepting the identical argument for any attraction in Magic Kingdom, a park with a veritable “mountain vary” and various slate of different sights. In truth, the identical goes for each fortress park. These parks have sufficient sights to choose up the slack if 1-2 sights need to be taken offline concurrently with out ruining any holidays.
Friends are understandably involved when it seems an inordinate variety of sights are closing throughout their trip. Walt Disney World holidays will not be low-cost and are sometimes as soon as in a lifetime experiences. First-timers actually don’t need to miss out on experiences about which they’ve learn in depth hype.
Nevertheless, the issue with a “not throughout my trip” perspective like that is that it’s at all times 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 visitors throughout a time-limited window lacking out, all visitors in perpetuity are going to have a lesser expertise.
Working an attraction with damaged results is barely going to compound issues, and finally a single damaged impact will flip into myriad damaged results. Think about this state of affairs park-wide, performed out to its pure penalties. That’s not precisely what I’d name the “Disney Distinction.”
Once more, DINOSAUR is an efficient instance right here. If it’s your first go to and also you expertise DINOSAUR with 66% of the consequences working, you received’t know what you’re lacking. Using it’ll, little doubt, be superior to not using it. Nevertheless, I’m guessing your satisfaction score of the attraction wouldn’t be practically 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 house. (Or, maybe you received’t: in the event you solely ever eat pet food, you received’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, likelihood is that they might lengthen the identical “courtesy” for different visitors, and it could be commonplace working process to by no means shut something throughout anybody’s trip.
The tip results of this is able to be a park stuffed with “66% sights” and first-timers can 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, think about the likelihood that you just wouldn’t have change into a lifelong fan if this have been really Disney’s modus operandi. (In truth, I’d argue that Walt Disney World is trending on this route, dragging its toes on a number of vital 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 price a rattling if it may possibly’t be utilized to theme parks. 😉
A variety of this would possibly seem to be an effort to absolve Disney of blame on the subject of refurbishments, however this isn’t the case. Disney has introduced plenty of the visitor unrest regarding refurbishments upon itself. The primary problem is that Disney has quite a few parks which have opened within the final twenty years with incomplete slates of sights, making it troublesome to justify taking sights offline for refurbishment. So the 1st step, a completely impractical step at this level, can be to open theme parks which are full on day one.
Failing that, Disney might keep away from plenty of the visitor backlash regarding refurbishments if they might schedule extra 3-4 day refurbishments of sights to proactively tackle issues with preventative upkeep. Though this is able to not completely negate the necessity for prolonged refurbishments, it could enhance present high quality throughout the board and assist keep away from plenty of conditions the place sights need to abruptly shut as a result of they’re in dire want of upkeep. Furthermore, a 3-4 day refurbishment is shorter than the period 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 understand that’s a tricky line to attract between an excusable refurbishment and a frustratingly irritating one. Even in the event you subscribe to the a point of the ‘philosophy’ I’m advancing, there is no such thing as a bright-line rule. It’s nonetheless going to quantity to a price 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 in regards to the present refurbishments at Walt Disney World? What do you consider 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 price contemplating? As talked about, we expect this can be a dialog, so please share your ‘refurbishment philosophy’, or every other ideas or questions you’ve got, within the feedback!
