Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith is closed for one more multi-month refurbishment till late Summer time 2024 at Walt Disney World. This put up covers the reopening date & particulars about what to anticipate from the undertaking, what’s going to doubtless not change and why this in all probability isn’t a reimagining. (Up to date Could 21, 2024.)
The 2024 Walt Disney World Refurbishment Calendar is beginning to replicate elevated upkeep after a number of years of lighter refurbishment schedules. This in all probability isn’t going to win me any associates, however I feel Walt Disney World ought to be including much more points of interest to the closure calendar. There are quite a few rides which were experiencing above-average downtime, and others which can be working however not show-ready.
Preventative upkeep doesn’t appear to have been occurring because it ought to–which is the ‘better of each worlds’ answer, because it means in a single day work that has minimal influence to company. I assume that’s what occurs once you let go of a bunch of old-timers who held the institutional information and lived-experience needed to take care of and repair so many of those legacy points of interest! (However I digress…)
Could 21, 2024 Replace: Walt Disney World has confirmed that Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith will reopen on July 27, 2024. This date has been added to the official park calendar, which updates on a rolling foundation and simply had these dates added not too long ago. Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith went down for refurbishment this yr on January 8 after the same closure final winter via early summer season.
This quantities to over a 6 month closure, which is longer than the refurbishment of the journey final yr throughout (roughly) the identical timeframe. Per Walt Disney World, the rocktastic attraction will resume its super-stretch limo rides in Summer time 2024. The journey is presently closed for normal upkeep and there are not any modifications anticipated to the visitor expertise consequently.
There are a pair issues to notice right here. The primary is that July 27 remains to be over two months away when this date was introduced, so it’s topic to vary. That’s true of all refurbishment reopenings, however particularly so with this undertaking. Our guess is that Walt Disney World is being conservative with the reopening date, as that’s the higher method and results in fewer complaints.
That means that it’s extra prone to see Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster reopen a number of days or perhaps weeks earlier than July 27, 2024 than it’s to see the journey return later. It actually all relies upon upon how work progresses within the residence stretch of the undertaking. It’s probably value noting that, final yr, Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster reopened a number of weeks forward of schedule.
Second, this now places different points of interest “on the clock.” At the same time as Walt Disney World is growing the journey refurbishment calendar quantity, we suspect they’d be disinclined to make extra last-minute additions till Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster returns. So think about July 28, 2024 the doubtless earliest date for the rumored Magic Kingdom journey closures, in addition to different potential tasks in EPCOT and different refurbishments which have but to be introduced (and even rumored).
Late July via late September is one other comparatively gradual timeframe, and we count on Walt Disney World to make the most of that by including extra short-term journey closures to the refurbishment calendar. However that’s simply hypothesis on our half. Both method, it’ll be nice to have Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith again!
What follows is different unique commentary and particulars concerning the Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster journey refurbishment…
If this appears like deja vu over again, it ought to. The very same factor occurred one yr in the past–proper all the way down to a few of the above verbiage from Walt Disney World concerning the nature of the refurbishment and the announcement coming round Christmas. That closure additionally began throughout the winter low season and was scheduled to run via summer season.
This yr, Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith unofficially reopened at first of the Memorial Day vacation weekend following its multi-month refurbishment. Price noting is that this was a lot sooner than anticipated–by a number of months. Rumors initially pointed to the journey being closed via at the very least July, with the undertaking probably persevering with into the autumn low season.
In truth, Walt Disney World filed two building permits for Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith’s prolonged closure that corroborated this. Each of these permits expired in September, and likewise appeared to sign a extra advanced refurbishment than what truly occurred.
Our guess–and that is simply that–is that there was a final minute change of plans by Walt Disney World, and solely a portion of the originally-scheduled work occurred. That as a substitute of doing the whole lot abruptly, Disney opted to interrupt the undertaking into two components, doing the primary half earlier than the summer season vacationer season final yr and pushing the second half to the identical timeframe in 2024.
Once more, that is only a guess, nevertheless it’s at the very least considerably supported by the timeline shortening. Aside from this, when is the final time Walt Disney World acquired one thing main achieved forward of schedule? Then there are the permits. There’s additionally the sensible actuality that Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster has proceed to have reliability woes, which is exactly what the refurbishment was geared toward addressing.
It’s fully attainable that final yr’s undertaking was accomplished in full and Disney is barely revisiting the undertaking now as a result of, regardless of the work being achieved, downtime points persist. In order that they’re going to do extra and totally different upkeep consequently. I’ve no insider data, so I definitely wouldn’t rely that out.
Nevertheless, we are able to additionally look to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which had its personal bifurcated refurbishment over the course of 2021-2022. That was barely totally different, because it was a ‘stealth’ undertaking achieved whereas the journey was nonetheless operational (elevator shafts went down for upkeep whereas the others continued to run, successfully chopping the journey’s capability in half). However that was additionally achieved with a protracted hole in between the 2 halves of the undertaking.
Operationally, this can be a large blow for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which already is missing in sufficient points of interest to soak up the heavy crowds the park sees. It will solely make that worse, particularly if there’s overlap with every other closure. Right here’s hoping that Walt Disney World brings again Jedi Coaching Academy, Residents of Hollywood, or another leisure within the first half of 2024.
We already know that Voyage of the Little Mermaid received’t be returning throughout this refurbishment, as Walt Disney World introduced {that a} reimagined model of that, “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey” is coming in Fall 2024. On the plus facet, DHS does have a number of character meet & greets, however these don’t have practically the identical capability as a present or journey.
The Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster refurbishment will put much more pressure on the already imbalanced Lightning Lane lineup. Already, return instances are sometimes pushed out into the late afternoon and early night, and this can solely worsen that. Count on to solely rating a number of good Lightning Lanes by way of Genie+ when you don’t have a robust refresh sport.
As for the scope of the work, it’s exhausting to imagine that this will probably be a whole observe alternative. Something lower than a yr isn’t sufficient time to take away and rebuild a curler coaster inside an current gravity constructing. Anybody who watched the development of TRON Lightcycle Run would understandably be skeptical of Disney’s capacity to do something with that quantity of pace.
What’s extra doubtless is that parts of the observe are changed, or the launch system is upgraded. That is one more Vekoma coaster, the identical producer of Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle Run. The redone Avengers Assemble: Flight Pressure at Walt Disney Studios Park, which was beforehand Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster earlier than the reimagining, can be a Vekoma.
It’s attainable Imagineering and Vekoma have partnered to refresh elements of the coaster and lengthen its life, having realized classes from these tasks or others world wide. I don’t know what such an replace would entail, however it might presumably be achievable in a ~6 month timeline. In contrast, there’s no conceivable method that Walt Disney World might primarily rebuild the curler coaster in that point. I don’t assume there’s a method they might try this in something lower than 18 months.
Now let’s flip to hypothesis about what’ll happen throughout this prolonged closure–or reasonably, what’s going to not occur. In accordance with Walt Disney World, the journey goes down for normal upkeep, and that’s it.
In the event you’ve learn our put up, Will Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Be Reimagined? (which discusses prospects for the reimagining), you realize that we predict this will occur in some unspecified time in the future within the subsequent couple of years. There are a number of causes for this, together with the reputational legal responsibility offered by Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, who has now been named in two sexual abuse lawsuits within the final two years. These allegations haven’t gained a ton of media traction, but when they do, it might make sense for Disney to need to distance itself from Tyler.
Reimagining Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster is not only the secure transfer, however it might be cash properly spent. It presents a chance for Imagineering to simply inject new life in an attraction that’s inherently common as a thrill journey, and would give the corporate one thing to market between now and 2025.
Though the corporate has reliable Plans to Double Funding to $60 Billion in Walt Disney World, Disneyland & Past that received’t begin in earnest for one more couple of years. Disney has an excessive amount of debt and never sufficient liquidity to front-load spending; they want to determine streaming, ESPN, and linear tv earlier than turning their focus to Parks & Resorts.
That alone places the begin of great building work in late 2024 or 2025. That’s the purpose at which we’d count on work to start on the Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, which means that Indiana Jones Journey and no matter else is deliberate received’t open till 2026 on the earliest.
Within the meantime, Tiana’s Bayou Journey will open someday in 2024, in all probability earlier than October. That leaves completely nothing for 2025, which is the yr that Common’s Epic Universe–a model new theme park–will debut. Except Walt Disney World is simply going to ‘quit’ and let Common have 2025 (a method that we identified may make a point of sense in Is Common “Beating” Disney?), they should begin shifting on one thing quickly.
About the one risk at this level for an oblique reply to Epic Universe–or marketable additions, normally–is reimaginings. On the subject of these, few points of interest have as a lot untapped advertising and marketing potential as Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster. A redone Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster may very well be achieved in 6-8 months and could be a colossal draw with mainstream audiences. Though Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster is already fairly common, I can’t consider every other rides that hit the ‘candy spot’ of an environment friendly reimagining and a marketable one.
Given all of that, there are a number of prospects. The primary is that we’re simply flat-out unsuitable and Walt Disney World has no plans in anyway to the touch Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster. Truthfully, this is perhaps the most definitely state of affairs. Though we predict a retheme is extremely doubtless–and pragmatic–within the subsequent 2 years, it’s in all probability nonetheless solely 50/50, at finest.
The subsequent state of affairs is that the retheme will occur in 2024, and Walt Disney World is simply not able to announce it but. This type of factor occurs, the place Disney denies initially or says there are “no plans…right now.” These are well-known wiggle phrases from Disney, with the concept being that plans change–and the corporate anticipating followers to imagine the plans didn’t exist when the unique non-announcement occurred.
The ultimate state of affairs is that the 2023 and 2024 refurbishments are each needed conditions to a reimagining. That Imagineering, the coaster producers, and contractors are getting in there to cope with the journey system and nuts & bolts of the attraction now, refreshing the underlying curler coaster, making it extra dependable, and laying the groundwork for a thematic and aesthetic reimagining across the identical timeframe in 2025. That method, when it goes down in Winter 2025, all they should do is swap out the surroundings and alter the window-dressing, reasonably than doing that and addressing the journey system.
Whether or not it’s in 2024, 2025 or past, we nonetheless assume {that a} substantive overhaul is inevitable in some unspecified time in the future within the subsequent ~5 years. I personally love Aerosmith, however I’m however stunned that Walt Disney World is taking the attraction offline for thus lengthy and never giving it a retheme. In style thrill rides can at all times turn out to be much more common with the combination of extra common mental property. Simply take a look at Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout at DCA.
Iconic as they might be, it’s in all probability truthful to say that Aerosmith doesn’t have the identical cachet or title recognition with youthful company. I can’t consider one other modern band that’s common, crowd-pleasing, non-controversial, and suits the journey profile. Then once more, the Guardians of the Galaxy have demonstrated that basic rock can transcend its period. (So right here’s hoping Led Zeppelin is within the subsequent film!)
No matter finally ends up taking place down the highway with Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster, I hope Imagineering additionally learns from Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and incorporate becoming and enjoyable songs. Additionally they have to take the time to check a ton of various choices. The top end result on Cosmic Rewind is superior–even with the songs I don’t personally love.
Maybe Walt Disney World is ‘saving’ the reimagining for subsequent yr, and one other “new” Marvel curler coaster would be the marketable draw for Walt Disney World in 2025? There are many characters which can be off-limits because of the Common contract, however that also leaves loads of choices–together with ones which can be common within the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Section 4.
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Your Ideas
What do you consider the multi-month closure of Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Walt Disney World? Upset that it’ll be down throughout your journey? Suppose Disney is being coy, and it’ll truly get a retheme in 2024? What about in 2025 or past? Ideas on potential bands, manufacturers, or tremendous heroes to switch Aerosmith? Any questions concerning the present refurbishments at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even once you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
