Walt Disney World Ride Closures

Permanently Closed Disney World Attractions Rides And Restaurants:

• The Wave Closed July 16, 2021
• Mouse Gear Closed 2020
• Ample Hills Creamery Closed 2020
• Wolfgang Puck Express Closed Permanently in 2020
• Primeval Whirl Closed permanently in 2020
• Rivers of Light Closed permanently in 2020
• Phineas and Ferb Agent Ps World Showcase Adventure Ended February 17, 2020
• Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away Ended February 22, 2020
• Electric Umbrella Closed February 6, 2020
• Club Cool Closed September 8, 2019
• Bongos Cuban Cafe Closed August 18, 2019
• Liberty Inn Closed July 8, 2019
• Illuminations Closed September 30, 2019
• Innoventions East Closed September 8, 2019
• Epcot Character Spot Closed September 8, 2019
• Fountain View Closed November 24, 2019
• Camera Center Closed 2019
• Fountain of Nations Closed September 8, 2019
• Closed July 6, 2019
• Mizners Lounge Closed March 2019
• Sweet Spells Closed April 15, 2018
• Pizza Planet Closed January 2016
• Honey I Shrunk the Kids Closed April 2016
• Streets of America Closed April 2016
• Shark Reef Closed October 2016
• The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic Closed September 2016
• Writers Stop Closed October 2016
• Starring Rolls Cafe Closed February 2017
• Disney Quest Closed July 2017
• Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe Closed August 2017
• Great Movie Ride Closed August 13, 2017
• Universe of Energy Closed August 13, 2017

Disney World Ride Closures And Anticipated Reopen Dates

Posted By: Craig Smith

There is nothing worse than getting to a theme park only to discover your favorite ride or show is closed. Hopefully, I can help you avoid that issue with this handy rundown of Disney World ride closures and open dates.

Being open year-round and having so many attractions and facilities makes it pretty much impossible for Walt Disney World to have 100% of their attractions open 100% of the time. To keep things safe and looking like new, attractions need to be regularly maintained and sometimes refurbished. Below is a quick listing of the current Disney World closures and their anticipated open dates , reopen dates and close dates .

by ckramer

When planning your trip to Disney World, be sure to do a little research to be sure your favorite rides are all up and running so you can have the most magical experience possible without the unfortunate surprise of closed Disney World rides that you were looking forward to.

As always, it should be noted that Disney World ride closures and availability dates can be subject to change, so be sure to check the official Disney World website for specific ride info.

What Season Does Disney Do Refurbishments

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

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.

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Disney World Refurbishment Schedule & Ride Closures For 2021 & 2022

Nothing is more frustrating than spending hours upon hours arranging a vacation to Walt Disney World only to discover that your favorite attraction is closed for renovations. That is why we produced this 2021 & 2022 Disney World Refurbishments and Closure Schedule to assist you to understand what is open and what is closed.

In this blog, well take a look at Walt Disney Worlds four theme parks and tell you about the renovation schedule and which rides are closed in each.

Well also discuss temporary closures, such as those caused by the current health crisis, as well as which rides at Walt Disney World are permanently closed.

It is very uncommon for Disney to move the refurbishment dates about on the calendar, so make sure to check back here several times before your next trip to see which rides will be available and which will be closed. Well also talk about Disney World hotel, restaurant, and store renovations.

Why Does Disney Do Ride Refurbishments?

While its always a disappointment to visit Walt Disney World and discover that your favorite ride is closed, it does happen from time to time. Sometimes you can avoid it by checking the closure schedule and rescheduling your vacation, but other times, Disney decides to repair attractions at the last minute, with no notice.

Why does Disney refurbish its rides?

So, while its never nice to be unable to ride some attractions, its unavoidable.

Walt Disney World Refurbishments

Disney World Shows That Have Closed

Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade ran for 5 years and closed in January 2014. It was replaced with Festival of Fantasyland Parade which features many of the Disney characters that got new homes in the Magic Kingdom after the Fantasyland Expansion. The new parade offers guests a chance to see Anna & Elsa from Disneys smash hit Frozen, some re-imagined floats, and even a fire breathing dragon from Sleeping Beauty.

Honey I shrunk the Audience was a 3D show in Epcot from the movies Honey I shrunk the Kids. The attraction was replaced in May 2010 with Captain EO as a tribute to the late Michael Jackson.

Note: You can still enjoy the large then life Honey I shrunk the Kids playground at Disneys Hollywood Studios.

The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management was an attempt to give the original ride that originated with Walt Disney himself a update. It included favorite birds like Iago and Zazu . But after only 3 years, in 2011, it is reported there was a small fire which destroyed the Iago bird and the show was reverted back to the original Walt Disneys Enchanted Tiki Room.

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Walt Disney World Announces 2022 Splash Mountain And Big Thunder Mountain Refurbishment Closures

Walt Disney World has announced in early 2022, both Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain at Magic Kingdom will temporarily close for regularly scheduled refurbishments.

Splash Mountain will undergo a refurbishment first, from January 10- February 10, 2022.

During this time, WDW will not be changing the theming of the ride to The Princess and The Frog.

This closure is just for regular maintenance, though Disney says Disney Imagineers will take this opportunity to do some preliminary onsite work in preparation for the attractions future reimagining.

Splash Mountain will reopen to guests on February 11, 2022.

Following this, Big Thunder Mountain will undergo a refurbishment from February 14-18, 2022.

This closure is also just for regular maintenance, and the ride will reopen to guests on February 19, 2022.

There will be no changes to the guest experience for either attraction as a result of these routine refurbishments.

Live Tweeting And Facebook Livestreaming From Universal Orlando

We visit Universal multiple times every month to bring our fans live in-park photo and video updates direct from Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and CityWalk! To see all of our photo updates as they happen, we invite you to follow us on .

We also do Facebook livestreaming from in-park, as well, both on our page and in our community. To be a part of these broadcasts, like our Facebook page here and join our private community here.

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If You Had Wings / Delta Dreamflight / Take Flight

Opened in: 1972 Closed in: 1998 Replaced by: Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin Three versions of this attraction taught guests about the wonders of flight, starting with If You Had Wings in 1972. This was replaced by Delta Dreamflight , which offered a simplistic overview of the history of flight, employing audio-animatronic characters and projection effects. Highlights included scenes from 1930s Tokyo and Paris, as well as a trip through a jet engine. The ride continued to operate until 1998 . It was replaced by Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.

American Idol Experience Closed August 20 2014

Honestly, Im not sad to see that the American Idol Experience is done. I could never understand who wanted spend their day at Disney Worlds Hollywood Studios auditioning and singing anyway.

It is rumored that this space will house the Frozen Summer Sing Along and other Frozen fun as the parks continue to cater to fans who are going nuts over this movie!

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This Story Is Part Of A Group Of Stories Called

When a pandemic sweeps the globe, making large gatherings of people incredibly dangerous, how does the Walt Disney Company respond? At first, with copious amounts of Purell, but the operators of the worlds largest theme parks announced on March 12 that Californias Disneyland would close for only the fourth time since it opened in 1955.The Walt Disney Company soon confirmed it would be also closing Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Paris on March 16, marking the first time in history all six Disney theme park resorts would be closed simultaneously.

On March 27, the Walt Disney Company announced that US parks would remain closed indefinitely, and that park employees known as cast members would be paid through April 18, saying in a statement:

While there is still much uncertainty with respect to the impacts of COVID-19, the safety and well-being of our guests and employees remains The Walt Disney Companys top priority.

As a result of this unprecedented pandemic and in line with direction provided by health experts and government officials, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will remain closed until further notice.

The Walt Disney Company has been paying its cast members since the closure of the parks, and in light of this ongoing and increasingly complex crisis, we have made the decision to extend paying hourly parks and resorts cast members through April 18.

Gov. Newsoms office also issued a statement, saying:

Select Pools At Disney World Hotels

There are a couple of pool renovations happening at Disney World hotels in 2022. The Flippin Fins Pool at Disneys Art of Animation Resort will be closed from early January 2022 through late February 2022. During this time, the Big Blue Pool and Cozy Cone Pool will remain open, so guests can use one of those instead.

Flippin Fins Pool

Once the Flippin Fins Pool re-opens , the Cozy Cone Pool will close for its own refurbishment, which will last through mid-April 2022. During that time, the Big Blue Pool and Flippin Fins Pool will still be open for guests.

Over at Disneys Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Samawati Springs Pool will be closed from .

Samawati Springs Pool

Guests at the Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village can head over to the Jambo House area to use the Uzima Springs Pool.

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Maelstrom Was Once An ’80s Mainstay At Disney World’s Epcot Now A Frozen Ride Is In Its Place

Tucked in the back of Epcot’s Norway Pavilion at Walt Disney World, Maelstrom was an indoor ride exploring the history and mythology of the Scandinavian country. The ride opened to the public on July 5, 1988, and operated for more than 25 years before closing on October 5, 2014.

A “Frozen”-themed ride took its place, becoming one of the first Epcot attractions centered around animated characters. Frozen Ever After, a musical journey inspired by the hit film opened to the public on .

The film’s fictional location of Arendelle was inspired by Norway, making it a natural fit for the space, and even uses the same Viking ships and log flume path as Maelstrom, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Where Maelstrom culminated with a three-headed troll banishing you from his home, Frozen Ever After’s apex finds Elsa belting out “Let It Go” in her castle of ice. In both versions, this is when the boat takes a backward, high-speed route before righting itself and hurtling down a 28-foot plunge at the end of the ride.

According to Touring Plans, a Disney trip planning website, wait times climbed as high as 300 minutes on the “Frozen” ride’s opening day and it remains popular today.

Disney World Refurbishment And Closures For December

SaraPlease note: some posts may contain affiliate links which means our team could earn money if you purchase products from our site

Refurbishments are a regular thing at the Walt Disney World Resort. Rides and attractions need maintenance done on a regular basis and occasionally rides get bigger updates or re-theming. Take a look at the current closures and refurbishments happening this month.

Related Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the Magic Kingdom closing for refurbishment in February

Magic Kingdom

• Walt Disney World Railroad The railroad remains closed while construction is happening on the new TRON attraction. There is no set reopening date yet.
• Festival of Fantasy Parade Returns in Early 2022
• Mickeys Magical Friendship Faire Returns in Early 2022

• Kali River Rapids Reopening December 15, 2021

Disneys Hollywood Studios

• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular Reopening December 19, 2021
• Fantasmic Returning sometime in 2022

There are no current closures or refurbishments happening at Epcot.

While there arent many closures right now, more attractions will be closing after the holidays for maintenance and upkeep. Stay tuned for more information!

For help with planning your next Disney vacation, today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, a Disney Earmarked agency and my services are complimentary!

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Walt Disney World Railroad :

The Walt Disney World Railroad at Magic Kingdom Park has been closed since December 3, 2018. The extended closure is due to the construction of the new attraction Tron Lightcycle / Run. Recently, Disney fans have discovered however that the Railroad is being tested! With that being said, the Railroad is listed on the refurbishment calendar throughout January. Disney has yet to announce an opening date for either the Walt Disney World Railroad or Tron Lightcylce / Run.

Where Body Wars Once ‘miniaturized’ Guests To Take Them Inside The Human Body The Play Pavilion Will Soon Open

Body Wars was once the premier attraction inside Epcot’s Wonders of Life Pavilion. Sponsored by MetLife, the entire pavilion was devoted to physical fitness, health, and nutrition.

The motion simulator ride made it seem as if guests were shrunk down and sent inside the human body to study the effects of a splinter stuck in a finger. As often happens with theme park rides, things took an unexpected turn, and riders were hurtled through the various body systems offering jolts and thrills, making it Epcot’s most exciting attraction at the time.

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Finding Nemo: The Musical

Finding Nemo: The Musical is also still closed in Animal Kingdom. A reimagined version of this show will return sometime in 2022.

Finding Nemo: The Musical

The classic show will get a few major changes. It is now going to be based on the timeline from Finding Dory, although it will keep some fan-favorite songs from the original show.

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular

Another nighttime show, Star Wars: a Galactic Spectacular, is not available now.

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular ©Disney

We dont know yet when this show will open again in the park. In the meantime, you can always check out the other nighttime shows in Hollywood Studios, like Wonderful World of Animation or Disney Movie Magic .

Mickey!

The other entertainment that has not yet returned includes:

• BB-8 Astromech on Duty

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New Walt Disney World Ride Shuts Down Due To Crash

A “minor ride vehicle collision” caused longer-than-expected wait times for a new attraction in testing at the Walt Disney World Resort. According to WDW News Today, the Epcot dark ride Remy’s Ratatouille Adventuresuffered a brief shutdown after what the site describes as a “minor” accident involving two ride vehicles. The ride, operating since August 20 as a soft open before its grand opening in October, is inspired by Disney-Pixar’s Ratatouille and is part of the newly expanded France pavilion inside EPCOT opening on October 1.

According to WDW News Today, a rider witnessed one of the “ratmobiles” bumping into the car in front of it with an audible thud. Guests could exit the ride vehicles and some queued to board waited “more than 45 minutes” for the ride to resume, WDWNT reports.

A previous preview rider reported their vehicle stalling for nearly a minute in front of a screen depicting a 3D animated sequence inspired by the Pixar movie, where rats pry open a wine cork bottle, sending the ride vehicles flying in reverse.

So, during our preview of Remys Ratatouille Adventure today, our rat stalled right here.I know it is a scene that should last maybe 5-7 seconds, but it was the most stressful minute of my life.recently.Never knew when they cork would fly at us.

^v^ Doctor Disney ^v^

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opens October 1 as part of “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” marking the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World.

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