Walt Disney World updates calendar of future attractions, closures
Disney shared updates about timelines for major attractions opening and closing soon, including DinoLand, U.S.A.
Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla. has a lot of new attractions in the works. On Oct. 14, 2024, Disney shared some calendar updates for several of these projects with Attractions Magazine.
Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom is currently closed for refurbishment. The ride will reopen on Oct. 16, 2024. After Magic Kingdom closes the night of Nov. 1, Disney will transform Jungle Cruise into its seasonal holiday overlay overnight, with Jingle Cruise opening Nov. 2.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom will close for refurbishment on Jan. 6, 2025. The roller coaster will be closed until 2026. The final day to ride Big Thunder will be Jan. 5, 2025. Disney did not mention what will specifically change. The area surrounding Big Thunder will see major infrastructure developments in the coming years as Disney builds Villains Land “beyond Big Thunder” and “Cars” attractions in place of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. (Disney has not announced closing dates for Tom Sawyer Island or the Rivers of America at this time.)
Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama! in DinoLand, U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close Jan. 13, 2025. The final day of operation will be Jan. 12. This includes the TriceraTop Spin ride, the Fossil Fun Games midway activities, and the Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures store.
Note: Dinosaur, The Boneyard, Restaurantosaurus, Dino-Bite Snacks, and Trilo-Bites will remain open beyond Jan. 13 for now, but will permanently close at a later date. DinoLand will be replaced with a Tropical Americas land featuring “Encanto” and Indiana Jones rides.
Additionally, if you haven’t been to Animal Kingdom in a while, you may notice one other attraction missing from the list; the Primeval Whirl spinning coaster permanently closed in 2020, its former space now sitting vacant and awaiting the arrival of the Madrigals’ casita.
“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open in summer 2025. Disney had previously announced the new production would open in fall 2024. Disney will remove the marquee sign from the former show, “Voyage of the Little Mermaid,” sometime this holiday season.
Disney did not mention if “The Little Mermaid” delay is related at all to the upcoming “Monsters, Inc.” roller coaster at Hollywood Studios, which will commence construction in 2025. The company has yet to specify where within the park the coaster will be built.
Disney did also not mention a closing date for “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” at Animal Kingdom, which will eventually be permanently replaced by “Zootopia: Better Zoogether” in “winter 2025.”
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