2024 Disney World Refurbishment Calendar
This Walt Disney World ride refurbishment calendar lists the closure schedule for 2024 at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom. Attractions close for routine maintenance, safety upgrades, improvements, and reimaginings. (Updated March 15, 2024.)
While no one wants attraction downtime during their trip to Walt Disney World, refurbishments are necessary to keep the rides looking good (and safe!) for future visitors. Usually, there are only a handful of simultaneous closures, plus new attractions being built. Note that the list below includes several refurbishments that have either been scheduled last-minute, extended, or are longer than normal.
If you’re visiting Walt Disney World now, the good news is that refurbishment ‘season’ has wrapped up in time for the start of Spring Break, which is one of the peak travel times. The bad news is that Walt Disney World has not been doing nearly enough preventative maintenance or ride refurbishments during the off-season over the last few years, so you can expect plenty of unplanned downtime due to breakdowns. Here’s a rundown of what to expect the next few months in terms of planned attraction closures at Walt Disney World…
There’s also a lot of construction occurring, albeit not nearly as much as even a few years ago. However, that massively understates the current closures and impact of construction on visitors to Walt Disney World throughout the remainder of the year. Speaking of which, if you’re looking for opening dates rather than closures (and reopenings) to existing attractions, see the Disney Parks Project Timeline for 2024 & Beyond. That covers both the official opening dates, plus our predictions about what’ll likely be delayed.
If you want all of the latest updates on attraction closures and ride refurbishments–subscribe to our free Walt Disney World email newsletter. We also share other news and on-the-ground reports from the parks, when discounts are released, and much more.
Here is the current schedule of Walt Disney World refurbishments to attractions, when the closure starts, and when the refurbishment will conclude, updated as of March 15, 2024:
Animal Kingdom
- DINOSAUR – TBD closure date (likely late 2024 or early 2025)
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug – TBD closure date
- Kali River Rapids – Reopened early!
- Primeval Whirl – Permanently closed & demolished
The only “real” refurbishment on the calendar was Kali River Rapids, which was closed for its routine winter refurbishment for the last two months. As always, this is as much as story of low-demand due to weather and crowds as it is needed maintenance.
The good news is that’s past tense and Kali River Rapids reopened early. The bad news is that it wasn’t by much, and not in time for the start of this week’s 10/10 crowd levels. As we noted when the refurbishment started: “Kali River Rapids often returns ahead of schedule if weather allows and demand dictates. Given that Spring Break starts early this year, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it reopen at least one week before that–assuming the weather cooperates.”
While demand did dictate, weather didn’t exactly cooperate. With chilly weather again in the forecast next week, Kali River Rapids probably won’t be popular next week, either. (Note that you will get wet on Kali River Rapids–don’t make the mistake of assuming Disney controls the soak-factor on colder days. Not with this ride!)
Beyond that, a Zootopia Tree of Life Show is replacing It’s Tough to Be a Bug at some point in the future–likely sometime in 2024.
What else is next for Animal Kingdom is unclear. Primeval Whirl permanently closed and the company has confirmed that what’s currently Dino-Rama is the next big expansion site at Walt Disney World. They’ve also officially announced that the replacement will be the Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom.
What’s still not 100% confirmed is what this area will feature. Walt Disney World has teased Encanto and Indiana Jones concepts that are supposedly just “under consideration.” It’s our understanding that they’re a done deal, but other recent official projects have been cancelled even after construction started. DINOSAUR being converted to Indiana Jones Adventure is almost a sure thing, and we anticipate it closing either late this year or early in 2025.
Magic Kingdom
- Country Bear Jamboree – Reopens in Summer 2024
- Splash Mountain – Permanently closed
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure – Opening in Summer 2024
All of the winter ride refurbishments at Magic Kingdom are now finished, and those attractions have reopened. Currently, the two attractions closed in Frontierland are reimaginings. Country Bear Jamboree is being transformed into Country Bear Musical Jamboree. An exact reopening date is currently unknown, but the attraction will come back in Summer 2024. This makes sense–Walt Disney World probably wants to get it done before Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens.
Our expectation is that some of the changes could occur overnight, but the Audio Animatronics also need TLC. Honestly, it could last several months–the longer, the better. The attraction could use a fair amount of love.
Also underway is the reimagining of Splash Mountain into a new ride based on The Princess and the Frog. Imagineering has wasted no time in beginning the transformation into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and the new mountain is quickly taking shape.
Construction walls are up around Chick-A-Pin Hill and construction workers can be observed on and around the attraction working on the overhaul. The transformation timeline is an aggressive one, and but Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has made significant progress in the last several months.
In fact, Walt Disney World just announced that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open in Summer 2024. As discussed in that post, our prediction is that it debuts in mid-to-late June 2024. Whether Country Bear Musical Jamboree opens at the same time remains to be seen.
EPCOT
- CommuniCore Hall & Plaza – Opens in 2024
- Luminous: The Symphony of Us – Now showing!
- Moana’s Journey of Water – Now open!
- Test Track – TBD closure date
- World Celebration – Now open!
After 4 long years of construction walls around the center of the park, World Celebration is now open. Along with it, Moana’s Journey of Water has debuted. However, walls are still up around CommuniCore Hall & Plaza, which is slated to open in 2024. It might debut for the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival, but our bet is that it opens for a brand-new summer event.
Back in World Showcase Lagoon, Luminous: The Symphony of Us has now debuted. This is EPCOT’s new permanent nighttime spectacular, replacing the temporary EPCOT Forever and Harmonious before that.
Looking forward, Test Track is going to be reimagined again, but no date is set for that closure. In fact, it may not even occur in 2024. Beyond that, Spaceship Earth is long overdue for track and ride system maintenance, and that would necessitate a multi-month (if not year-plus) closure. Journey into Imagination is also about a decade overdue for a redo, but there’s no word that’s on the horizon, either.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Jedi Training Academy: Trials of the Temple – Permanently Ended
- Star Wars: Galactic Spectacular – Permanently Ended
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – Closed now through Summer 2024
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid – Reopens in Fall 2024
Two very big additions to this schedule. The first is that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is Closing for Multi-Month Refurbishment in 2024. That covers everything we know about the likely end date and the scope of the project.
Walt Disney World also has announced that Voyage of the Little Mermaid won’t be returning. At least, not by the same name. A reimagined version of that stage show is coming in Fall 2024 and will be renamed to “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure.”
Outside Theme Parks
- Typhoon Lagoon Water Park – Reopens on March 17, 2024
- Blizzard Beach Water Park – Closes on March 16, 2024
- Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Resort – Permanently Closed
The big update here is Typhoon Lagoon will reopen and Blizzard Beach will close March 16/17, 2024. This is a standard seasonal closure, and happens every single year due to a lack of demand during the colder time of year. The big question is whether both will operate simultaneously in Summer 2024. Our guess, unfortunately, is that they will not.
Otherwise, the attraction closures above are pretty straight-forward. To the extent that specific dates are not yet listed, those will be updated once Walt Disney World provides precise start and/or end dates.
In addition to scheduled attraction refurbs, unscheduled downtime can also occur during a visit. This usually only occurs for a few hours at a time, so if you find an attraction is closed during your vacation and it’s not listed below, it’s likely a temporary closure that will last (at most) for a few hours. Check with nearby Cast Members to confirm.
For resort work, please see our 2024 Walt Disney World Hotel Construction & Refurbishments. If you are worried that any of resort hotel renovations will impact your stay, here’s a general rule to keep in mind: room refurbishments rarely impact hotel stays. These occur in specific clusters, and you’ll rarely notice the work being done.
Now, here’s a bit of my philosophy concerning refurbishments…
General Thoughts on Refurbishments
When news comes out about any refurbishment, my immediate reaction is always, “this is great–it means they’re actually doing something to the attraction!” My mind races with the possibilities of how attractions could be improved or plussed by Walt Disney Imagineering. Even though we might miss it on our next Walt Disney World visit, I’m always excited.
In reading feedback from others, I’ve discovered this perspective puts me in the minority. Others online fume about this, and how it would alter or impact their vacation plans. The saying “vacation ruined” has attained near-meme status among some fans, and that felt apt for some of the complaints. I can understand the perspective. Assessing the scope of the refurbishment in advance, scheduling liberal refurbishment dates, and opening early (under-promising and over-delivering) is always preferable to the alternative.
I can also understand that there’s other pent-up frustration at play here, ranging from radio-silence on projects to Walt Disney World’s tardiness in releasing park hours while expecting guests to plan several months in advance. Neither of these moves by Disney, among others, are defensible. At best, this communication is poor guest service. At worst, it’s demonstrative of a contemptible attitude towards guests.
However, I remain of the mindset that this refurbishment extension–and other current refurbishments–is potentially a good thing. Among the most vocal fans upset about the extension are those who are like me: guests who visit Walt Disney World at least every-other year. We are playing the ‘long’ fandom game.
From my perspective, investing in the long-term quality of an attraction is far more important than the temporary satisfaction I’ll get out of riding it on my next visit. I get excited when thinking about ways rides could be plussed, improving the experience for years to come. This is why it always perplexes me when regulars contend that their vacation will be ruined because their favorite attraction will be closed.
If it’s your favorite attraction and you’re active in the Disney fan community, that means you’ve been to Walt Disney World before and probably will visit again. It would thus stand to reason that you would want something you love to get the TLC it deserves, and continue to improve.
DINOSAUR works as a good example here. This attraction used to be called Countdown to Extinction (“CTX”) before an ill-advised movie tie-in was added. During that era, DINOSAUR had a litany of additional effects, many of its AAs had greater functionality, and the attraction was, as a whole, more impressive.
If you are a long-term fan, would you rather experience DINOSAUR every single year with 66% of the effects working, or every single year minus one with 95% of the effects working? For me, the answer to that is easy. I’ll take a superior long term experience every time. (That this is even a legitimate question for long-time fans speaks to the ‘instant gratification’ nature of things today, but that’s well beyond the scope of this post.)
Beyond that, there’s the much more compelling justification for regular refurbishments: they are essential for the safety of attractions. While we think of these attractions as all fun and games that offer a safe sense of exhilaration, that’s when they are properly maintained.
It’s unpleasant to think about, but there have been several preventable deaths in the history of Disney’s parks. During a dark era of Disneyland history, improper maintenance was the cause of death on Big Thunder Mountain (thankfully, Paul Pressler’s reign of terror is over). Years of neglect at Disneyland Paris have led to incidents of injury that could be attributed to a lack of maintenance (again, this has been addressed).
This is not meant to scare anyone or provoke an emotional reaction; the fact is that Disney’s worldwide safety record is sterling as compared to other park operators. It’s still important to remember that these fun, ‘magical’ places also exist in the real world and use a lot of potentially dangerous elements if safety is not viewed as key. (Or, in Disney’s case, one of the “Five Keys.”)
When it comes to maintenance that is not essential to the safe operation of an attraction, we are left to contemplate what amount of show quality should be accepted. If following a strict Nunisian practitioner of the Four Keys, show is another paramount consideration, and it should always be 100%. This is nice corporate propaganda, but I think the practical reality is that 100% is an unworkably high threshold in many circumstances.
I think we have seen this play out with Expedition Everest. Fans joke about the “Disco Yeti” and lament the fact that this jaw-dropping Audio Animatronics figure has not worked in nearly a decade. There are numerous theories as to why the Yeti hasn’t been fixed; what each of these share is that there are large-scale problems and no quick fixes.
Fixing the Yeti will require a closure of at least 6 months, and be quite expensive. The working Yeti is truly a magnificent sight to behold (and one most of you probably haven’t seen in A-mode unless you rode over a decade ago), but the attraction is still impressive with the Disco Yeti. At this point, it’s likely that Disney has determined the closure would take too long, cost too much, and the improvement would not be worth the investment.
There’s also the reality that Animal Kingdom is lacking in rides. Even after the opening of Pandora – World of Avatar, the park still is heavy on shows and animal exhibits and light on rides. Taking one of the park’s flagship rides down for 6 months to a year to fix one Audio Animatronics figure that guests see for 1-2 seconds might not be worth the sacrifice.
As a staunch proponent of show quality, I have a difficult time accepting the same argument for any attraction in Magic Kingdom, a park with a veritable “mountain range” and diverse slate of other attractions. In fact, the same goes for every castle park. These parks have enough attractions to pick up the slack if 1-2 attractions have to be taken offline simultaneously without ruining any vacations.
Guests are understandably concerned when it appears an inordinate number of attractions are closing during their vacation. Walt Disney World vacations are not cheap and are often once in a lifetime experiences. First-timers certainly do not want to miss out on experiences about which they’ve read extensive hype.
However, the problem with a “not during my vacation” attitude like this is that it’s always going to be someone’s (or tens of thousands of someones) vacation. If attractions with show quality issues don’t close for refurbishments for fear of some guests during a time-limited window missing out, all guests in perpetuity are going to have a lesser experience.
Running an attraction with broken effects is only going to compound problems, and eventually a single broken effect will turn into myriad broken effects. Imagine this scenario park-wide, played out to its natural consequences. That’s not exactly what I’d call the “Disney Difference.”
Again, DINOSAUR is a good example here. If it’s your first visit and you experience DINOSAUR with 66% of the effects working, you won’t know what you’re missing. Riding it will, no doubt, be superior to not riding it. However, I’m guessing your satisfaction rating of the attraction wouldn’t be nearly as high, and you might question why so many people love the attraction, and why Disney was lazy with so much empty, dark space. (Or, perhaps you won’t: if you only ever eat dog food, you won’t know what you’re missing in a nice steak.)
The thing is, if Disney would not close DINOSAUR during your vacation so you don’t miss out on it, chances are that they would extend the same “courtesy” for other guests, and it would be standard operating procedure to never close anything during anyone’s vacation.
The end result of this would be a park full of “66% attractions” and first-timers would be left wondering why there was so much hype about Walt Disney World, in the first place. If you’re reading this as a lifelong fan, consider the possibility that you wouldn’t have become a lifelong fan if this were actually Disney’s modus operandi. (In fact, I’d argue that Walt Disney World is trending in this direction, dragging its feet on several necessary refurbishments, with the inaction being predicated upon short term guest satisfaction or cost-savings.)
This might sound like we’re applying ‘heavy’ Rawlsian theory to the lighthearted topic of theme parks, but philosophy isn’t worth a damn if it can’t be applied to theme parks. 😉
A lot of this might seem like an effort to absolve Disney of blame when it comes to refurbishments, but this is not the case. Disney has brought a lot of the guest unrest concerning refurbishments upon itself. The first issue is that Disney has numerous parks that have opened in the last two decades with incomplete slates of attractions, making it difficult to justify taking attractions offline for refurbishment. So step one, a wholly impractical step at this point, would be to open theme parks that are complete on day one.
Failing that, Disney could avoid a lot of the guest backlash concerning refurbishments if they would schedule more 3-4 day refurbishments of attractions to proactively address problems with preventative maintenance. Although this would not totally negate the need for extended refurbishments, it would improve show quality across the board and help avoid a lot of situations where attractions have to abruptly close because they are in dire need of maintenance. Moreover, a 3-4 day refurbishment is shorter than the duration of most vacations, allowing tourists to effectively plan around the refurbishment.
In this case, both parties planning ahead would prevent those “vacation ruined!” complaints. Don’t worry, Disney, we fans are resilient: we’ll still find something else to complain about. 😉
Joking aside, I realize that’s a tough line to draw between an excusable refurbishment and a frustratingly irritating one. Even if you subscribe to the some degree of the ‘philosophy’ I’m advancing, there is no bright-line rule. It’s still going to amount to a value judgment about what should ‘trigger’ a need for refurbishment, how many attractions should be down simultaneously across Walt Disney World, and what times of year are ideal for which refurbishments.
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Your Thoughts
Any questions about the current refurbishments at Walt Disney World? What do you think about refurbishments at the Disney Parks? Are you more concerned about an improved long-term experience, or do you think “not during my vacation!”? Where do you draw the line? Any other factors you think are worth considering? As mentioned, we think this is a conversation, so please share your ‘refurbishment philosophy’, or any other thoughts or questions you have, in the comments!
Hello. I agree, refurbishments do not ruin a vacation. Here’s a couple more. We are going to WDW 11/25- 12/2 and staying at the Villas at Grand Floridian (studio, DVC rental). I just got an email from WDW stating that the Beach Pool & the Beach Pool Bar & Grill will be closed for refurbishment during our stay. What do think the chances are that we will be able to use the feature pool at a nearby resort (Polynesian, I’m talking to you)? I know the Grand Floridian has the Courtyard Pool but there is no slide (my kids are 15, 13, & 8- so a large slide is something they look forward to at a resort Pool). Also, FYI: We had a Chef Mickey’s breakfast reservation (it’s a tradition for us). We received another email stating Chef Mickey’s is being refurbished & this dining experience will be temporarily relocated to the Conv Center. Going to be cancelling my reservation as atmosphere (monorail) is part of the justification for the cost of this breakfast. Just thought I’d let you know (if you didn’t already) and see if you thought we’d have any luck resort hopping for a pool w/ a slide. Otherwise, we will prob end up going to Typhoon Lagoon for a day. Thanks Tom! Great work as always.
Have you heard anything? We have the same question and concern.
If you believe your entire Disney World vacation is going to be ruined by a particular ride or attraction being closed, you’re doing it wrong.
What’s the best way to try to get a newly updated room at Coronado the week of Labor Day? If our chance at updated is slim to none, where do you recommend requesting for five staying in a standard room with a stroller and two little ones to avoid too much construction and hope at getting near a bus stop?
I’m staying at the Coronado in October. Disney told me the refurbishment was on the outside (they’re building a new 15-story building). They didn’t say anything about rooms, but that’s okay. But if you want to be near a bus stop, either ask for a Preferred Room (which will also put you near the dining and lobby) or look at the map for Coronado Springs and request a room in a certain building. They won’t guarantee you’ll get it, but they’ll try. The only “bad” rooms for being close to the bus stop are in Bldgs 1 and 7B.
Part of the construction is new interiors to the rooms, which is what I am hoping to get.
Hi:
Can you tell us where the October 1 date comes from for Mission Space re-opening? A July 18 (post D-23) Disney Blog posting does not give an exact date, but confidently asserts “August” in its subject line. Could be an oversight by the blog poster, and probably better for August and September visitors not to get their hopes up, but it does seem to be less than certain.
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/07/new-adventures-begins-at-mission-space-in-august-at-epcot/
Hi, Tom.
I just saw a rumor today from several sources that a MOANA overlay is coming to Typhoon Lagoon, and that “soon, Typhoon Lagoon will be closed for an extensive re-imagination of the entire park.” Have you heard anything on this, or is this just crazy talk from folks wanting Disney to combat Universal’s new Volcano Bay? Seems like something like this would have been announced at D23, so I have my doubts.
Jim
I have not heard this from any reliable sources. I think it’s likely BS.
“20017 Walt Disney World refurbishments”
lol, that’s above in the 3rd paragraph. Will StarWarsLand be open by then?
Frustrating to see that Great Movie Ride is closing permanently August 13. I realize a new attraction will be in that space, but with so few rides at H.S., it seems better to have waited until the new areas are open before closing yet another attraction. H.S. already seems like half a park at full price.
Frustrating to see that Great Movie Ride is closing permanently August 13. I realize a new attraction will be in that space, but with so few rides at H.S., it seems better to have waited until the new areas are open before closing yet another attraction. H.S. already seems like half a park at full price.
We are so disappointed at all the closures that were just recently announced. So many things will be closed during our September vacation. This is only my second visit to WDW and my family’s first. This is a really expensive vacation for us and I am kind of devastated at all the attractions we won’t be able to experience which we thought we would when we booked (especially at Epcot).
I am excited about all changes coming to the parks(except Guardians); it’s just frustrating that they gave such little notice on the Universe of Energy and Great Movie Ride closures. Also we were certain Mission Space would be open based on the original refurb announcement.
I know we are going during low season. I guess there is a reason they offer discounts during this time of year. I can’t have my cake and eat it too. I will have to be mindful of that if we decide to do another WDW vacation in the future.
We are in similar situation as you are as we’re going same month. Were looking forward to riding Great Movie Ride one last time and Mission Space is always a favorite (but it did need updating).
Mission Space is now reopened! Yea!!!!!
It’s always a huge bummer when favorite rides are closed during a trip but as sad as a few of the closures are, there are so many “better” rides and it gives everyone an opportunity to try other things that maybe you’ve never done before. Even when I go for a week, I still don’t feel like I see everything. Look on the bright side of your vacation and enjoy your Disney Magic!
It seem like when there are park refurbs especially on rides you love… a park hopper perhaps is really the way to go. And probably why they invented them
After I got married, my husband and I went to Disney World four our Disneymoon and every year thereafter. Until 2013. We went to Magic Kingdom, and it was less than magical. We waited in multiple lines where the ride broke before we could get on. We wasted so much time. One ride broke while we were on it, and we had to evacuate. At that time, I was in a wheelchair and no provisions were made to help me off the attraction either. I held on to my husband and hobbled out of the attraction. Even the monorail broke that day. Many attractions were ruined by large groups of foreign tourists talking and singing over the ride’s dialogue/soundtrack and by taking selfies with flash pointed right in our eyes. It’s hard to see an attraction when you can’t see. The parades and fireworks turned into cutthroat turf wars. It just didn’t feel like Disney anymore. It felt like Universal, or worse, the county fair.
We haven’t been in 4 years, and I’ve made other plans for next year, and really have no desire to go back. My husband wants to go back for Star Wars Land, and I’ll concede for that.
I’m glad they’re fixing up the rides they have. I hope maintenance improves across the board. Too bad they can’t repair rude tourists.
Of course they have to do refurbs sometime, but it’s really frustrating when you can only go once every 5 years and your favorite rides are being refurbished every time you go, meanwhile the rides that are operating are like half broken.
Bu I know they have to fix things up, but it doesn’t make it easier when I have to sign and just hope it’s operating when I go on my next trip in 5 years, assuming they haven’t gutted the thing completely and replaced it with another Frozen attraction.
Dinosaur is firmly in my top 3 favorite rides throughout all 4 parks, and I’ve been to WDW twice since it’s been down for refurb. While I miss it very very much, I trust that it will be worth the wait to ride it again with whatever improvements they’ve made. I have the same affection for and attitude toward the Main Street Electrical Parade retiring. I loved that parade and I was Disney-Devastated to hear it was leaving WDW, but I’m going with faith, trust & pixie dust that something will replace it that I’ll love just as much, if not more. I guess my philosophy is that Disney magic sometimes has a plan you don’t understand- you just have to wait and experience it.
I think an important thing to remember is that for many families, their first trip to WDW might possibly be their last. As much as one may like Disney, not everyone has the means (nor the desire) to make recurring visits every few years. As Socal residents our family has been to Disneyland numerous times but later this month will make a week + long visit to WDW that I’ve spent at least six months (and a LOT of $$) planning. This will likely be our one and only trip as there are just so many other family vacation experiences we want to have. While I understand that construction schedules change, with the premium dollars that Disney charges they should be more mindful of their customers.
I understand your point about weighing refurbishments against closing the attractions for extended periods, but there are many rides that SCREAM to be updated, and wouldn’t require much time to accomplish. Carousel of Progress hasn’t been changed since Bill Clinton’s first term. They could update the last scene in less than a week. It’s mostly just clothes, appliances and furniture. Oh, and a Christmas tree.
Isn’t carousel of progress meant to be about progress in the 20th century? That would mean the last update from the 90s is the appropriate and permanent last scene.
I don’t think that was the intent.
Even with a lengthy refurb, you still never know what you’ll end up with. How many regular refurbs has Splash Mountain undergone on both coasts? In Orlando, the result has been no more falling mountain pieces for a long time and virtually everything working inside the mountain. In Anaheim, it still means multiple dark areas inside the mountain where effects either have never been fixed or have been removed completely. Riding the two rides in the same year is like night and day. Or for an Anaheim-positive example, take Space Mountain. Last decade’s two-year closure resulted in an extraordinarily improved ride experience. But in Orlando, last decade’s nine-month closure resulted only in an updated loading zone and cheesy wayside music leaving most of the painful track elements unmitigated until the addition of midcourse breaks years later. I think it just comes down to the whim of management. I will say, I think Walt Disney World is shining under George Kalogridis in ways that it never did and never could under Meg Crofton. With that one thing in mind, I would suspect the Dinosaur refurb extension to be a portent of good things to come when the ride finally reopens.
1st world problems: we were there in Sept and it was closed. Going back for Halloween, and it is STILL closed. Jingle friggin BAM 🙁
Tom you bring up some very valid points. We live on the West Coast and have grown up going to Disneyland every summer. There are some vacations I remember when I was a teenager that seemed like every time we rode Indi it would break down! I think we were on it maybe 3 times while riding it and it would break down, we would walk through off the ride, and get a fast pass. Or we would be frustrated going to Splash Mountain and it would be down for a few hours. It seems like in their peak park times, they run at full operation, maximum capacity and rides break down!
The last time we went was in February and we went for a week. Some of our favorites were down, like Splash Mountain, but I read several rumors online that it would open our last two days in the park. On an off season they schedule a lot of refurbishments, but we enjoyed lighter crowds, and less frequent break downs than peak season. Some of the rides we did without, my husband was disappointed because the first day of vacation Grizzly River Run was open, people objected because they didn’t want to get wet and then it was closed the rest of our vacation (and not posted online about an upcoming refurb). But overall it was a very wonderful vacation. Refurbishment is necessary so rides don’t break down, become hazardous, and I always like coming back and seeing the new changes to some of my favorites! This was also the time when Soarin’ was only running on weekends. Luckily our first day and last day we got to ride it. So off season, not everything was open but stuff that was overall had a better quality/experience.
On our last trip, we rode Splash Mountain maybe 4-5 times within the last two days since it was just reopened. It was perfect, we ended up riding all the other favorites on the other days and just spent the last two days getting our share of Splash.
John Nawrocki October 17.
We’re currently at Disney World. My favorite ride at Animal Kingdom is down. Take a guess which one. What a letdown!!!!!!
My 5 year old son was upset with Dinosaur being down. It is his favorite ride and the most extreme ride he will do at the parks aside from the Barnstormer or 7DMT. So cutting out one of the few thrill rides he does is upsetting. I enjoy this ride and look forward to it every trip though I mainly enjoy it more from nostalgia and the sheer joy I see in my son when he experiences it. So while disappointed it was down I do look forward to what the refurbishment holds so that maybe I can enjoy the ride more for what the ride offers than only watching the joy through my son. We are also fortunate enough to visit once a year, give or take a little, lessoning the impact when an attraction is down. Here’s hoping the refurbishment will be worth the extended time frame and not an effort to cut back on workers overtime pay or some effect of #thanksshanghai and that’s to actually make the improvements and repairs needed to bring it back to 100% functionality
Tom, I’m a long time reader and am completely on board with your sentiments. The only side note I can add is that while reading this, I was [still irritated] but pleased to hear that I’m not the one irritated by Disney’s lack of publishing park hours (and fireworks schedules) but expecting us to plan our ADR’s 6 months in advance. Thank you for justifying my irritation with this, and making me feel less ridiculous.
I agree that refurbishments are often necessary, however they could plan them out in a much better way. I only get to WDW once a year at most, and even then don’t often get to all the parks. I haven’t visited DHS or DAK since 2012. I’ll be going in early November and while my trip isn’t ruined, it’s incredibly disappointing that three MAJOR attractions will be closed for refurbishment. I’ll be missing Dinosaur, Aerosmith AND Big Thunder Mountain. All three need to be down at once? Really? Aerosmith was the most disappointing blow, as it’s one of my favorites and I got food poisoning on my trip in December which prevented me from visiting DHS. I neglected to change any plans or even complain to Disney when I realized both Aerosmith and Big Thunder Mountain would be closed, but with Dinosaur being closed as well now I’ll be contacting Disney to voice my disappointment. For how expensive these trips are, I think more than 2 major attractions being closed for refurbishment is too many. Especially when they’re sprung on us last minute without giving us any time to adjust our plans.
@Katie, I feel your pain. I’m in the same boat. Except this is my first time back in 20 years (time away was not by choice). I was a kid the last time I went and did not get to experience much. There are so many new rides since I was there last, I am anxious to experience it all. We even scheduled a long stay so we could fit in as much as possible. I’ve wanted to ride The Aerosmith coaster since it opened. We only found out about the refurbishment after we bought non refundable airline tickets.
For major rides to be down in 3 out of 4 parks at one time is unacceptable. Disney should keep the policy of under prominsing and over delivering. We have to schedule our vacations 6+ months out to get all the reservations that we want. At least put out a reliable refurbishment schedule so we can plan accordingly. If a ride has to close for sudden safety concerns I understand that. But scheduled maintenance should stick to the schedule and be public knowledge.