2023 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar
This Disney California Adventure and Disneyland ride refurbishment calendar for the end of this year and 2023 lists temporary attraction closures so you know what won’t be operating before planning your vacation. Additionally, we offer info about reimagining projects that are underway to enhance experiences around the resort. (Updated May 31, 2023.)
While no one wants attraction closures during their visit, they are a necessary part of keeping Disneyland and Disney California Adventure in good condition, as routine maintenance, safety upgrades, and attraction improvements are all done during scheduled ride closures. Usually, there are only a handful of simultaneous closed rides, plus new attractions being built.
Having an idea of which attractions are closed at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure is important, but we recommend consulting our 2023 Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide for more comprehensive info. That covers everything from saving money on park tickets and hotels to where to eat, when to visit, and more.
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 visit to Disneyland Resort and it’s not listed below, it’s likely a temporary closure that will last a few hours. Check with nearby Cast Members to confirm.
Below is a schedule of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure refurbishments, when the closure starts, and when the refurbishment will conclude. To the extent that specific dates are not yet listed, those will be updated once Disneyland Resort provides precise start and/or end dates. The following day will be when the attraction is scheduled to reopen.
Here are the closure schedules for Disney California Adventure and Disneyland…
Disney California Adventure
- The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure – Closed June 5-7, 2023
- Paint the Night Parade – Return Date Unknown
- Rogers: The Musical – Opens June 30, 2023
- Soarin’ Around the World –Â Closed July 5, 2023 through TBD
Let’s start with Rogers: The Musical, which isn’t technically a refurbishment at all, but is replacing Frozen: Live at the Hyperion. Disneyland has announced that this limited time Marvel musical will debut on June 30, 2023.
Finally, Paint the Night Parade is listed above, but there’s no indication it’ll be returning anytime soon–if ever. It could find new life in Florida or return as part of a promotional push for Summer 2024.
Next, let’s take a look at the 2023 Disneyland attraction closure calendar as of May 31, 2023..
Disneyland
- Alice in Wonderland – Closed June 5-15, 2023
- Alice in Wonderland – Closed (again) July 5, 2023 through TBD
- Disneyland Monorail – Closed July 5, 2023 through TBD
- Fantasmic – Paused until at least Labor Day (Tentative)
- Main Street Electrical Parade – Return Date Unknown (Likely June or July 2023)
- Matterhorn Bobsleds – Reopens on June 2, 2023
- Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – Closed June 5-15, 2023
- Peter Pan’s Flight – Closing June 5-29, 2023
- Splash Mountain – Permanently closed
- Adventureland Treehouse – Opens in Summer 2023
Beyond these dates, let’s cover some specific closures and reopening dates…
The latest update comes via the official Disneyland website, which has quietly added closures for the Disneyland Monorail, Soarin’ Around the World, and Alice in Wonderland all beginning July 5, 2023. Currently, the calendar only goes through mid-month, so none of these closures have end dates.
These are the first refurbishments added for after Independence Day, but probably not the last. A post-holiday summer slowdown is possible, in which case Disneyland might try to schedule downtime before the busy Halloween and Christmas seasons.
Prior to this, Disneyland provided an update that Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Peter Pan’s Flight. All of those will be closed starting June 5, 2023 for refurbishment. End dates for these refurbishments have now been announced, with the first two rides reopening on June 16, 2023. Peter Pan’s Flight won’t return until June 30, possibly to receive additional repairs or reimagining for some reason.
If you’re wondering why Disneyland is taking down all of these classic Fantasyland dark rides simultaneously at the start of summer season rather than staggering them during the offseason, it’s likely that work needs to be done on the show building itself. All three of these iconic attractions are technically under one roof, so that’s the most logical explanation. Otherwise, there’s no way Disneyland would close them all at once.
As for what the project could be, probably a recently-discovered and urgently-needed repair. Southern California got hit hard by winter storms, so it could be water damage due to the roof leaking. Another possibility is mold remediation. My personal hope is that they discovered termites–not because I’m a fan of the insects, but because I want to see the entire building covered by a giant circus tent while spraying for those.
Those are all just guesses, obviously. Whatever the actual reason, we’d expect it to be completed as expeditiously as possible and not involve any substantive updates or changes to the attractions themselves. Disneyland is going to want these attractions back up ASAP for the busy summer vacation season.
Thankfully, we now know that the Matterhorn Bobsleds will return prior to the Fantasyland dark rides closing. That was previously an indefinite closure, and we feared that it would last for several months–potentially even a year or longer.
As previously noted, Matterhorn has had extended closures for several years running, with the most recent occurring last fall when the ride was closed for 10 weeks. The attraction is aging and numerous retrofits have been made in the last decade to extend its life or make the ride experience more comfortable for guests. Portions of the mountain have also been (literally) falling apart, so structural repairs have been necessary.
At some point, Matterhorn is going to need to close for an extended duration (likely a year or longer) to fully address, replace and rebuild its infrastructure and track. The current Matterhorn refurbishment will not entail that, but it’s always a possibility after the end of summer season. Regardless, future potential closures of the Matterhorn should be on your radar no matter when you’re visiting.
In the more immediate future, Disneyland has officially paused Fantasmic until at least Labor Day and teased that alternative entertainment for Summer 2023 is on the way. What that entails, and the changes that might be in store for a reimagined Fantasmic, are covered here.
It’s important to stress that Fantasmic returning after summer is entirely tentative at this point. Fantasmic could return even later than that–it all depends upon how quickly interim replacements for the damaged showpieces can be prepared. Judging by the nature and extent of the fire damage, it’s likely that the Murphy Audio Animatronics figure of Maleficent will be missing for far longer.
At the very least, the Maleficent dragon scene is likely going to be presented in b-mode for the remainder of this year. In general, do not expect to see the “full” Fantasmic until 2024. Even if the nighttime spectacular does return in Fall 2023, it’s likely to be a modified version of the show.
Finally, Splash Mountain is now officially closed to be reimagined into a new ride based on The Princess and the Frog. Expect to see visible signs of the transformation into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure by early June 2023. It was a curious decision to close Splash Mountain right before the busy (and hotter) summer season, but it’s our understanding that the closure date had been pushed back a couple of times for various reasons and the team working on it needs as much time as they can get.
In Florida, Imagineers have already kicked that coast’s version of this project into high gear. Already, construction walls are up around Chick-A-Pin Hill and Imagineers have been observed on and around the attraction beginning work on the overhaul. The transformation timeline is an aggressive one, and we’re skeptical that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will actually open in 2024. More likely, it’ll be delayed until 2025.
Now, a few notes about the above refurbishments. For starters, there’s much more on the above lists than normal. Most of these attractions are currently closed for budgetary, staffing, or other non-maintenance related reasons. There are actually far fewer traditional refurbishments occurring right now than normally.
Beyond that, Disneyland is notorious for changing its refurbishment schedules, adding or canceling planned downtimes weeks or days in advance. While this practice is still relatively uncommon in the grand scheme of things, it’s worth pointing out because it does happen.
Now, here’s a bit of our philosophy concerning refurbishments, with the specific example of the recent multi-year Disneyland Railroad refurbishment used to illustrate…
Thoughts on Refurbishments
Nobody likes a favorite attraction to be refurbished during their vacation. It means missing out and potentially not being able to experience the ride for another year or longer, depending upon the frequency of your visits to Disneyland. A couple of years ago, the Disneyland Railroad closed for an extended refurbishment due to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge construction.
At first, we were really disappointed. This might seem like an odd attraction to lament the closure of, but as Southern Californians with Disneyland Annual Passes, this was an absolute favorite of ours. We rode regularly when we wanted to rest our feet, or simply a break from the crowds. With the exception of maybe ‘it’s a small world’, we did Disneyland Railroad more than any other attraction.
However, that initial disappointment pretty quickly gave way to excitement. We began thinking about ways Disneyland Railroad could be plussed, improving the experience for years to come. Disney had already announced that some changes would be made (as the track needed to be re-routed), and we were excited for the prospect of new show scenes or other visuals.
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. 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 Disneyland 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.
Disneyland Railroad works as a good example here…in large part because it did receive significant changes and enhancements. (Arguably, the Rivers of America suffered due to being condensed, but that’s another topic for another day–we cover all aspects of this in our New-Look Grand Circle Tour of Disneyland post.)
The point extends to other attractions that have seen similar plussings, but also have more of a problem with effects breaking. Take Indiana Jones Adventure, for example. This is a ride that seems to get a refurbishment about every other year (sometimes more frequently) and we’d argue that it could probably use more regular maintenance than that.
If you are a long-term fan, would you rather experience Indiana Jones Adventure every single visit with 75% of the effects working, or every single visit minus one or two with 95% of the effects working? For me, the answer to that is easy. I’ll take a superior long term experience every time.
Beyond that, there’s the much more compelling justification for regular refurbishments: they are essential for the safety of attractions. While we may 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. Likewise, years of neglect at Disneyland Paris have led to incidents of injury that could be attributed to a lack of maintenance. In both cases, this has been addressed, and maintenance has improved considerably.
This is not meant to scare anyone or provoke an emotional reaction. 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 Four 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 Nunis-ian interpretation of the Four Keys, show is an important consideration, and it should always be 100%. This is a nice goal to strive for, but the practical reality is that 100% show quality is an unworkably high threshold sometimes.
In my estimation, this is a good example of balancing guest interests with show quality. Get the effects working that are easily fixable, and find other ways to address effects that are frequently breaking. We’re not talking about safety here, just random effects. Indiana Jones Adventure has had a number of effects disabled or replaced over the years because they were unreliable.
Guests are understandably concerned when it appears an inordinate number of attractions are closing during their vacation, especially out of state visitors. Trips to California 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.
With that said, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure ought to be publishing their routine refurbishment schedules several months in advance, allowing guests to plan around closures. Disney plans maintenance well in advance, and this info should be passed along to guests. For the most part, it is.
Obviously, unplanned maintenance can occur, which takes rides out of commission for hours or even days at the last minute. This is an unavoidable part of sophisticated theme park attractions, and there’s no real way to “plan around” this. It just is what it is.
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 Disneyland and Disney California Adventure attractions with show quality issues aren’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.
The end result of that thinking is a duct-tapped approach to attraction maintenance, with whatever work that can be done overnight accomplished, and two parks full of attractions with half their effects broken. First-timers would be left wondering why there was so much hype about Disneyland in the first place, as so many components of rides simply don’t work. If you’re reading this as a lifelong fan, well…maybe you wouldn’t have become a lifelong fan if this were actually Disneyland’s modus operandi.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!
Your Thoughts…
Any questions about the current refurbishments at Disneyland Resort? 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!”? 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!
Thank you for sharing the link to the article titled “Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar” from DisneyTouristBlog.com. Planning a visit to Disneyland requires careful consideration of various factors, including refurbishments and closures of attractions. While I am unable to access the specific content of the article, I can provide you with a general response and offer some insights on Disneyland refurbishment calendars.
Keeping track of refurbishments and closures is essential for visitors to maximize their experience at Disneyland. Theme parks often undergo routine maintenance and updates to ensure the safety and enjoyment of guests. Refurbishments can range from minor enhancements to extensive renovations that temporarily close attractions or areas within the park.
To stay informed about Disneyland refurbishments, it’s helpful to refer to official sources such as the Disneyland Resort website or official social media channels. These platforms provide the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding any planned closures or refurbishments. The Disneyland Resort typically announces scheduled refurbishments well in advance, allowing visitors to plan their trips accordingly.
Additionally, independent Disney fan websites and blogs, such as DisneyTouristBlog.com, often compile refurbishment calendars based on available information and historical patterns. These calendars can provide a general overview of expected refurbishments and closures, but it’s important to cross-reference this information with official sources to ensure accuracy and account for any last-minute changes.
When planning your visit to Disneyland, consider factors such as the duration of your trip, the specific attractions you wish to experience, and any special events or holidays that may affect park operations. Flexibility and understanding that refurbishments are essential for the long-term maintenance and improvement of the park will contribute to a more enjoyable visit.
I encourage you to consult the official Disneyland Resort channels for the most accurate and current information on refurbishments and closures. Their announcements will provide the most reliable guidance when planning your Disneyland adventure.
I hope this general response assists you in understanding Disneyland refurbishment calendars. If you have any further questions or require more specific information, feel free to ask.
Dear Disney Tourist Blog,
I wanted to express my gratitude for your comprehensive Disneyland refurbishment calendar. As a Disney enthusiast and frequent visitor to the parks, your calendar has become an invaluable resource for planning my trips and staying up to date with the latest refurbishments and closures.
Your article provides a wealth of information regarding the refurbishment schedules for various attractions, restaurants, and entertainment offerings at Disneyland. Here are a few aspects of your calendar that I find particularly helpful:
Detailed Descriptions: I appreciate the thorough descriptions you provide for each refurbishment, including the specific dates, duration, and any additional details or updates. This level of detail allows me to plan my visit accordingly and make informed decisions about which attractions and experiences to prioritize during my trip.
Visual Presentation: The visual presentation of the refurbishment calendar is fantastic. The use of color-coded categories and clear icons makes it easy to navigate and quickly identify the types of closures or refurbishments taking place. The inclusion of additional notes and links to relevant articles or announcements adds further context and enhances the user experience.
Future Planning: One of the most valuable aspects of your calendar is the inclusion of upcoming refurbishments beyond the current month. This allows me to plan my visits well in advance and anticipate any potential closures or changes that might impact my itinerary. It’s incredibly helpful to have a long-term perspective when planning multiple trips to Disneyland throughout the year.
Ongoing Updates: I appreciate that you regularly update the refurbishment calendar to reflect any changes or new information as it becomes available. This shows your commitment to providing accurate and up-to-date information, ensuring that readers have the most reliable resource for their trip planning.
To further enhance the calendar, you might consider adding a search or filtering functionality that allows users to easily find specific attractions or categories of interest. This could be particularly useful for individuals looking to plan their visit around specific attractions or experiences.
Thank you for creating and maintaining such a valuable resource for Disneyland visitors. Your refurbishment calendar has become an essential tool in my trip planning, and I’m sure many other Disney enthusiasts appreciate the effort and dedication you put into keeping it updated. I look forward to following your blog for more Disneyland tips and insights.
Dear Disney Tourist Blog,
Thank you for providing the Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar on your website. As a Disney enthusiast, I find this resource incredibly valuable for planning my visits to the park. I wanted to express my gratitude and offer some feedback based on my experience using the calendar.
The Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar you have created is a comprehensive and informative tool for visitors. It helps us stay informed about upcoming refurbishments, closures, and attraction updates, allowing us to plan our trips accordingly. The layout of the calendar is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it convenient to find the information we need.
I appreciate the level of detail you provide for each refurbishment entry. The inclusion of specific dates, attraction names, and descriptions of the refurbishment activities or closures helps us better understand the impact on our park experience. Additionally, your notes on anticipated completion dates or temporary closures provide useful insights for visitors who may want to adjust their travel plans accordingly.
The color-coded system used in the calendar, distinguishing between different types of refurbishments, is a thoughtful addition. It allows users to quickly identify which attractions are affected and the nature of the refurbishment, whether it’s a routine maintenance closure, a seasonal overlay, or a major renovation. This visual representation makes it easier to plan our days at the park and manage our expectations.
I would like to suggest adding a section or a separate page on your website that provides additional information on refurbishment processes and why they are necessary. This would help educate readers about the importance of regular maintenance and enhancements to maintain the high standards of the Disneyland Resort. It could also include any insights or behind-the-scenes information you may have on how the refurbishment process works.
Furthermore, it would be beneficial to provide updates on the progress of ongoing refurbishments or any changes to the planned schedule. Although I understand that refurbishment timelines can be subject to change, periodic updates on the calendar or a section dedicated to recent changes would be helpful for visitors who rely on this resource for trip planning.
Overall, the Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar on your website is an excellent tool for Disney fans and park visitors. It provides valuable information that enhances our planning process and helps us make informed decisions about our park experiences. I commend you for creating and maintaining such a useful resource.
Thank you again for providing this valuable service to Disney enthusiasts. I hope my feedback proves useful and contributes to the ongoing improvement of your calendar.
Thank you for sharing your Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar. As a Disney enthusiast, I appreciate the effort and attention to detail you put into creating this resource for other Disney fans.
Your calendar provides valuable information on the scheduled refurbishments and closures at Disneyland, which can help visitors plan their trips accordingly. It’s especially helpful for those who are visiting the park for the first time and may not be familiar with the refurbishment schedule.
I also appreciate the additional information you provide, such as the expected duration of each refurbishment and the specific attractions that will be affected. This level of detail can be very helpful for visitors who want to make the most of their time at the park.
Overall, your Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar is a fantastic resource for Disney fans and visitors to the park. Thank you for sharing this information and for your continued dedication to providing helpful and informative content on all things Disney.
We’re going to Disneyland for the first time in early June. We’re fairly experienced WDW attendees. I’ve read your 1-day itinerary and was wondering-in your opinion-based on recent closures and certain Fantasyland rides being closed-what would you rope drop? Still knock out what’s left of fantasyland? Start with Star Wars? Or maybe Toontown? Just curious what you would do. Thanks!
Sad to see Peter Pan will close right before our June trip, but we’re following your suggestion of looking at the long term benefits of our favorite ride being with us for the long haul.
Question: you also mention the Main Street Electric Parade; I thought that was brought back recently only for an anniversary, but are there plans to bring it back more regularly?
When is your trip? Because I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Peter Pan’s Flight (etc.) are only down for a few days. Could be longer, but they’ll push to have those rides back up and running ASAP.
Main Street Electrical Parade has been returning whenever internal attendance forecasts are soft. They come up with other excuses to bring it back, but that’s the real one. I would not expect to see it this June or July, but it or Paint the Night during the early fall off-season or in early 2024 are definite possibilities.
I am so disappointed to see the Fantasyland rides that are closing right before our June trip. I’ve been on them plenty of times in my lifetime, but was looking forward to taking my kids on them now that they are older to remember them. We now live on the East coast and go to Disney World all the time, so I wanted them to experience these classic attractions that we don’t have in Orlando. Another trip to Disneyland probably won’t happen for years, so this was disappointing news! Keeping my fingers crossed that the necessary fixes can be done in like a week….LOL!
Do you think based on past closure timelines that it’s within the realm of possibility that the Fantasyland rides reopen by the weekend of June 24/25? We are going for the first time and likely won’t return for many years, and will be so disappointed to miss Alice and Mr. Toad.
I don’t think past closure timelines have any bearing on this. This is almost certainly work on the building itself, and will be completed as quickly as possible. My expectation is that the closure will be best measured in days–not weeks or months–but that could be wrong.
They’ll want this done ASAP, so the only thing that’ll prevent the rides from reopening before your trip is if the work cannot be finished that fast. I think the damage would have to be pretty bad for that to not be the case. (And if the damage *is* that bad, it seems unlikely they’d be able to have the rides open between now and June, in the first place.)
Tom, do you think the dark rides would return by late august?
I am assuming they are closing Peter Pan to get rid of the natives
I read your email newsletter every day but I just got scooped by my wife that the Matterhorn will be closed (beginning 4/17/23) when we’re there next month! Please update this post!
See this link (confirmed by the Disneyland daily calendar which currently goes out to 5/17/23)
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/disneyland/matterhorn-bobsleds/
I am so glad that Indiana Jones is going to get the attention it needs and deserves. Even if it means it is closed when we are finally able to make our trip. My husband and I agree we would rather not ride it than ride in its reported current state, even though we haven’t been in over 15 years. It’s his favorite ride and one of mine.
I very much agree with IJA. We were just there and one person in our party had never been on the ride. We were so excited to experience it with her. Then we were so disappointed. You are so correct that many effects were broken. I hope they restore it to it’s original glory. Including that wonderful queue. Hopefully, we can also wait in a normal line inside. They have us wait outside then let us go so we don’t get to explore the queue and wait in air conditioning.
One of our favorite things at Disneyworld was the Parade of Lights. It was like being a kid once again (and we are in our 60’s) so this WAS a big thing for us, and to see it going away, well, it’s just another reason NOT to go back to Disneyworld. We loved the Magical express and not having to worry about anything once off the plane. We (wife and I) are of the opinion, it’s all just about money now. In that case, Disney, you can keep it. We won’t be going back.
Thanks for the update Tom. So to clarify, the Christmas parade still runs through the entire holiday season & wasn’t behind a paywall last year, despite the first Christmas holiday hard ticket parties last year? So we can expect there to be a daily parade during regular hours of the holiday season? But no fireworks? But given that the Halloween Parade was always behind a paywall, there will likely be nothing in terms of a parade Sept 2 through Oct 31 during regular hours at DL parks? And no fireworks in that time frame either? I’ve got a few days of tickets to use up at DLR and am planning to go during one of your recommended windows between Remembrance Day & American Thanksgiving, so trying to adjust expectations accordingly. Thanks!
The Christmas fireworks are every Friday-Sunday, except Thanksgiving week and the month of December, when they are nightly. The Christmas parade is performed twice daily throughout the entirety of the holiday season. The Halloween parade is part of the Oogie Boogie Bash in DCA, but the Halloween Screams fireworks perform every Friday-Sunday in Disneyland, and the same show without the fireworks (so projects, music, lasers, lighting) performs on weekdays during that time period.
I am so bummed that Main Street Electrical parade is supposed to close Sept. 1. Why wouldn’t they at least let it run over the Labor Day weekend? I wish they would let it run at least until Sept 15 or something. It barely just started….
Thanks for the updates! I recently saw an online rumor that Matterhorn will close in August for 2 months. Any validity to that?
It just got put out there that Matterhorn is closing 8/8/22.
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/disneyland/matterhorn-bobsleds/