As the holiday season approaches, the Walt Disney World Resort is gearing up for one of its busiest times of the year. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, guests traditionally fill the parks to capacity—but 2025 brings a new challenge as Magic Kingdom Park undergoes its largest transformation in over fifty years.
This year, Disney’s Experience division has been hard at work across the Florida parks, leading a wide array of refurbishments and updates. While Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom have seen their share of closures, it’s the changes inside Magic Kingdom Park that stand out most. A major section of Frontierland, including the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, has permanently closed to make way for the park’s next chapter. Even Big Thunder Mountain Railroad—an iconic favorite—is currently closed as Imagineers prepare a refreshed version of the attraction, set to reopen in 2026.
The park’s reimagining comes at a unique time for guests planning to visit during the holidays. With multiple attractions unavailable, managing the large crowds expected between Christmas and New Year’s will present a real test. Thanksgiving week may offer an early preview of how operations will adapt to the extra demand.
For decades, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has taken guests on a thrilling journey through desert canyons and the frontier town of Rainbow Ridge. Known as “the wildest ride in the wilderness,” this legendary runaway mine train has long captured the spirit of classic Disney storytelling—filled with humor, excitement, and detail around every turn.
The fan-favorite attraction will reopen next year with new scenes, updated effects, and enhanced storytelling, forming part of a larger expansion of Frontierland that introduces the imaginative Piston Peak National Park and the long-rumored Villains Land.
Tomorrowland is also seeing some action. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, the family-friendly intergalactic mission featuring Buzz and the evil Emperor Zurg, closed for major updates in August 2025. Imagineers are upgrading the ride’s vehicles and adding an entirely new scene that will debut “Buddy,” a new Star Command robot created with Pixar Animation Studios. Guests can expect to rejoin Buzz on his mission when the attraction reopens in 2026.
With two of Magic Kingdom’s most popular rides—Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin—temporarily unavailable, other attractions are expected to see longer lines this season. Guests will also notice the absence of relaxing areas like the Liberty Belle Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island.
How Disney manages this year’s holiday crowds remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: 2025 marks a transformative moment for Magic Kingdom Park, setting the stage for an exciting new era ahead.
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