The Shift Has Started for Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios
There’s something oddly emotional about watching a classic attraction operate while you know its days are numbered. Every launch feels slightly heavier. Every familiar beat feels like it could be the last time you hear it that way.
That’s the space Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster occupies right now at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The ride isn’t closed. There’s no official farewell date posted outside the entrance. Yet more signs are stacking up that Disney is already deep into the transition process—and moving faster than it may appear on the surface.
The latest clue came quietly, through paperwork rather than public announcement.
A new Notice of Commencement was filed on January 7, 2026, contracting Imagineering vendor Jon Richards Company to install set elements at the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster location. It’s the second permit tied to the attraction in a short span of time, following an earlier filing with a different contractor.
That kind of sequencing matters. One permit can signal planning. Two permits, involving different vendors, usually signal action.
Even more telling is what guests are already seeing. Portions of the attraction’s pre-show have been boarded up, an unusual move for a ride that’s still welcoming riders. Disney rarely walls off guest-facing spaces unless something significant is happening behind them.
Officially, Disney has confirmed that Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will close in the spring, with a reimagined version debuting in summer 2026. That gives the company a tight turnaround window—and explains why work appears to be ramping up now, rather than waiting for a full closure.
The new version will feature the Electric Mayhem, with guests racing across town in a familiar high-speed format. The structure stays recognizable. The story shifts. And with it, the entire tone of the experience may shift as well.
That’s where fan uncertainty comes into play.
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster has long been one of Disney World’s most intense rides—not just physically, but stylistically. It stood apart. Loud, chaotic, and unapologetically bold. Retheming it isn’t just a creative choice; it’s a cultural one.
And when viewed alongside other recent changes at Hollywood Studios—like the permanent closure of MuppetVision 3D—the reimagining feels like part of a larger reset. Disney is clearing space. Tightening themes. Reframing how this park tells its stories.
For now, Disney is letting the transformation unfold quietly. No dramatic countdown. No final bow. Just steady, deliberate movement toward something new.
The ride may still be running—but the future version is already being built around it.
