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Why 2025 Could Be the Worst Year to Visit Disney World Ever

Visiting Disney World is always an unforgettable experience, but for 2025, it’s important to know that some beloved attractions will be off-limits due to necessary refurbishments and updates.

With multiple closures across all four parks, planning ahead will ensure you still have a magical visit. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest closures and how they might affect your plans.

An image of Epcot at Walt Disney World, showing the iconic geodesic sphere known as Spaceship Earth. The sphere towers above a lake that occupies the foreground, with surrounding trees, buildings, and a partly cloudy sky enhancing the scenic view.
Credit: Reinhard Link, Flickr

What’s Closed in 2025?

Magic Kingdom

  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: Closed for an extensive refurbishment until 2026.
  • Astro Orbiter: Under maintenance from January to summer 2025.
  • Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade: Permanently closed.
  • Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island: Scheduled to close permanently by late 2025.

Despite these closures, popular attractions such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Haunted Mansion remain open, along with family favorites like Peter Pan’s Flight.

Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom
Credit: Disney

EPCOT

  • Test Track: Getting a full overhaul and closed until late summer 2025.
  • Gran Fiesta Tour: Temporarily closed until March 15, 2025.
  • Spaceship Earth: Potentially closing for maintenance, though unconfirmed.

Even with Test Track offline, EPCOT’s festivals and attractions like Soarin’ Around the World and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure offer plenty to enjoy.

Hollywood Studios

  • Jedi Training Academy and Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: Permanently ended.
  • Voyage of the Little Mermaid: Reimagined version reopening summer 2025.

The park’s major rides, including Rise of the Resistance and Tower of Terror, remain open, ensuring that the biggest thrills are still available.

Disney's Hollywood Studios entrance
Credit: Paul Hudson, Flickr

Animal Kingdom

  • DINOSAUR: Set to close for transformation into an Indiana Jones-themed attraction.
  • It’s Tough to Be a Bug: Closing to make way for a Zootopia-inspired show.
  • Kali River Rapids: Closed for routine maintenance until March 2025.
  • TriceraTop Spin: Permanently closed.

Animal Kingdom’s standout attractions, Avatar: Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest, will continue to anchor this park even amid changes.

A vibrant street scene at dusk in Disney's Hollywood Studios, illuminated by colorful lights. Palm trees line the street, and numerous shops and attractions are visible on both sides. Crowds of people walk along the street towards a large theater at the end as the park prepares for its early closing.
Credit: Disney

Looking Forward

While 2025 is a year of transitions, it’s also paving the way for exciting additions. New lands like Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom and Cars Land at Magic Kingdom promise fresh adventures in the coming years.

By staying flexible and focusing on what’s available, you can still create magical memories at Disney World, even amid changes. Whether it’s your first visit or your fifteenth, the enchantment is always there—sometimes you just have to look in new places.

Andrew Boardwine

A frequent visitor of Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, Andrew will likely be found freefalling on Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or enjoying Pirates of the Caribbean. Over at Universal, he'll be taking in the thrills of the Jurassic World Velocicoaster and Revenge of the Mummy

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