As we head into the end of 2024 and early 2025, there are a handful of closures etc. that are confirmed on the horizon. Until today we had basically no specific dates about these changes, but Disney has finally revealed some key dates. Here’s what we now know…
Dinoland Changes Begin January 13, 2025
We already know DINOLAND is closing to be reborn as Pueblo Esperanza / Tropical Americas land. We now have the date that changes will begin.
Beginning January 13, 2025, the following attractions / areas in Dinoland (Animal Kingdom) will be closed:
TriceraTop Spin (the aerial carousel ride)
Fossil Fun Games (the carnival games)
Chester & Hester's Dinosaur Treasures (the store)
As of now, this means that Restaurantosaurus, DINOSAUR, and The Boneyard will remain open for some time after January 12. It was expected that Dinoland would close in phases, so this isn’t a surprise. We expect closures for these to be announced at some later time.
While the loss of TriceraTop Spin brings the Animal Kingdom ride count down to six (or seven, if you count the Wildlife Express Train) we have to concede it won’t change the composition of a day (or part-day) at Animal Kingdom for most guests.
Our toddler enjoys TriceraTop Spin, so it has always been an essential part of a visit to Animal Kingdom. But it doesn’t have a Lightning Lane, which means that most guests will either (1) skip it or (2) dedicate less than 15 minutes of their day to it. The Boneyard is sticking around for some time at least, and our toddler spends more time there than riding TriceraTop spin anyway.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Temporarily Closes January 6, 2025
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be closed for an extended refurbishment beginning January 6, 2025. Per Disney, it “will reopen with a little bit of new magic in 2026” (emphasis added).
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been rumored for a lengthy refurbishment since the “blue sky” unveiling of possible lands “beyond Big Thunder.” We now know Magic Kingdom will get a new villains land (specific location not yet confirmed) and that Frontierland will see the addition of a Cars-themed area, replacing Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat.
No updates about Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat were announced yet, but we don’t read much into that either way. The permitting for construction around those hit a snag, but presumably Disney was already clear for whatever long-planned work was needed on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. At this point I’d say I’m not expecting January closures for Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them closed before spring break season.
It’s a little tough to comment on the Big Thunder closure from a touring perspective because Magic Kingdom remains in so much other flux. Tiana’s still has to switch from virtual to standby queue. TRON still has to join Early Entry. Jungle Cruise reopens from its refurbishment in a few days (so it will be open for the first time since TRON dropped its virtual queue and complicated Magic Kingdom rope drop).
The bottom line is a little negative, though. Big Thunder is a great ride that isn’t too long, which makes it ideal for rope drop. Once it closes (for about a year, remember), your best two rope drop options on the west side of the park are going to be Jungle Cruise and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, both very long rides. It’s unlikely you’ll get off either of those in time to find another short wait.
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