Disney World Closures and Refurbishments for July 2025 and Beyond

Major Closures and Refurbishments Coming to Walt Disney World Through 2026: What’s Opening, Closing, and Retheming Soon

If you’re planning a Walt Disney World vacation between now and 2026, there’s a whole lot of change on the horizon. From big-name ride refurbishments to themed lounge openings and even a few permanent closures, it’s clear Disney is laying the groundwork for an even more magical (and modernized) future. Let’s break down everything we know so far, park by park:

Related: Disney World Railroad Begins ‘Shuttle Mode’ Operations at Magic Kingdom

🌐 EPCOT

• Spaceship Earth will close on August 25, 2025 for a much-anticipated refurbishment and will reopen later that year with updated storytelling and effects.
• The new GEO-82 Lounge, inspired by Spaceship Earth, is already open for guests looking for a relaxing, futuristic escape.
• And just in time for the summer crowd, Test Track will reopen on July 22, 2025, following a major overhaul in partnership with General Motors.

🦖 Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Big changes are in motion at Animal Kingdom, especially in DinoLand U.S.A.:

• Already closed:
  • TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures
  • It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
• In early 2026, DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus, Dino-Bite Snacks, and Trilo-Bites will also close permanently.
• But there’s something wildly exciting coming: the brand-new Zootopia: Better Zoogether! experience will open in Winter 2025, promising a vibrant addition to the park where guests can dive into Judy Hopps’ world.

🏰 Magic Kingdom

• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will close for refurbishment on August 4, 2025 and is expected to reopen in 2026.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is currently closed for a lengthy refurbishment and will also reopen in 2026.
• Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat are all permenantly closed.
• Walt Disney World Railroad is operating in shuttle mode due to the closure of Frontierland Station.
• Coming soon, The Beak & Barrel, a Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired lounge, is set to open late 2025—expect a swashbuckling good time with themed drinks and immersive storytelling.

🎥 Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Muppet*Vision 3D and PizzeRizzo are closed.
• Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano has closed its doors.
• But Hollywood Studios also saw two major new arrivals:
  • Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After is now open.
  • The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure has debuted as a fresh, stage-based take on Ariel’s classic tale.
• Looking ahead to 2026, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will close and reopen with a new Muppets retheme, replacing Aerosmith with a more family-friendly (and chaotic) crew.
• On May 22, 2026, expect a new Star Wars: Millennium Falcon experience featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu to debut in Galaxy’s Edge.

Related: Walt Disney World Unwraps the Magic for the 2025 Holiday Season

Which attraction new or refurbished/updated are you most excited to check out for the first time, and which attraction that is being sunset will you miss the most? Leave us a comment to let us know!

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