In a perfect world, your next visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth would allow you to visit every single attraction. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way and there are times where maintenance needs to be done, upgrades are performed, and re-imagining takes place. In those cases, there is simply nothing you can do because, no matter what, there is simply no way for you to enjoy those attractions.
January 2025 has a pretty extensive list of the planned closures at Walt Disney World (not to mention the unplanned ones). Let’s get right to the list of attractions you will encounter that are going to be closed during the month of January 2025.
Magic Kingdom Park
At Magic Kingdom, there are a few attractions with planned closures for January. Astro Orbiter, the rocket ship ride in Tomorrowland, will temporarily close on January 13th for refurbishment. You should be able to blast off again in the summer but, if you are visiting Walt Disney World in the next week, you will be able to ride one last time before the closure.
Over in Liberty Square, The Hall of Presidents will be closing on January 20th for refurbishment. Not to worry… you will be able to watch the 25 minute show with its ice-cold air conditioning later this year… hopefully just in time for summer (we’ll keep our fingers crossed)!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a major ride will be closed for nearly all of 2025. As of the date of publication, this is the final day you can ride this roller coaster. “The wildest ride in the wilderness” will close for refurbishment on January 6th with plans to reopen in 2026. Disney promises “a little bit of new magic” when the ride re-opens.
EPCOT
We’ve got a couple attractions with planned closures in January. Test Track continues its re-imagining which started back in June. It and it’s gift shop, Test Track SIMporium, will remain closed until Summer 2025, although you can expect to see the new vehicles running test laps around the track early in the year.
Another fan favorite in EPCOT, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, will temporarily close the same day as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closes over in Magic Kingdom. That means, again, that this is the last day you can ride it for a while. This closure is for a planned refurbishment for the dark water ride and, if all goes well, you will be able to ask ¿Dónde Está Donald Duck? again on March 15th.
Animal Kingdom Park
Continuing the trend of January 6th closures, Kali River Rapids in Disney’s Animal Kingdom will temporarily close for its annual refurbishment. It is expected to re-open in March when the temperatures are a little warmer and you are more willing to be soaked with water.
There are also three permanent closures in Animal Kingdom Park as the beginning of extinction nears for the park’s Dinoland U.S.A. section. TriceraTop Spin, Chester & Hester’s DinoRama, and Fossil Fun Games will all be closing forever after January 12th. Dinoland U.S.A. is starting the process of being dismantled as part of the area’s planned overhaul to create a new land: Tropical Americas. At this time, Dinoland U.S.A.’s main attraction, DINOSAUR! remains open.
Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Ever since Walt Disney World re-opened after the COVID-19 pandemic closures, the water parks at the resort have never been open concurrently. Generally speaking, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park has been open Spring through Fall and Disney’s Blizzard Beach is open during the colder months of the year. This is currently true and Typhoon Lagoon is closed. As such, if you are visiting Walt Disney World this month and would like to take advantage of the free water park perk, you will need to visit Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.
Disney’s Yacht Club & Beach Club Resorts
Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool, the main pool for Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club, will be closed starting this month for routine maintenance. This pool, which is better described as a water park in and of itself, will be closed until at least June. Additionally, Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill, the main pool bar, will also be closed during this time. The quiet pools will be available at these resorts to those lodging here.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
The Courtyard Pool and the adjacent hot tub at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is scheduled to be closed from January 20th through late February for routine maintenance. Guests will still be able to use the resort’s main pool, the Beach Pool, during this closure.
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Fantasia Pool at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort will be close for routine maintenance starting this month. The closure expected to last through April. Guests can use the Duck Pond Pool at the resort while Fantasia Pool is down for maintenance.
It is important to note that most of the ride closures in the parks affect rides that typically swallow a large number of people. The rides being unavailable means all of the people that would have been in those lines will now be going to other rides, making the lines for other rides even longer. Keep that in mind when you head to the parks this month. Be sure to stay tuned to Mouse House News for more Disney Vacation News and Reviews For Disney Adults… and don’t forget that .NET at the end of our web address!
