Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom is gearing up for the highly anticipated return of one of its most iconic attractions. A recently filed permit suggests the Astro Orbiter, which closed earlier this year, will soon soar back into Tomorrowland.
The Astro Orbiter: A 50-Year Icon
The Astro Orbiter has been a staple of Tomorrowland since it opened in 1974 under the name “Star Jets.” For decades, this spinning attraction has been a favorite of both Disney regulars and first-time visitors. In 1994, Walt Disney World Resort reimagined the ride to fit into its current futuristic style, and ever since, it’s been perched high above the PeopleMover loading area, offering guests a thrilling view of Magic Kingdom Park.
However, earlier this year, the spinning attraction disappeared from the skies of Magic Kingdom Park. In January, the ride closed for a refurbishment until “the summer of 2025.” Little did Disney Park guests know, this wouldn’t be a typical short-term closure.
A Surprise Disassembly
While most attraction refurbishments at Walt Disney World Resort are relatively uneventful, Astro Orbiter’s closure sparked anything but routine maintenance. It wasn’t just that the ride was temporarily shut down, but rather that crews took the extraordinary step of completely disassembling the iconic structure. Shortly after the ride closed on January 13, construction walls went up around Tomorrowland, and guests were quick to notice a crane behind them.
It wasn’t long before it became clear that something much bigger was happening behind the scenes. The ride was completely dismantled overnight, leaving some visitors unsure that there had ever been a ride in that spot at all.
The Big Return of the Astro Orbiter
Fortunately, it seems like the Astro Orbiter’s time in limbo is coming to an end. A recently filed “Notice of Commencement” suggests that Walt Disney World Resort is preparing to reassemble the attraction. The document lists Buena Vista Construction Company as the team responsible for “providing labor, material, and electrical work” for the project at the Tomorrowland construction site. This language matches a construction permit filed earlier in the year before the ride was taken apart.
While Disney hasn’t yet confirmed a precise reopening date, the permit hints that the reassembly process is already underway. Magic Kingdom Park guests can likely expect to see the large crane return as crews work to put the Astro Orbiter back in place.
New Magic Coming to Magic Kingdom
Astro Orbiter isn’t the only attraction at Magic Kingdom undergoing a major overhaul. On the opposite side of the park, crews have been hard at work on a complete track replacement for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The roller coaster, which also closed in January, is slated to reopen sometime in 2026 with some “new magic.”
What changes do you hope to see on the Astro Orbiter at Magic Kingdom Park? Let Disney Fanatic know in the comments!
