As the holiday season sweeps across Walt Disney World Resort, it’s easy to overlook the monumental changes that lie ahead in 2025. While Thanksgiving crowds surge and preparations for Christmas enchant the Magic Kingdom, Disney is gearing up for a transformative year. From major ride updates to land-wide overhauls, the future promises a fresh chapter for Disney’s parks. But with progress comes change, and for Disney fans, that often means saying goodbye—at least temporarily—to beloved attractions.
Big changes are already underway. Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the long-awaited retheme of DinoLand U.S.A. will officially begin on January 13, 2025. The closure will include three locations within the land, marking the end of an era. Surprisingly, the land’s iconic attraction, DINOSAUR, will remain operational throughout 2025 despite rumors that it will soon join the list of retired attractions.
Meanwhile, EPCOT fans are eagerly awaiting the revamped Test Track, now sponsored by General Motors. The updated ride is scheduled to debut in late summer 2025 and promises a fresh take on this high-speed favorite.
But the biggest headline heading into the new year isn’t in Animal Kingdom or EPCOT—it’s in Magic Kingdom.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: Closing in One Month
One of Disney’s most cherished coasters, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, is set to close indefinitely in just a month’s time. The Magic Kingdom favorite will officially shut its gates on January 6, 2025, with Disney suggesting the closure is part of its most extensive refurbishment to date. According to the official Walt Disney World website, the ride will “reopen with a little bit of new magic in 2026.”
Fans of the Frontierland classic have already begun speculating about what this “new magic” could entail. Many point to the updates made to the Disneyland version over a decade ago, which added enhanced visual effects, audio upgrades, and an overall smoother ride experience.
In preparation for this massive refurbishment, Disney has filed a new permit for the project. As reported by WDWMagic, the permit has been assigned to Disney Imagineering partner Elite AV Systems Inc. and will expire on December 3, 2025.
Additional permits for the project include work by Coastal Steel Inc. for general construction and DPR Construction for complex structural updates, with the latter’s permit extending until March 13, 2026. This timeline suggests that while Disney hopes to have Big Thunder Mountain back in action by 2026, the project’s completion may extend further.
Big Thunder Mountain’s closure isn’t the only shake-up coming to Frontierland. Disney’s ambitious plans for this area include a Cars-themed expansion, which will replace Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. The announcement, made during this year’s D23 Expo, confirmed that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the new Cars addition will anchor a reimagined Frontierland, merging classic Disney nostalgia with new intellectual properties.
The update comes amid ongoing challenges between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD). The district, orchestrated by Governor Ron DeSantis, has requested a 60-day extension to its discussions with Disney over the resort’s expansion plans. Despite these hurdles, Disney appears committed to pushing forward with its vision for Magic Kingdom’s future.
Disney has long balanced honoring its legacy with appealing to new generations of fans, and the upcoming changes are no exception. At this year’s INBOUND festival in Boston, Disney Parks Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro addressed the challenges of these large-scale transformations. While acknowledging that Disney does not always get it right, D’Amaro emphasized that these projects are designed to resonate with the next generation of parkgoers.
What do you think of Big Thunder Mountain’s closure and the future of Magic Kingdom? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
