A major part of Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort has officially closed its doors indefinitely, and fans are feeling the impact.
With the holiday season behind us, the focus at Walt Disney World Resort has shifted to the major changes coming in 2025. From EPCOT’s highly anticipated Test Track overhaul to the evolving landscape of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, big things are happening across the parks.
As 2025 kicks off, Disney is saying goodbye to several beloved attractions, ushering in a new era of theme park experiences. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the transformation of DinoLand U.S.A. into the Tropical Americas-themed Pueblo Esperanza is in full swing.
Thankfully for fans of the iconic DINOSAUR attraction, Disney confirmed it will remain open through 2025, despite previous rumors of its closure. However, the same cannot be said for other beloved areas within DinoLand U.S.A. Attractions such as TriceraTop Spin, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and Fossil Fun Games permanently shut down on January 13, 2025, and have since been removed from park maps.
While changes at Animal Kingdom are significant, perhaps the most controversial development is happening over at Magic Kingdom. First announced at the 2024 D23 Expo, Disney revealed plans to introduce the Cars franchise to Frontierland, merging it with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. This sweeping transformation means the removal of iconic features like Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America—and yes, that includes the Liberty Belle Riverboat.
As part of these major changes, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad officially closed on January 6, 2025. According to Disney World’s official website, the ride has “temporarily closed for refurbishment on January 6, 2025,” and is expected to “reopen with a little bit of new magic in 2026.”
This means the last official ride—for now—took place on January 5, 2025. Naturally, speculation is already buzzing about what that “new magic” might include. Many fans believe updates will mirror those made to Disneyland’s version in Anaheim, which received new lighting and projection effects over a decade ago.
To prepare for the extensive refurbishment, Disney filed a permit in late 2024, hinting at a possible reopening date. According to WDWMagic, “The permit, filed today, is assigned to long-time Disney Imagineering partner Elite AV Systems Inc. and expires on December 3, 2025.”
The report adds, “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is scheduled to close on January 6, 2025, for what Disney has described as its most extensive refurbishment to date. Previous permits for the project included work with Coastal Steel Inc. for general construction and DPR Construction for complex structural updates. The DPR Construction permit is valid through March 13, 2026.”
Since the attraction closed, work has moved at a rapid pace. Theme park journalist Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) shared an update on X (formerly Twitter), reporting:
“The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment work is moving along quickly. Just a few moments ago, crews used a crane to lift and remove a massive piece of track. The ride closed on Monday and is set to reopen next year at Magic Kingdom.”
Photos from theme park guest Madi (@madidavis07) captured the moment in action, captioning her post:
today while we were in line for haunted mansion!
Now, nearly three weeks since the closure, significant changes are already apparent. Images from WDWMagic show that much of the track has been removed, signaling a major shift for this 44-year-old attraction.
“…Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s design is intricately integrated with themed rockwork and other scenic elements,” the report explains. “This adds significant complexity to the track replacement process, requiring crews to carefully dismantle and navigate the ride’s elaborate environment without damaging surrounding theming.”
Disney is clearly pushing forward at full steam with this project—a rare feat given the company’s usual slow-moving approach to large-scale overhauls (…looking at you, World Celebration).
During the INBOUND conference in Boston, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro addressed the company’s approach to ambitious projects, admitting that while they don’t always get everything right, every decision is made with future generations of Disney fans in mind.
What do you think about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closing for more than a year? Are you surprised by Disney’s quick progress on this project? Let us know in the comments below!
