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New year, new experiences at Walt Disney World—but it appears that Disney experience will not be including a few iconic attractions for the foreseeable future.
The Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort are some of the best places for a Disney vacation. The Disney Resort and its four Disney Parks have many rides like “Space Mountain” and “it’s a small world” in Magic Kingdom Park, or shows like “Harmonious” in EPCOT and “Fantasmic!” in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These are a few of myriad attractions that Guests can enjoy and experience Disney magic at.
“Partners Statue” in front of Cinderella Castle, Magic Kingdom/Courtesy of Disney
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As all fans know, closures at the Disney Parks are par for the course, especially for refurbishment and ensuring that the ride meets necessary safety requirements and standards. Typically, Disney announces upcoming closures in advance, allowing fans to prepare for the potential closure of their favorite rides and frequent them more prior to their closing. For example, Magic Kingdom closures include Disney World ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland as well. Even the popular Disney Skyliner has a January closure planned.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios/Courtesy of Disney
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But there is one closure that is a bit different to our usual reporting. One first reported by Disney Tips, and seen on the My Disney Experience App, Disney World attraction Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy closed suddenly on December 28, 2022.
At the time of reporting, we don’t know what prompted this closure and when it is set to reopen. Considering that this closure wasn’t announced previously, it is possible that the attraction dotting the end of Sunset Boulevard saw an unforeseen issue that prompted Disney to shut its doors to maintain the safety of attending Guests. It is important to also note that the Walt Disney World website still notes the attraction as available, which also leads us to believe the closure might be more “unofficial” in nature.
Beacons of Magic, Disney’s Animal Kingdom/Courtesy of Disney
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This is just one of a few of the closures announced at Walt Disney World in Central Florida. Perhaps the most controversial ride which is closing this January, however, is Splash Mountain. The beloved ride has been marked for permanent closure, with the upcoming Tiana’s Bayou Adventure set to open in 2024 to replace it.
We at Disney Fanatic will continue to report on all Disney news.
