Walt Disney World continues to push through on its major 2025 changes.
One of the biggest developments making waves is the indefinite closure of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. The beloved Frontierland coaster took its final riders on January 5, 2025, before Disney confirmed on its official website that the ride would “temporarily close for refurbishment on January 6, 2025” and reopen “with a little bit of new magic in 2026.” While Disney has yet to disclose full details, speculation suggests updates similar to those made to Disneyland’s version over a decade ago.
Construction efforts ramped up immediately. Just days after the closure, social media was flooded with images of a crane lifting a massive piece of track from the ride, an eye-catching moment visible from the Haunted Mansion queue in Liberty Square. The rapid dismantling made it clear that this would be a substantial refurbishment.
Further signs of the scale of the project emerged in late 2024, when Disney filed documents naming Imagineering’s long-time collaborators, Elite AV Systems Inc. and DPR Construction, as key partners. Now, a newly filed Notice of Commencement signals another significant step forward.
“Another milestone in the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment has been reached, as Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) has filed a new Notice of Commencement for the Magic Kingdom attraction,” WDWMagic reported. “The document, which lists the work as ‘Install set elements,' is assigned to Icarus Exhibits, Inc., a company known for themed set fabrication and installation.”
Beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, sweeping changes are coming to Frontierland as a whole. During the 2024 D23 Expo, Disney confirmed that the Cars franchise would be incorporated into the land, linking with both Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. To make way for these updates, longtime attractions like Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America will be permanently removed from Disney World’s version of the park.
Meanwhile, over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, transformations continue. On January 13, 2025, three attractions—TriceraTop Spin, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and Fossil Fun Games—were shuttered permanently to clear the way for the new Tropical Americas-inspired land, Pueblo Esperanza. Amid speculation surrounding the future of DINOSAUR, Disney has reassured fans that the ride will remain operational throughout 2025.
The swift progression of these projects has surprised some Disney fans. The company has often been criticized for slow-moving construction, but with Universal’s Epic Universe set to open in 2025, Disney appears to be fast-tracking its own developments. Speaking at the INBOUND conference in Boston, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro acknowledged the challenges of large-scale projects, stating that while Disney doesn’t always get everything right, every decision is made with future generations in mind.
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