A Walt Disney World Resort ride has remained out of service for an unexpected four days, with no explanation. The Astro Orbiter at Magic Kingdom Park has been closed since Sunday afternoon, July 13, and has not reopened. Although temporary closures are not uncommon at Disney parks, the prolonged downtime for the Astro Orbiter is raising some questions.
Temporary ride closures at Walt Disney World Resort are typically caused by a range of factors, including weather, technical issues, or guest-related concerns, such as disruptions or behavior that could affect the attraction’s operation. These closures generally last only a few hours. However, the Astro Orbiter remained shut down for the rest of the day on Sunday and failed to reopen on Monday and Tuesday. As of Wednesday, July 16, the ride is still not operational.
What makes this closure even more unusual is that Astro Orbiter had only just reopened on June 27, 2025, after undergoing a six-month refurbishment. This refurbishment began in January when crews arrived with a crane to dismantle the ride for an offsite renovation. Guests who visited Magic Kingdom Park during the downtime would have noticed the absence of the attraction that typically sits atop the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover loading platform. After several months, the crane returned, and the ride was rebuilt piece by piece before being tested for a few weeks before reopening.
Now, with the ride closed again just weeks after its return, some Disney Park guests are questioning the effectiveness of the refurbishment. On July 14, X (formerly Twitter) user @BeastCoasters posted:
I don't think Astro Orbiter opened at all today so I guess the refurb ended a bit too soon 🤷♂️
I don't think Astro Orbiter opened at all today so I guess the refurb ended a bit too soon 🤷♂️
— BeastCoasters (@BeastCoasters) July 14, 2025
Despite the growing confusion, Walt Disney World Resort has not issued any public statements regarding the cause of the extended closure. As of now, the My Disney Experience app lists the Astro Orbiter as “temporarily closed,” with no indication of when it will reopen.
*Note: As of around 2:00 p.m. on July 16, the Astro Orbiter has returned to normal operations at Walt Disney World Resort.
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