2022 Disney World Refurbishment Calendar

This Walt Disney World journey refurbishment calendar lists the closure schedule for 2022 at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom. Sights shut for routine upkeep, security upgrades, enhancements, and reimaginings. (Up to date July 4, 2022.)

Whereas nobody needs attraction downtime throughout their journey to Walt Disney World, refurbishments are essential to preserve the rides wanting good (and protected!) for future guests. Often, there are solely a handful of simultaneous closures, plus new sights being constructed. Notice that the checklist beneath consists of a number of refurbishments which have both been scheduled last-minute, prolonged, or are longer than regular.

Nearly two years after Walt Disney World’s reopening at a time when the parks have in any other case largely returned to regular operations, there’s rather more on the beneath checklist than regular. Nonetheless, many of those sights are presently closed for budgetary, staffing, or different non-maintenance associated causes. There are literally far fewer conventional refurbishments occurring proper now than usually.

There’s additionally plenty of development occurring, albeit not almost as a lot as even a couple of years in the past. Nonetheless, that massively understates the present closures and impression of development on guests to Walt Disney World by this 12 months and even 2023.

At Epcot particularly, the refurbishment checklist is misleading, as colossal modifications have begun that aren’t totally mirrored on the checklist beneath. There are partitions up round a lot of the entrance of Epcot, with bypasses in place that lead visitors previous the middle of the park. These have lately barely shrunk in measurement because of a brand new path in entrance of Connections Cafe and Creations Store, however they received’t be gone completely till someday in 2023.

Past that, present exhibits and atmospheric acts that had been beforehand on non permanent hiatus now is not going to return till someday later this 12 months. At this level, the one confirmed leisure nonetheless to return is Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; different stage exhibits and atmospheric acts may by no means come again.

On a constructive be aware, plenty of leisure has returned in the previous couple of months. That features Discovering Nemo: The Huge Blue & Past, Pageant of Fantasy Parade, an overhauled fiftieth Anniversary stage present at Cinderella Fortress, and new cavalcade. All of this leisure is now performing each day as of Summer time 2022.

Right here is the present schedule of Walt Disney World refurbishments to sights, when the closure begins, and when the refurbishment will conclude, up to date as of June 19, 2022:

Animal Kingdom

• Pageant of the Lion King – Closed July 5-15, 2022
• Primeval Whirl – Completely Closed & Demolished

A Celebration of Pageant of the Lion King has its remaining performances on July 4, 2022 and can completely shut thereafter. That’s not fairly as dramatic because it sounds, and is definitely excellent news. It’ll get replaced by…drumroll…Pageant of the Lion King! The total model of the present is returning, full with tumble monkeys and aerial avian acrobats.

Primeval Whirl has been changed by picnic tables, however that’s presumably simply non permanent. Our hope is {that a} everlasting alternative will probably be introduced on the D23 Expo in September 2022.

Magic Kingdom

• Enchanted Tales with Belle – Return date TBD
• Splash Mountain – Closure date TBD (Probably September 2022 or January 2023)
• Walt Disney World Railroad – Reopening TBD (Probably Fall 2022 or later)

With stage exhibits and parades now again, issues are largely again to the pre-closure regular at Magic Kingdom. It solely took nearly two years! Enchanted Tales with Belle is the one holdout, and we’re optimistic that’ll return sooner fairly than later.

There are a few wildcards. First, the Walt Disney World Railroad stays closed, which is nothing new. It’s been down since 2018 and certain received’t return for a couple of extra months. This closure started within the early levels of TRON Lightcycle Run improvement, and that development is (fortunately) nearing completion. This extended downtime is by design, with the purpose of saving working bills beneath the guise of a crucial closure on account of development.

Second, the Princess and the Frog reimagining of Splash Mountain. Lately, Disney introduced that this attraction will probably be referred to as Tiana’s Bayou Journey and can open in Late 2024. 

With a purpose to make that opening timeline, it’s possible that the present incarnation of Splash Mountain will shut as soon as the summer season vacationer season is over or for its regular winter refurbishment in early 2023. The latter closure date would give Magic Kingdom the headliner throughout the vacation season, whereas the previous would give the Imagineers extra time to work on the reimagining.

EPCOT

• Canada Far & Extensive in CircleVision 360 – Closed by November 2022
• Epcot Expertise – Closed completely

As soon as once more, Canada Far and Extensive in Circle-Imaginative and prescient 360 will shut for an unknown period starting June 27, 2022. Unknown period ought to in all probability be in air quotes, as that is nearly actually for the 2022 EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Pageant, that’s simply not official but.

The Circle-Imaginative and prescient 360° theater is often used for the Appleseed Orchard International Market, as has been the case for a couple of prior festivals. EPCOT’s annual Meals & Wine Pageant begins in July and runs by late November 2022–for extra on that occasion, see our Information to the 2022 EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Pageant. If previous precedent is any indication, Canada Far & Extensive will possible reopen in time for (American) Thanksgiving.

Past that, the core of Epcot remains to be a sea of development partitions, however issues have improved with the opening of Creations Store, Membership Cool, and Connections Cafe & Eatery. This final one is the quick informal restaurant and Starbucks location that may change Electrical Umbrella. With the opening of this, the trail connecting Spaceship Earth to World Showcase is again, which is a welcome aid.

Talking of Spaceship Earth, our expectation is that it’ll go down for a prolonged refurbishment sooner or later in late 2022. This might embody the previously-announced reimagining. Both approach, there’s appreciable work needing to be carried out on the journey system that may’t wait an excessive amount of longer.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Fantasmic – Return date TBD (Hopefully late Summer time 2022)
• Frozen Sing-Alongside Celebration – Closes August 22, 2022
• Jedi Coaching Academy: Trials of the Temple – Return date TBD
• Star Wars: Galactic Spectacular – Return date TBD
• Star Wars Launch Bay – Reopening on July 17, 2022 (Most likely)
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid – Return date TBD

Let’s begin with the newest replace. “For the First Time in Eternally: A Frozen Sing-Alongside Celebration” is scheduled to shut for a refurbishment starting on the finish of the summer season season and proceed by the low season.

The closure begins August 22, 2022 and runs by to no less than September 12, 2022. Nonetheless, that is as far into the longer term because the attraction calendar goes at this level, so Frozen Sing-Alongside Celebration might be darkish for much longer. The one factor we do know is that the vacation finale will return this 12 months, so it’s possible that Frozen Sing-Alongside Celebration reopen by mid-November. No phrase as to what substantive modifications, if any, the refurbishment will entail.

In different DHS leisure information, work remains to be progressing on the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater–dwelling to Fantasmic. There are indicators that the return of this present has been delayed, and can now happen in summer season on the earliest–in all probability not till late July or August 2022. See our up to date When Will Fantasmic Return? for extra on this.

Walt Disney World confirmed that Star Wars Launch Bay will probably be returning quickly, with Star Wars character meet & greets resuming within the house. Lately, Disney revealed that Star Wars Meet & Greets Are Coming to Genie+ beginning on July 17, 2022. Nonetheless, that data was faraway from the web site and there’s no different affirmation that the meet & greets will return on that date. So possibly it’ll occur…or maybe there’s been a delay?

Already, the walk-through show part of Star Wars Launch Bay has reopened, however character meet & greets have remained closed. It’s possible that Walt Disney World will use this house for meet & greets with characters who are usually not within the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge timeline, like Darth Vader. Our dream can be for a return of the Disney characters carrying Star Wars costumes, like Darth Goofy (above), Jedi Mickey, and others.

Exterior Theme Parks

• Blizzard Seaside Water Park – Reopening date TBD (Probably late 2022)

In any other case, the attraction closures above are fairly straight-forward. To the extent that particular dates are usually not but listed, these will probably be up to date as soon as Walt Disney World gives exact begin and/or finish dates.

Along with scheduled attraction refurbs, unscheduled downtime may happen throughout a go to. This often solely happens for a couple of hours at a time, so should you discover an attraction is closed throughout your trip and it’s not listed beneath, it’s possible a short lived closure that may final (at most) for a couple of hours. Verify with close by Solid Members to verify.

For resort work, please see our 2022-2023 Walt Disney World Resort Development & Refurbishments. In case you are anxious that any of resort resort renovations will impression your keep, right here’s a common rule to remember: room refurbishments not often impression resort stays. These happen in particular clusters, and also you’ll not often discover the work being carried out.

Now, right here’s a little bit of my philosophy regarding refurbishments…

Common Ideas on Refurbishments

When information comes out about any refurbishment, my fast response is at all times, “that is nice–it means they’re really doing one thing to the attraction!” My thoughts races with the probabilities of how sights might be improved or plussed by Walt Disney Imagineering. Although we would miss it on our subsequent Walt Disney World go to, I’m at all times excited.

In studying suggestions from others, I’ve found this angle places me within the minority. Others on-line fume about this, and the way it could alter or impression their trip plans. The saying “trip ruined” has attained near-meme standing amongst some followers, and that felt apt for a few of the complaints. I can perceive the angle. Assessing the scope of the refurbishment upfront, scheduling liberal refurbishment dates, and opening early (under-promising and over-delivering) is at all times preferable to the choice.

I may perceive that there’s different pent-up frustration at play right here, starting from radio-silence on tasks to Walt Disney World’s tardiness in releasing park hours whereas anticipating visitors to plan a number of months upfront. Neither of those strikes by Disney, amongst others, are defensible. At greatest, this communication is poor visitor service. At worst, it’s demonstrative of a contemptible angle in direction of visitors.

Nonetheless, I stay of the mindset that this refurbishment extension–and different present refurbishments–is probably an excellent factor. Among the many most vocal followers upset in regards to the extension are those that are like me: visitors who go to Walt Disney World no less than every-other 12 months. We’re taking part in the ‘lengthy’ fandom sport. We will look again on the times of the notorious wand over Spaceship Earth and are additionally wanting ahead to Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary.

From my perspective, investing within the long-term high quality of an attraction is much extra necessary than the non permanent satisfaction I’ll get out of using it on my subsequent go to. I get excited when enthusiastic about methods rides might be plussed, bettering the expertise for years to return. For this reason it at all times perplexes me when regulars contend that their trip will probably be ruined as a result of their favourite attraction will probably be closed.

If it’s your favourite attraction and also you’re energetic within the Disney fan group, meaning you’ve been to Walt Disney World earlier than and possibly will go to once more. It will thus stand to motive that you’d need one thing you like to get the TLC it deserves, and proceed to enhance.

DINOSAUR works as an excellent instance right here. This attraction was referred to as Countdown to Extinction (“CTX”) earlier than an ill-advised film tie-in was added. Throughout that period, DINOSAUR had a litany of further results, lots of its AAs had larger performance, and the attraction was, as an entire, extra spectacular.

In case you are a long-term fan, would you fairly expertise DINOSAUR each single 12 months with 66% of the consequences working, or each single 12 months minus one with 95% of the consequences working? For me, the reply to that’s simple. I’ll take a superior long run expertise each time. (That that is even a reputable query for long-time followers speaks to the ‘immediate gratification’ nature of issues at present, however that’s properly past the scope of this put up.)

Past that, there’s the rather more compelling justification for normal refurbishments: they’re important for the security of sights. Whereas we consider these sights as all enjoyable and video games that provide a protected sense of exhilaration, that’s when they’re correctly maintained.

It’s disagreeable to consider, however there have been a number of preventable deaths within the historical past of Disney’s parks. Throughout a darkish period of Disneyland historical past, improper upkeep was the reason for loss of life on Huge Thunder Mountain (fortunately, Paul Pressler’s reign of terror is over). Years of neglect at Disneyland Paris have led to incidents of harm that might be attributed to a scarcity of upkeep (once more, this has been addressed).

This isn’t meant to scare anybody or provoke an emotional response; the very fact is that Disney’s worldwide security file is sterling as in comparison with different park operators. It’s nonetheless necessary to do not forget that these enjoyable, ‘magical’ locations additionally exist in the true world and use plenty of probably harmful components if security just isn’t considered as key. (Or, in Disney’s case, one of many “5 Keys.”)

In terms of upkeep that isn’t important to the protected operation of an attraction, we’re left to ponder what quantity of present high quality must be accepted. If following a strict Nunisian practitioner of the 4 Keys, present is one other paramount consideration, and it ought to at all times be 100%. That is good company propaganda, however I believe the sensible actuality is that 100% is an unworkably excessive threshold in lots of circumstances.

I believe now we have seen this play out with Expedition Everest. Followers joke in regards to the “Disco Yeti” and lament the truth that this jaw-dropping Audio Animatronics determine has not labored in almost a decade. There are quite a few theories as to why the Yeti hasn’t been fastened; what every of those share is that there are large-scale issues and no fast fixes.

Fixing the Yeti would require a closure of no less than 6 months, and be fairly costly. The working Yeti is really an impressive sight to behold (and one most of you in all probability haven’t seen in A-mode except you rode over a decade in the past), however the attraction remains to be spectacular with the Disco Yeti. At this level, it’s possible that Disney has decided the closure would take too lengthy, value an excessive amount of, and the development wouldn’t be well worth the funding.

There’s additionally the truth that Animal Kingdom is missing in rides. Even after the opening of Pandora – World of Avatar, the park nonetheless is heavy on exhibits and animal displays and lightweight on rides. Taking one of many park’s flagship rides down for six months to a 12 months to repair one Audio Animatronics determine that visitors see for 1-2 seconds won’t be well worth the sacrifice.

As a staunch proponent of present high quality, I’ve a tough time accepting the identical argument for any attraction in Magic Kingdom, a park with a veritable “mountain vary” and various slate of different sights. In actual fact, the identical goes for each fort park. These parks have sufficient sights to select up the slack if 1-2 sights must be taken offline concurrently with out ruining any holidays.

Company are understandably involved when it seems an inordinate variety of sights are closing throughout their trip. Walt Disney World holidays are usually not low-cost and are sometimes as soon as in a lifetime experiences. First-timers actually don’t need to miss out on experiences about which they’ve learn in depth hype.

Nonetheless, the issue with a “not throughout my trip” angle like that is that it’s at all times going to be somebody’s (or tens of 1000’s of someones) trip. If sights with present high quality points don’t shut for refurbishments for concern of some visitors throughout a time-limited window lacking out, all visitors in perpetuity are going to have a lesser expertise.

Working an attraction with damaged results is just going to compound issues, and finally a single damaged impact will flip into myriad damaged results. Think about this situation park-wide, performed out to its pure penalties. That’s not precisely what I’d name the “Disney Distinction.”

Once more, DINOSAUR is an effective instance right here. If it’s your first go to and also you expertise DINOSAUR with 66% of the consequences working, you received’t know what you’re lacking. Using it’ll, little doubt, be superior to not using it. Nonetheless, I’m guessing your satisfaction ranking of the attraction wouldn’t be almost as excessive, and also you may query why so many individuals love the attraction, and why Disney was lazy with a lot empty, darkish house. (Or, maybe you received’t: should you solely ever eat pet food, you received’t know what you’re lacking in a pleasant steak.)

The factor is, if Disney wouldn’t shut DINOSAUR throughout your trip so that you don’t miss out on it, likelihood is that they’d lengthen the identical “courtesy” for different visitors, and it could be customary working process to by no means shut something throughout anybody’s trip.

The tip results of this could be a park stuffed with “66% sights” and first-timers can be left questioning why there was a lot hype about Walt Disney World, within the first place. In the event you’re studying this as a lifelong fan, take into account the likelihood that you just wouldn’t have grow to be a lifelong fan if this had been really Disney’s modus operandi. (In actual fact, I’d argue that Walt Disney World is trending on this route, dragging its toes on a number of crucial refurbishments, with the inaction being predicated upon brief time period visitor satisfaction or cost-savings.)

This may sound like we’re making use of ‘heavy’ Rawlsian principle to the lighthearted subject of theme parks, however philosophy isn’t price a rattling if it could actually’t be utilized to theme parks. 😉

Loads of this may appear to be an effort to absolve Disney of blame in the case of refurbishments, however this isn’t the case. Disney has introduced plenty of the visitor unrest regarding refurbishments upon itself. The primary problem is that Disney has quite a few parks which have opened within the final twenty years with incomplete slates of sights, making it tough to justify taking sights offline for refurbishment. So the 1st step, a completely impractical step at this level, can be to open theme parks which can be full on day one.

Failing that, Disney might keep away from plenty of the visitor backlash regarding refurbishments if they’d schedule extra 3-4 day refurbishments of sights to proactively deal with issues with preventative upkeep. Though this could not completely negate the necessity for prolonged refurbishments, it could enhance present high quality throughout the board and assist keep away from plenty of conditions the place sights must abruptly shut as a result of they’re in dire want of upkeep. Furthermore, a 3-4 day refurbishment is shorter than the period of most holidays, permitting vacationers to successfully plan across the refurbishment.

On this case, each events planning forward would forestall these “trip ruined!” complaints. Don’t fear, Disney, we followers are resilient: we’ll nonetheless discover one thing else to complain about. 😉

Joking apart, I understand that’s a tricky line to attract between an excusable refurbishment and a frustratingly irritating one. Even should you subscribe to the some extent of the ‘philosophy’ I’m advancing, there is no such thing as a bright-line rule. It’s nonetheless going to quantity to a price judgment about what ought to ‘set off’ a necessity for refurbishment, what number of sights must be down concurrently throughout Walt Disney World, and what occasions of 12 months are perfect for which refurbishments.

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Your Ideas

Any questions in regards to the present refurbishments at Walt Disney World? What do you consider refurbishments on the Disney Parks? Are you extra involved about an improved long-term expertise, or do you suppose “not throughout my trip!”? The place do you draw the road? Another elements you suppose are price contemplating? As talked about, we predict it is a dialog, so please share your ‘refurbishment philosophy’, or some other ideas or questions you have got, within the feedback!