Credit: DisneyKali River Rapids has officially closed at Walt Disney World Resort’s Animal Kingdom.
As the weather turns colder and the holiday crowds thin out, January tends to be a popular time for refurbishment and maintenance at Central Florida’s theme parks.
The latest attraction to temporarily close to guests is Animal Kingdom’s Kali River Rapids. The water raft ride, which sees guests “set out on a thrilling whitewater adventure through a lush jungle in the heart of Asia,” closed on Monday (January 8) and is scheduled to reopen in mid-March – which, conveniently, is when temperatures begin to pick up in Orlando.
Kali River Rapids typically closes in January each year. In 2023, it surprised Disney World parkgoers when it reopened from its refurbishment nearly three weeks earlier than originally planned.
The attraction first opened in March 1999, one year after the rest of Animal Kingdom. Originally named Tiger Rapids Run, it aims to educate guests on illegal logging and habitat destruction with a storyline that involves taking riders on a rafting expedition along the Chakranadi River to show them the area’s natural beauty and demonstrate the non-destructive ways they can boost the fictional village’s economy.
It’s not the only attraction currently undergoing refurbishment at Walt Disney World Resort. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith also closed at Hollywood Studios on January 8, while the entirety of Typhoon Lagoon closed for the season on November 6.
Other attractions set to close for refurbishment in the upcoming months include Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which will shut for five days on January 16, and Frozen Ever After, which will close at EPCOT for one day on January 24. Country Bear Jamboree will also close for several months on January 27 as it undergoes a modernization until this summer.
The majority of major water rides face refurbishment at Orlando’s theme parks this winter. Over at Universal Orlando Resort, Jurassic Park River Adventure closed earlier this week until February 2. On February 5, Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges will also close until March 9. Journey to Atlantis is also closed at SeaWorld Orlando from January 8 to February 26.
What’s your favorite water ride at Orlando’s theme parks? Let us know in the comments!