Credit: Inside the MagicGuests traveling to the Magic Kingdom this January may want to double-check what dates they are visiting.
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It was recently confirmed that Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will close significantly early on January 30, 2025. The park will open at 9:00 a.m. that morning but will close to regular guests at 4:30 p.m., several hours earlier than is typical for the theme park.
This early closure is likely due to a Cast Service celebration, during which the Walt Disney World Resort rewards its employees, called cast members, who have reached milestones or accomplished other achievements during their careers.
Guests have seen other theme parks at Walt Disney World shut down early over the last year. Disney’s Hollywood Studios closed early this summer due to the SAP Saphire & ASUG Annual Conference, which featured an exclusive performance by Maroon 5, among other special treats and events.
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This early closure comes ahead of what is likely to be a very busy and very transformative year for the Magic Kingdom, with the theme park set to receive massive upgrades and updates over the next decade. At Disney’s D23 event in August, the company confirmed several new projects will be coming to the Magic Kingdom.
By far, the biggest reveal of the night was Magic Kingdom’s new area inspired by Pixar’s Cars franchise. While similar to what Disney California Adventure has with Radiator Springs Racers and the surrounding areas, Magic Kingdoms’ new car expansion is set to be completely different from its West Coast counterpart.
Disney teased what guests can expect when the new area opens, promising to deliver an incredible new ride experience where guests go off-roading on an all-terrain race course. While exciting, many fans were cautious in regards to where exactly this new expansion would go, with Magic Kingdom being already packed tightly with rides and attractions.
Eventually, Disney dropped the bombshell that Magic Kingdom’s new expansion would take over the area currently occupied by the Rivers of America, the theme park’s man-made river.
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Magic Kingdom isn’t the only theme park in Walt Disney World that will soon see major changes. The Walt Disney Company also announced that Disney’s Hollywood Studios will receive its own Pixar-themed makeover, this time inspired by Monsters Inc. (2001).
This new Monstropolis area will feature an exciting new door-themed roller coaster, something that has long been rumored for the Walt Disney World Resort.
However, much like Magic Kingdom’s Cars expansion, fans are worried about what might need to close at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to make way for Mike and Sully.
Stay tuned here for all Walt Disney World news updates!