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Credit: DisneyAs Walt Disney World’s 2025 continues to speed along with the impending arrival of EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival, the 30th anniversary of Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, and the end of the virtual queue system, the theme park giant is embarking on a wave of transformative projects, ushering in both excitement and controversy among fans.
While attractions like the reimagined Test Track at EPCOT were already in motion heading into the new year, large-scale developments at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom prove more sweeping changes ahead.
One of the most talked-about closures so far is the indefinite shuttering of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. The classic Frontierland roller coaster took its final riders on January 5, 2025, with Disney confirming on its official website that the ride would “temporarily close for refurbishment on January 6, 2025” and return “with a little bit of new magic in 2026.”
Though details remain scarce, speculation suggests the overhaul could resemble updates made to Disneyland’s version over a decade ago.
Disney wasted no time getting to work. Just days after the closure, images were shared on social media showing crews using a crane to remove a massive piece of track from the ride. The sight of the iconic track segment being hoisted into the sky over Magic Kingdom caught the attention of visitors in other areas of the park, including from the Haunted Mansion line in Liberty Square.
Documents filed in late 2024 hinted at the extensive nature of the refurbishment, with reports confirming the involvement of parties like long-time Disney Imagineering partner Elite AV Systems Inc. and DPR Construction. Now, a new notice has been filed by the House of Mouse that may signal the next stage of the redesign is imminent.
“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.”
The closure of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is just one part of a larger overhaul of Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland. At the 2024 D23 Expo, Disney announced the introduction of the Cars franchise to the area, integrating it with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
As a result, longtime staples like Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America will be permanently removed from Central Florida’s version of the park.
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, more closures have begun to reshape the park’s landscape. Three attractions—TriceraTop Spin, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and Fossil Fun Games—permanently closed on January 13, 2025, as part of the transformation of DinoLand U.S.A. into the Tropical Americas-inspired Pueblo Esperanza.
However, fans of the land’s signature attraction, DINOSAUR, can rest easy, as Disney confirmed it will remain operational through all of 2025 despite previous speculation about its fate.
The rapid pace of these changes has taken some fans by surprise. Disney is often criticized for lengthy construction timelines, but with Universal’s Epic Universe set to debut in 2025, the company appears to be accelerating its efforts.
During the INBOUND conference in Boston, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro acknowledged the challenges of large-scale projects, stating that while Disney doesn’t always get everything right, each decision is made with future generations in mind.
With major attractions closing and new developments on the horizon, Disney World’s evolution is well underway. But how do you feel about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s extended closure? Let us know your thoughts!