Guests Forced Out of Disney Ride, Made To Stand in Beating Sun or Leave

Disneyland Park has abruptly blocked off the exterior of one of its iconic Fantasyland dark rides: Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey replaced the Mickey Mouse Club Theater at Disneyland Park on May 23, 1983, just one month after its sister attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. Another version opened at Disneyland Paris in 1992, and all three still operate today. The family-friendly dark ride tells the story of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Pinocchio (1940), with sets and animatronics that bring the wooden puppet to life right in front of guests’ eyes.

But “wishing on a star” might look slightly different for current Disney Park guests. According to WDWNT, Disneyland Resort has installed large wooden construction walls and fabric scrim material on the exterior of Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.

The tan construction walls with wooden slats match the Fantasyland aesthetic, while the tan fabric towers overhead. It appears to conceal scaffolding installed on the attraction’s exterior.

The blocked-off area includes Pinocchio’s Daring Journey’s extended queue. In its place, Disney cast members have installed stanchions with ropes and purple flags, forcing guests to wait in the sun if they want to ride. Thankfully, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey rarely has more than a 20-minute wait (and it’s usually less). Stroller parking for the attraction is behind the temporary extended queue area.

Disneyland Resort hasn’t publicly acknowledged this construction work, which means it’s likely routine maintenance and not a significant change. Crews have been touching up several areas throughout Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park as the Southern California Disney destination prepares for its 70th-anniversary celebrations, which begin May 16, 2025. It’s unclear whether the Pinocchio’s Daring Journey maintenance will be finished by then.

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is still operating during this unannounced refurbishment but may close early on fireworks nights due to its proximity to Sleeping Beauty Castle. Check the Disneyland Resort app for the most up-to-date operating information.

Have you noticed any other construction projects around Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!