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Credit: Jeff Krause, FlickrThe Magic Kingdom location has been unexpectedly closed for days, impacting guests at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Magic Kingdom is in the middle of its “largest expansion” ever, but that isn’t the only thing affecting the guest experience at the Disney World theme park. While Rivers of America is drained, walls go up around Tom Sawyer Island, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad remains closed, the day-to-day theme park operation continues to unfold.
Following a months-long refurbishment, the Astro Orbiter attraction in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland went down for multiple days for reasons unknown. The unexpected multi-day closure came after the ride was completely torn down and refurbished ahead of the summer crowds at the world’s most visited theme park.
Astro Orbiter initially shut down to guests on the afternoon of Sunday, July 13, 2025, and remained closed for two full days (July 14 and July 15). The attraction failed to reopen on the morning of July 16, impacting guests wanting to experience the popular Tomorrowland ride, which can be found near the Tomorrowland Authority PeopleMover and the classic Space Mountain.
However, reports reveal that Astro Orbiter began operating around 2 p.m. on July 16, ending a 72-hour period of downtime. Disney did not reveal the reason for the suspension of the attraction, but it may have been tied to the work done during its planned maintenance shutdown. The refurbishment of the ride took place from January 2025 through June 27, 2025, when the space-themed ride reopened at Magic Kingdom.
“Hold on tight as your retro 2-passenger spacecraft levitates high into the air, picks up speed and begins orbiting a galaxy of planets while the sights and sounds of Tomorrowland whirl by far below,” the official Walt Disney World Resort website states about the attraction. At the time of publication, Astro Orbiter is set to resume its normal operating hours from July 17, with guests being welcomed from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Astro Orbiter is also part of the Early Theme Park Entry lineup, with select Disney World guests able to enter Magic Kingdom at 8:30 a.m. before regular crowds.
Have you ever been disappointed by an unannounced attraction closure at the Walt Disney World Resort? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!