Walt Disney World Just Lost 8 Major Attractions at Once

It’s a wild week at Walt Disney World. Guests opening the My Disney Experience app right now are seeing something they never want to see on vacation—an unusually long list of closures. In fact, eight major attractions across the parks are currently unavailable, creating ripple effects on crowd patterns, wait times, and guest plans.

Some are closed for refurbishment, some permanently, and others are simply unavailable at the moment.

For visitors heading to the parks this week, it’s going to take a little extra planning to work around these gaps.

A child in a yellow dress and mouse ears stands with arms outstretched, facing a fairytale castle with blue spires under a bright sky, evoking a sense of wonder and excitement in Disney World. — Credit: Disney

A Big Week for Attraction Closures

At the top of the list is Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, which has been down since early August for an extended refurbishment. This is a major Magic Kingdom headliner, so its absence continues to put added pressure on other rides in Tomorrowland like Space Mountain, and it doesn’t stop there.

Also in Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad remains closed as its long refurbishment stretches into 2026. It’s one of the most beloved coasters in the park, and with it down, Frontierland just feels quieter than usual. Rivers of America is another huge loss—its permanent closure means Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle Riverboat are gone for good, taking with them one of the most peaceful corners of the park. The area is being rethemed to a Cars-themed area named Piston Peak. In addition, a Disney Villains land is on the horizon in that area of the theme park.

A roller coaster train speeds along wooden tracks on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in front of red rock formations under a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by trees and greenery at Disney World. — Credit: Renato Mitra, Unsplash

Animal Kingdom has its own set of closures. Kali River Rapids is down for its annual seasonal refurbishment, which isn’t uncommon this time of year but still disappointing on warm days. It’s Tough to Be a Bug! and TriceraTop Spin are permanently closed as part of the larger transformation of DinoLand U.S.A. into the new Tropical Americas area, which is picking up steam.

Over at Hollywood Studios, Vacation Fun – An Original Animated Short with Mickey & Minnie is scheduled to close on October 20. It’s not a headliner, but it’s a great way to escape the heat and enjoy a fun little show, so its absence will definitely be noticed by fans.

Finally, there’s Spaceship Earth at EPCOT. Technically, it’s in a soft opening period—it reopened briefly earlier this week—but it’s still listed as closed at the time of this writing. The official reopening date is October 25, and until then, it may open on and off throughout the week.

That brings the total to eight major attractions currently unavailable in some capacity.

The Monorail in front of Spaceship Earth at EPCOT — Credit: Justin Smith, Flickr

It Doesn’t Stop There for Disney World

On top of those big closures, there are a few smaller experiences currently down that might impact your day in subtle ways.

In Magic Kingdom, Tortuga Tavern remains shuttered, currently serving only as a seating area. It’s a seasonal location, but with how busy the parks have been lately, some guests were hoping to see it open again.

Animal Kingdom has more closures tied to the ongoing DinoLand U.S.A. overhaul. The Boneyard is closed, and Dino-Bite Snacks and Trilo-Bites will close later this week on October 20, according to Disney. These may not be rides, but their closures cut down on snack options and places to relax.

At the Boneyard Animal Kingdom, a large stone sign shaped like a dinosaur bone reads "The Boneyard Fossil Fun Site Est. 1947," welcoming guests to a fossil dig play area decorated with lights and excavation tools. — Credit: Disney

Resort & Pool Closures Still in Effect

If you’re staying on property, it’s not just the parks seeing downtime. Several resort pool areas are also under refurbishment right now, including:

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort – Paddock Pool & Grill closed through early December.
Disney’s Old Key West Resort – leisure pool closed through late November.
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort – Fantasia kiddie pool closed through late October.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village – Samawati Springs pool slide still closed.

These aren’t headline-making closures, but they can definitely affect the vibe of a resort stay.

A large resort building with an African-inspired design, reminiscent of Animal Kingdom Lodge, stands behind a lush green landscape of trees under a partly cloudy blue sky at Disney World. — Credit: Disney

A Transitional Week for the Disney Parks

October has always been a bit of a transitional period at Walt Disney World. It’s the bridge between Halloween and the full-blown holiday season. This is often when Disney takes the opportunity to refurbish attractions and prep the parks for the busiest months of the year. Of course, one could argue that this October has been one of the busiest times that Disney World has had in quite some time. But having this many major rides unavailable at once is definitely more than guests typically see.

The good news? Spaceship Earth’s official reopening date is right around the corner. And as holiday crowds approach, we’ll likely see several of these refurbishments wrap up, bringing the parks back to their usual lineup. Of course, most of the major attractions will remain closed as their refurbishment — or overhauls — continue into 2026 and beyond.

For now, though, it’s eight major attractions down. If you’re heading to Disney World this week, it’s smart to check the app frequently, keep an eye out for soft openings, and plan your day accordingly. This is one of those weeks where flexibility is key.