Credit: Lee (myfrozenlife), FlickrIf you’re heading to Walt Disney World this week, your vacation may already look a little different before you even walk through the gates.
Disney currently has seven notable attractions and experiences unavailable across Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and while none of these closures technically started this week, they’re now fully impacting guests visiting right now. Some are temporary refurbishments. Others are permanent closures tied to massive expansion projects that are already reshaping the resort.
The timing is especially noticeable because summer crowds are starting to build, new entertainment offerings are arriving, and Disney is actively transforming multiple areas of its parks all at once. That means guests planning trips this week could run into more construction walls, fewer attractions, and entire sections of parks that no longer exist in the way longtime fans remember them.
At the same time, Disney is balancing those losses with a few additions and returning experiences. “Vacation Fun” has reopened after its brief closure, and EPCOT is preparing for a patriotic seasonal shift as Soarin’ Around the World prepares to temporarily hand things over to Soarin’ Across America for the upcoming America 250 celebration.
Still, there’s no denying this is one of the biggest weeks for attraction closures Disney World has seen in a while.
Magic Kingdom Continues To Change Rapidly
Magic Kingdom alone accounts for five of the seven affected offerings.
Pete’s Silly Sideshow remains closed in Storybook Circus, leaving guests without one of the park’s classic indoor character meet-and-greet spaces. The area typically allows guests to meet Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, and Goofy in circus-themed costumes, but Disney temporarily shut the location down earlier this year for refurbishment work. Characters are still appearing nearby in Storybook Circus, though the actual attraction space remains unavailable.
Just steps away, Big Top Souvenirs also remains closed. This one is especially noticeable because the massive circus tent structure is one of the visual centerpieces of Storybook Circus. Disney has reportedly been performing structural repairs on the building, and construction crews have significantly altered the exterior during the refurbishment process. Disney says the store will reopen later this year, but no exact timeline has been announced yet.
Then there are the permanent closures that continue to completely reshape Frontierland.
The Liberty Square Riverboat, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Rivers of America are all permanently gone as Disney moves forward with the massive Piston Peak National Park expansion.
For many longtime Disney fans, these closures still feel surreal.
The Rivers of America had been part of Magic Kingdom since opening day in 1971. The Liberty Belle Riverboat was one of the park’s most relaxing attractions, while Tom Sawyer Island offered something Disney doesn’t really build anymore: a quiet, exploratory play space where guests could simply wander.
Now, the river has been drained, demolition work is underway, and construction walls dominate the area. Disney is replacing the entire section with a new Cars-themed expansion inspired by Piston Peak National Park. The project will reportedly include two brand-new attractions and dramatically change the overall footprint of Frontierland.
That means anyone visiting Magic Kingdom is already experiencing a very different version of the park than what existed even a year ago.
Hollywood Studios Feels the Impact Too
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is also deep in transition right now.
Animation Courtyard officially remains closed as Disney transforms the area into the new Walt Disney Studios section of the park.
The closure affects multiple former offerings, including Star Wars Launch Bay, Disney Jr. Play and Dance!, and several character meet-and-greets that once anchored the courtyard area. While Walt Disney Presents and The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure continue operating nearby, the overall section feels dramatically different now.
Disney has already started removing construction walls in portions of the land ahead of phased openings scheduled to begin later this month. The new Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! show is expected to debut on May 26, while additional experiences tied to Disney animation are still under development.
The changes are part of a much larger effort to modernize Hollywood Studios, which has slowly been losing older park identity pieces in favor of newer IP-driven experiences.
And then there’s Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster.
The attraction remains closed as Disney finishes the transformation from Aerosmith to The Muppets.
Construction has become impossible to miss. The entrance has already been repainted, new signage has appeared, and Disney recently released details about the updated soundtrack and theming. Fan reactions have been mixed so far, especially after the colorful guitar redesign appeared outside the attraction, but Disney is clearly moving full speed ahead with the retheme.
The good news for guests is that the closure finally has an official end date.
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is scheduled to reopen on May 26, 2026.
That means this current closure window is temporary, though guests visiting before then will still have to deal with one of Hollywood Studios’ biggest thrill rides being unavailable.
EPCOT Is Quietly Preparing for a Major Seasonal Shift
While EPCOT doesn’t currently have one of the seven major closures mentioned above, the park is preparing for a notable operational change of its own.
Disney recently confirmed that Soarin’ Around the World will temporarily close beginning May 14 before Soarin’ Across America takes over on May 26 as part of Disney’s celebration tied to America’s 250th anniversary.
For many fans, this is actually a welcome return.
A large portion of Disney guests have long preferred the original California-inspired version of Soarin’ over the global edition currently operating at EPCOT. The original attraction focused heavily on sweeping landscapes, practical filming techniques, and a more grounded emotional tone that many fans still associate with classic EPCOT storytelling.
The temporary overlay also continues Disney’s recent push toward more Americana-inspired experiences across the resort as the United States approaches the 250-year milestone.
Not Every Closure Is Bad News
There is at least one reopened experience guests can now enjoy again.
“Vacation Fun,” the Mickey Shorts Theater presentation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, has returned after its recent closure.
The short film had temporarily paused regular showings during special May the 4th merchandise event operations, leading many guests to wonder when it would return permanently. Now, it’s back operating for guests looking for a quick indoor break from the Florida heat.
That reopening may seem small compared to everything else closing around the resort, but it does help soften the blow a little for Hollywood Studios guests already navigating heavy construction zones and multiple attraction transformations.
Still, there’s no question Walt Disney World is in the middle of one of its most aggressive transition periods in years.
Between Frontierland’s overhaul, Hollywood Studios’ reimagining projects, EPCOT overlays, and multiple temporary refurbishments, guests visiting this week are experiencing a version of Disney World that feels very much under construction.
Some of these closures will eventually lead to major new additions. Others mark the permanent end of attractions many guests grew up with.
Either way, vacations happening right now are undeniably being affected.
