Credit: @ericthomaschuOne beloved Disney attraction is set to undergo a closure in 2024, which will leave 1/6 of the park a ghost town.
At Walt Disney World, there are many attractions that guests deem to be their favorite, and when they visit the parks, whether it be Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom, riding that attraction is a must. For some, it may be hopping into a doom buggy and entering the Haunted Mansion, while others might want to see one of Walt’s inspired attractions, like Pirates of the Caribbean, The Tiki Room, or Carousel of Progress.
Sometimes, however, riding that dream-like attraction might be a dream indeed.
At Walt Disney World, attractions need to be refurbished from time to time. When this happens, Disney must shut down that attraction for a certain amount of time. Sometimes, a closure may last a few days, but there are also instances in which refurbishments can last for weeks or months. Disney’s water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, even go into refurbishment for half a year each year!
Now, another attraction has been confirmed to undergo a refurbishment. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will close in January 2024, but luckily, the closure will not be too long. As noted by Disney, the ride will be shut down from January 16th and reopen on January 21st. When a short closure like this is announced, it is typically just meant for small maintenance issues that need to be upkept, as the time span is far too short to make any large changes.
But why would closing down Big Thunder Mountain leave 1/6 sections looking like a ghost town?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, AKA the wildest ride in the wilderness, is located in Frontierland, which is one of the six sections in Magic Kingdom. The others are Fantasyland (which is behind Cinderella Castle), Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Liberty Square, and Main Street, U.S.A. Frontierland has five attractions in it:
- Splash Mountain (currently closed, being rethemed to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure)
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Tom Sawyer Island
- Walt Disney World Railroad (one of the stops along the track)
Out of these attractions, there are only two that many would consider actual rides in terms of thrill, which would be the soon to be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain, which both take up the majority of the back left section of Magic Kingdom. Now, for a week in January, by having the two main attractions shut down at the same time, Frontierland might have some tumbleweed rolling by.
The land will likely serve as more of a walkthrough area than a spot that guests can enjoy for a couple of hours, due to the lack of attractions that will be open. While Big Thunder Mountain will reopen on January 21, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will remain closed until late 2024, which will be the first time that we will see all attractions functioning in Frontierland since the closure of Splash Mountain, which happened earlier this year.
Other 2024 Disney World Closures
Big Thunder Mountain will not be the only attraction to shut down in 2024.
Below is a list of the current confirmed scheduled closures at Walt Disney World Resort in 2024:
- Disney Skyliner – January 16, 2024 to January 27, 2024
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – January 16, 2024 to January 21, 2024
- Kali River Rapids – January 08, 2024 to February 29, 2024
- Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort – January 01, 2025 to May 31, 2025
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon – Reopening TBD
What Disney World attraction or offering would you be sad to see closed if you were visiting?
Are you looking to visit Magic Kingdom on your next Disney World vacation? There is no better feeling than riding the monorail after parking at the Ticket and Transportation Center (or riding it from a monorail Resort such as Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa) and walking down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. U.S.A. with Cinderella Castle greeting you in the distance! Indulging in churros and Mickey Premium Bars while waiting in line for attractions like Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is always a great way to enjoy the lines, and a midday break to watch Festival of Fantasy doesn’t hurt either. Nothing tops ending the night with their Happily Ever After fireworks spectacle. For more Disney information, information on Disney Genie+, and to look at booking a vacation, the Walt Disney World website is a perfect one-stop shop for all things Mickey Mouse. Plus, it has all the information you need on Disney Genie+, so you will be ready to go on your My Disney Experience app once you download it! Click here to check it out today.