Trip refurbishments are rumored for a few Magic Kingdom’s hottest sights, and will begin later this yr and final by 2025. Listed below are the newest rumblings on these potential closures–none of which have been confirmed by Walt Disney World–together with our hypothesis about what they may entail, timing for the downtime, and extra.
Let’s begin with Peter Pan’s Flight, which isn’t actually a rumor in any respect. Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a really-for-real development allow for the set up of set items at Peter Pan’s Flight in Magic Kingdom, itemizing InterAmerica Stage, Inc. as contractor. The work has the default expiration date of 1 yr, which isn’t significantly noteworthy (it’s when the expiration is shorter or longer).
InterAmerica Stage is a frequent collaborator with Imagineering on new and refreshed sights and reveals. Not too long ago, this contains work on Spaceship Earth and, at present, the reimagining of Nation Bear Jamboree into Nation Bear Musical Jamboree. The allow doesn’t specify the scope of labor past the obscure and generic (and incessantly used) “set up set parts.” Nevertheless, this and the allow coming from Imagineering means that the venture will entail new or reimagined present scenes, or presumably new results.
We’ve got been important of Peter Pan’s Flight. It was essentially the most controversial choose on our Record of 10 Points of interest That Have Aged Poorly at Walt Disney World. So it ought to go with out saying that I’m totally on board with this venture. Actually, I hope Peter Pan’s Flight has a multi-month closure to breathe new life into the attraction.
After driving the variations at Disneyland in California and Tokyo Disneyland this month, I’m very able to see updates to the Magic Kingdom incarnation. I’d love a number of the results from the Shanghai Disneyland model, which is the most effective of the bunch. But it surely’s additionally model new, whereas each the Anaheim and Tokyo variations are the identical traditional fashion as Magic Kingdom–and have seen enhancements lately.
If I recall appropriately, there have been truly rumors round 2019 that Peter Pan’s Flight can be one of many traditional Magic Kingdom sights to obtain updates forward of Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary. Supposedly, the plan was much like refreshes at Disneyland forward of that park’s sixtieth Anniversary, the place Peter Pan’s Flight closed for over 5 months in 2015. However then March 2020 occurred and all of these plans for Walt Disney World’s fiftieth had been deserted. (…Or the can was kicked down the highway to 2024?)
To be clear, I don’t wish to see Peter Pan’s Flight up to date as a result of I dislike it–I find it irresistible. This trip has enduring reputation and excessive wait occasions for a motive. It’s a traditional, and deserves to be handled as such with respect and loving updates to maintain it recent. Flying over the streets of London and Neverland is a timeless lightning-in-a-bottle expertise that ought to by no means go away.
As an alternative, Peter Pan’s Flight needs to be plussed with projection mapping and different lighting results–as has been executed in Anaheim, Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Updating infrastructure so the flight is much less jerky and smoother would assist with suspension of disbelief. I may go on, however upgrades to the trip system will not be inside the scope of this development allow, so there’s no level.
Extra realistically, the obvious change might be the removing or replace of the Native People scene in Peter Pan’s Flight. I don’t purport to be an professional on this kind of factor, however the depiction there does strike me as a little bit of a caricature (to place it charitably). With that mentioned, I additionally suppose it’d be a disgrace to lose Native People within the attraction (that looks as if the other of Disney’s targets). Given her presence in Peter Pan’s By no means Land Journey, I assume Tiger Lily remains to be an appropriate character. Having a brand new scene together with her can be cool.
If that does occur, I hope it isn’t the one change. Peter Pan’s Flight at Magic Kingdom has some nice results and options as in comparison with the opposite variations, however it hasn’t been modernized with new results to just about as nice of a level, both. There’s a variety of alternative and untapped potential to make it a trip that truly justifies these triple-digit wait occasions.
Logistically, I’m curious as to how a Peter Pan’s Flight closure would possibly work–particularly if it happens simultaneous with the following entry. My intestine says this is able to be a shorter closure–or a sequence of them–even when it includes higher guest-facing adjustments. I may see a state of affairs the place a Peter Pan’s Flight reimagining had been dealt with equally to Jungle Cruise or Haunted Mansion, with temporary downtime for staging adopted by work after hours and/or with a couple of scattered days of downtime. (They could even put scrims round varied present scenes and simply have them be lacking.)
That manner, folks may plan across the Peter Pan’s Flight closure and it will have much less impression on holidays. There’s additionally the sensible actuality that Peter Pan’s Flight is an enormous driver of Genie+ gross sales at Magic Kingdom, and Disney in all probability doesn’t wish to take it out of fee for an prolonged interval and lose out on that. Then once more, possibly that’s a part of the explanation Tiana’s Bayou Journey is on Genie+ as an alternative of an Particular person Lightning Lane!
Subsequent up is a widely-reported rumor that Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad will quickly shut for an prolonged refurbishment, which can outcome within the trip being down for greater than a yr. This isn’t but confirmed by Walt Disney World, nor have any development permits been filed to the most effective of our data.
We’ve tried to independently corroborate the rumored Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad closure, however have been unable to take action. Nevertheless, it’s being reported by a number of credible retailers–and though we can’t communicate to the veracity of the rumors themselves, it’s one thing that passes the scent check and appears believable to us.
Accordingly, we wish to convey it to your consideration because it’s seemingly going to be a last-minute announcement if it does occur. And it could not! But it surely’s a sufficiently high-profile attraction that this potential trip refurbishment ought to at the least be in your radar. Simply remember that nothing is concrete.
In response to wdwmagic, Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad may shut as quickly as September 2024. The Magic Kingdom coaster wants a big refurbishment involving substantial work on the trip system and retracking. This long-planned venture is seen as preventative work that’s essential to increase the helpful lifetime of the curler coaster, making certain the trip’s longevity and operational standing for many years to come back.
Whereas the trip has had quite a few winter-time closures for a number of weeks to over a month within the final a number of years, the final prolonged closure was in 2016 when Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad was down for 4 months within the late summer season and early fall. Previous to that, BTMRR had a number of closures in 2012 for in depth work, set up of the interactive queue, in addition to the Barnabas T. Bullion and Massive Thunder Mining Firm backstory.
Each model of Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad has had in depth closures lately–besides Magic Kingdom. Maybe most instructive is the BTMRR at Disneyland, which closed for a serious renovation in January 2013. This venture had an identical scope as what’s rumored for Magic Kingdom, with new trip autos, observe substitute, repainting the mountain, and likewise restoring the Rainbow Ridge Mining City.
That was initially scheduled to be accomplished by Fall 2013, however it wasn’t executed till March 2014. By the point Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad did reopen over a yr later, its return got here with a lot fanfare and new options–and a possible “blueprint” for different tasks of this nature that we’re now doubtlessly seeing with Haunted Mansion and Fantasmic at Disneyland. Kind of a quasi “Disney Vault” method to excite followers.
As famous above, I do know completely nothing about this potential venture, however I’d anticipate one thing related with the Magic Kingdom model of Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad. A closure that lasted 14 months roughly one decade in the past interprets to at the least 18 months when adjusted for development timeline inflation. (A factor I made up, however what I imply–and that it’s an actual phenomenon!)
There’s no manner Walt Disney World goes to shut Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad for between a yr and 18 months and never have something marketable to indicate for it when the attraction returns. There’ll seemingly be new raise hill results, nighttime lighting, redone present scenes with Easter eggs and different historic tributes–one thing, something. Given the price in money and time, I totally consider they’ll make it rely and this received’t “simply” be a closure for invisible work that “solely” extends the lifetime of the curler coaster.
I additionally consider there’s a robust chance that Past Massive Thunder will get revealed at D23 Expo, and a part of that entails extra adjustments to this aspect of the park. In that case, the BTMRR refurbishment may be a reimagining that lays the groundwork for that growth, each thematically and infrastructure-wise.
With a closure that’s going to final at the least a yr, timing doesn’t make an enormous distinction. In spite of everything, it’s going to be down throughout each week and season, anyway. Not solely that, however Walt Disney World has proven a willingness to shut marquee sights at well-liked occasions of the yr. Look no additional than Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster throughout spring break (twice!), Tower of Terror throughout spring and summer season, and the upcoming Check Monitor closure from summer season by at the least the vacation season.
Nonetheless, it’s seemingly that the Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad venture received’t begin till Tiana’s Bayou Journey opens on June 28, 2024. That’s a part of the rumor, however it’s additionally kind of apparent. Whereas one model of the rumor factors to BTMRR happening in September, truthfully, I may see it closing earlier than then.
From my perspective, having each Massive Thunder and Tiana’s Bayou Journey open by at the least mid-July to absorb the opening ‘season’ crowds for the brand new Frontierland headliner is sensible. That will additionally give time for Nation Bear Musical Jamboree to open, which is now anticipated on the tail finish of summer season. (As I’ve mentioned earlier than, I wouldn’t be shocked if that slips to October 1, 2024.)
After the opening rush of Tiana’s Bayou Journey, it may also make sense to take BTMRR offline in order that refurbishment is completed earlier than October 2025. Summer season crowds usually begin winding down in direction of the tip of July and drop off a cliff in the beginning of August. If this can be a year-plus closure, it makes extra sense to have BTMRR down for the months of August and September twice than it does the months of October by December. However after all, that assumes the venture is able to roll–and it will not be!
Oh and talking of Frontierland, we’re additionally conscious of studies that Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade is rumored to shut this summer season. I tried to corroborate these again final month when the story first broke, however had no success. Which is bizarre, as a result of the rumor is it’ll be the place the Disney Trip Membership lounge is situated, and if true, that ought to be one thing of an open secret.
For now, I even have motive to consider this one will not be credible. Which can also be bizarre, as a result of once I first heard the rumor, it struck me as so apparent. That DVC lounge must go someplace and Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade has managed to hold on for a couple of decade longer than I anticipated.
Personally, I’ll be unhappy to see it go (if it goes). I’ve childhood nostalgia for the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade and have executed it greater than ever in the previous couple of years because it went to free play. However I additionally perceive that it’s been on borrowed time for some time. It’ll be fascinating to see what occurs there–no final result would shock me. I’m not satisfied that even Disney is aware of what it needs to do with Frontierland within the long-term at this level–nonetheless looks as if a good quantity of uncertainty there.
In the end, it’s best to take all of this with an enormous grain of salt as they’re all rumors and/or haven’t but been confirmed formally by Walt Disney World. (Imagineering has filed a allow for Peter Pan’s Flight, so one thing will occur, however it might be one thing easy that happens solely in a single day and by no means leads to downtime. We doubt that given the involvement of a 3rd social gathering, however it’s attainable.)
The underside line is that it’s nonetheless believable that none of those tasks materialize. Once more, we doubt it. If something, we’d anticipate extra reimaginings and refurbishments of this nature for a few causes. The primary is that there was a variety of deferred upkeep and proportionately fewer closures in the previous couple of years because of pent-up demand and finances cuts. So a number of sights are overdue for refurbishments and can in all probability get them later this yr or in 2025.
Second, the cash spigot is about to be turned on for Parks & Resorts, permitting for extra tasks of this nature to (lastly!) occur. Certain, it’s not as thrilling as brand-new sights–and lots of of chances are you’ll lament extra rides being closed throughout your trip–however refurbishments are very a lot a necessity for sustaining applicable attraction requirements and making certain that breakdowns don’t proceed to occur at a extra frequent price. So right here’s hoping we see extra on this entrance!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the potential for prolonged trip refurbishments/reimaginings of Peter Pan’s Flight and/or Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad? Hope these classics are up to date to make sure their longevity for many years to come back? Do any sights at Walt Disney World strike you as being prime candidates for trip reimaginings? Do you agree or disagree with our selections? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
