Trip refurbishments are rumored now confirmed realities for a few Magic Kingdom’s hottest points of interest, beginning later this summer season and lasting by way of 2025. Right here’s every part we learn about these Walt Disney World trip closures, together with our hypothesis about what they may entail, timing for the downtime, and extra.
June 27, 2024 UPDATE: The official Walt Disney World web site now displays a closure of Peter Pan’s Flight, with the Fantasyland darkish trip slated for a 6-week refurbishment later this summer season. Peter Pan’s Flight will probably be closed for refurbishment from July 8 by way of August 20, 2024. The attraction is at the moment anticipated to reopen on August 21, 2024.
It is a very last-minute addition to the closure calendar by Walt Disney World requirements, however as we famous in earlier variations of this publish (see beneath), development permits for the work have been filed practically two months in the past. Our suspicion was and is that Walt Disney World was ready for different items of the puzzle–the Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad closure timeline in addition to Tiana’s Bayou Journey opening and working reliability–and was backed into this nook by these timeframes.
As Magic Kingdom’s second hottest attraction by wait instances and #1 Lightning Lane Multi Move, Peter Pan’s Flight is a strategically-significant attraction. Frankly, I don’t see any conceivable approach that this will go down with out Tiana’s Bayou Journey working reliably and Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad being open.
Again when the digital queue for Tiana’s Bayou Journey was first introduced, we recognized July 8, 2024 because the almost certainly date when the digital queue could be dropped. Extra not too long ago in You May Have Issues Using Tiana’s Bayou Journey at Magic Kingdom, we backtracked from that suggestion because of the downtime.
Nicely, now I’m not assured that it’ll drop the VQ by then, however I’m feeling higher in regards to the trip’s reliability woes. It’s doubt administration would’ve scheduled this Peter Pan’s Flight refurbishment if there weren’t affordable confidence about Tiana’s Bayou Journey.
Talking of which, this additionally narrows down the closure date for Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad to, almost certainly, someday after August 20, 2024. It’s attainable there may very well be some overlap between the 2–mid-August does begin the slowest stretch of the yr–however I’m skeptical. Extra possible, Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad goes down shortly after Peter Pan’s Flight reopens. That’s, until there’s one other fast closure Disney desires to squeeze in earlier than the prolonged BTMRR closure.
This brings us to the scope and scale of the Peter Pan’s Flight mission. That is longer than the common closure for routine upkeep, however shorter than a fully-fledged reimagining and even plussing. For reference, the enhancements to the model at Disneyland for the sixtieth Anniversary took just below 6 months. And that was a few decade in the past, when development timelines have been usually sooner.
It’s nonetheless attainable one thing alongside these strains occurs, particularly if the mission groups have accomplished as a lot prep work as attainable upfront, however I’m skeptical. The most secure guess is that this includes “modernizing” the attraction, with potentialities for that mentioned beneath. Hopefully we get some additions, not merely subtractions, because of the Peter Pan’s Flight closure.
Previous to this growth, the opposite one in all these once-rumored Magic Kingdom trip refurbishments was kind of confirmed. Walt Disney World has filed a brand new allow for “normal development” at an deal with corresponding with Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom. This seemingly confirms the rumor mentioned beneath that we first reported a few month in the past relating to an in depth refurbishment to the fan-favorite curler coaster.
There are a few key particulars right here that we are able to glean from the allow, with the primary being that it has an expiration date of August 8, 2025. The default 1-year timeline is rarely noteworthy, however shorter or longer ones all the time are, as they’re prolonged or lowered purposefully. That means that there’s a motive for doing so.
On this case, that’s as a result of the work is anticipated to take longer than one yr–which aligns with the earlier rumors about this mission taking up one yr and being important in scale and scope. Meaning it’s not only a routine refurbishment, like BTMRR receives pretty usually. (These usually do not contain development permits of any length.)
Nevertheless, if already planning your subsequent Walt Disney World trip across the reopening of Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad, we’d advocate not placing an excessive amount of inventory into that August 8, 2025 date. The curler coaster may reopen earlier than or (extra possible) after that.
It’s our understanding that this refurbishment has a number of transferring items, and though the largest is probably going encompassed by that allow, there’s no assure it’ll be accomplished and able to resume operations by August 8, 2025. Even when work is completed by then, that doesn’t imply the trip will reopen instantly–testing and coaching nonetheless take time.
The opposite key element is that the allow is assigned to Coastal Metal, an organization with a variety of experience and expertise, from trip methods to metal fabrication and erection. If that identify sounds acquainted, it’s since you in all probability simply heard about that contractor for the Take a look at Monitor reimagining.
Even past Take a look at Monitor, they’ve collaborated with Walt Disney World on a number of points of interest. For instance, Coastal Metal labored with Walt Disney World on a spread of initiatives, from the development of Expedition Everest and Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice to Blizzard Seashore, Mickey’s Toontown Honest, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and TRON Lightcycle Run.
Past the concrete particulars from the Huge Thunder allow, there isn’t a lot so as to add to the rumors mentioned beneath. Since initially publishing this story, I’ve had the possibility to talk with a few individuals about this mission (previous to the allow being filed). It’s being handled as an open secret that “everybody” knew about, and but, nobody may agree on the specifics. It does appear that the coaster wants a retracking and together with that can possible obtain (minor however marketable, at the least to followers) new results. Every little thing past that’s unclear.
In accordance with wdwmagic, Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad may shut as quickly as September 2024. The Magic Kingdom coaster wants a major refurbishment involving substantial work on the trip system and retracking. This long-planned mission is considered 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 return.
Whereas the trip has had plenty of 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 Huge 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 intensive work, set up of the interactive queue, in addition to the Barnabas T. Bullion and Huge Thunder Mining Firm backstory.
Each model of Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad has had intensive closures in recent times–besides Magic Kingdom. Maybe most instructive is the BTMRR at Disneyland, which closed for a significant renovation in January 2013. This mission had an analogous scope as what’s rumored for Magic Kingdom, with new trip autos, monitor alternative, repainting the mountain, and in addition restoring the Rainbow Ridge Mining City.
That was initially scheduled to be accomplished by Fall 2013, nevertheless it wasn’t accomplished till March 2014. By the point Huge 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 initiatives of this nature that we’re now probably seeing with Haunted Mansion and Fantasmic at Disneyland. Form of a quasi “Disney Vault” strategy to excite followers.
I’d anticipate one thing comparable with the Magic Kingdom model of Huge 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 you realize what I imply–and that it’s an actual phenomenon!)
There’s no approach Walt Disney World goes to shut Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad for between a yr and 18 months and never have something marketable to point out for it when the attraction returns. There’ll possible be new raise hill results, nighttime lighting, redone present scenes with Easter eggs and different historic tributes–one thing, something. Given the associated fee in money and time, I absolutely imagine they’ll make it depend and this gained’t “simply” be a closure for invisible work that “solely” extends the lifetime of the curler coaster.
I additionally imagine there’s a robust chance that Past Huge Thunder will get revealed at D23 Expo, and a part of that entails extra adjustments to this facet of the park. In that case, the BTMRR refurbishment is also a reimagining that lays the groundwork for that enlargement, each thematically and infrastructure-wise.
With a closure that’s going to final roughly a yr, timing doesn’t make an enormous distinction. In any case, 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 points of interest at common instances 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 Take a look at Monitor closure from summer season by way of at the least the vacation season.
From my perspective, having each Huge Thunder and Tiana’s Bayou Journey open by way of at the least mid-August is smart. It provides Disney an opportunity to work out the problems with TBA; for varsity to return into session and the low season to reach earlier than taking BTMRR offline for a yr or so. It will additionally give time for Nation Bear Musical Jamboree to open, which is able to debut on July 17, 2024.
If in any respect attainable, it’d make sense to get the Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment accomplished earlier than October 2025. Summer season crowds usually begin winding down in direction of the tip of July and drop off a cliff originally of August. If this can be a year-plus closure, it’s logical to have BTMRR down for the months of August and September twice than it does the months of October by way of December. However in fact, that assumes they’ve a selection and might dictate timing–a daring assumption!
As talked about above within the late June 2024 replace, the opposite upcoming refurbishment is to Peter Pan’s Flight. Walt Disney Imagineering filed a development allow early final month 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.
InterAmerica Stage is a frequent collaborator with Imagineering on new and refreshed points of interest and exhibits. Not too long ago, this consists of work on Spaceship Earth and, at the moment, the reimagining of Nation Bear Jamboree into Nation Bear Musical Jamboree. The allow doesn’t specify the scope of labor past the imprecise and generic (and ceaselessly used) “set up set components.” Nevertheless, this and the allow coming from Imagineering means that the mission will entail new or reimagined present scenes, or probably new results.
We’ve got been vital of Peter Pan’s Flight. It was probably the most controversial choose on our Record of 10 Sights That Have Aged Poorly at Walt Disney World. So it ought to go with out saying that I’m absolutely on board with this mission. In actual fact, 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 among the results from the Shanghai Disneyland model, which is the very best of the bunch. Nevertheless it’s additionally model new, whereas each the Anaheim and Tokyo variations are the identical traditional type as Magic Kingdom–and have seen enhancements in recent times.
There have been really rumors round 2019 that Peter Pan’s Flight could be one of many traditional Magic Kingdom points of interest 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 have 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 adore it. This trip has enduring reputation and excessive wait instances for a motive. It’s a traditional, and deserves to be handled as such with respect and loving updates to maintain it contemporary. 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 accomplished 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 are usually not throughout the scope of this development allow, so there’s no level.
The obvious upcoming change might be the elimination or replace of the Indians scene in Peter Pan’s Flight. I don’t purport to be an knowledgeable 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 the Indians within the attraction (that looks like 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 along with her could 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, nevertheless 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 instances.
Logistically, I’m curious as to how a Peter Pan’s Flight closure would possibly work. My intestine says this could be a shorter closure (now confirmed!)–or a sequence of them (additionally nonetheless attainable?)–even when it includes higher guest-facing adjustments. I may see a situation the place a Peter Pan’s Flight reimagining have been dealt with equally to Jungle Cruise or Haunted Mansion, with transient downtime for staging adopted by work after hours and/or with a couple of scattered days of downtime. (They may even put scrims round numerous present scenes and simply have them be lacking.)
That approach, individuals may plan across the Peter Pan’s Flight closure and it might have much less affect on holidays. There’s additionally the sensible actuality that Peter Pan’s Flight is an enormous driver of Lightning Lane 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 isn’t a Lightning Lane Single Move!
In the end, you must 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. It’s nonetheless believable that none of those initiatives materialize. Once more, we doubt it.
In the end, whereas these initiatives nonetheless haven’t been solely the Peter Pan’s Flight closure has been formally confirmed by Walt Disney World, the corporate doesn’t filed development permits only for the halibut. One thing is going on with each Peter Pan’s Flight and Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad. Whereas we’re unsure of the size of the PPF mission, BTMRR is sort of actually going to be down for round a full yr.
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 few years as a result of pent-up demand and price range cuts. So a number of points of interest 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 initiatives of this nature to (lastly!) occur. Positive, it’s not as thrilling as brand-new points of interest–and plenty of of you might 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 charge. So right here’s hoping we see extra on this entrance!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the opportunity of prolonged trip refurbishments/reimaginings of Peter Pan’s Flight and/or Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad? Hope these classics are up to date to make sure their longevity for many years to return? Do any points of interest at Walt Disney World strike you as being prime candidates for trip reimaginings? Do you agree or disagree with our selections? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!