Mid-October feels a little bit like the calm before the storm in Disney World.

Holidays in Disney World

Ride refurbishments are a part of life at Walt Disney World. There’s rarely a day where every single attraction on the property is operating at the same time, as rides and attractions are often down for everything from quick fixes to long restoration projects. Each month, we like to check in on Disney World’s calendar to see what rides will be down and for how long.

November 2024 is currently scheduled to be a LIGHT month for refurbishments at Walt Disney World. As of mid-October, the only attraction scheduled to be closed is EPCOT’s Test Track.

The massive automotive-themed E-Ticket has been closed since June, as Disney radically transforms the attraction into its third distinct incarnation of the last quarter-century. The latest version is said to include elements from its EPCOT Center predecessor, World of Motion. Test Track is scheduled to reopen sometime in 2025.

Test Track concept art ©Disney

Outside of Test Track, the rest of Walt Disney World is scheduled to be operational throughout November, including the Holiday-themed Jungle Cruise overlay the Jingle Crusie, which is opening on November 2nd. Given that the Holiday season is one of the, if not the, busiest periods of the year at the resort, it makes sense that Disney would want as many rides and attractions as possible open during November and December. However, that all changes in January.

In the weeks following the end of the Christmas season, Disney World will see a spate of closures. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be closing on January 6th for an extended refurbishment that Disney says will last at least into the early part of 2026. Just a few days later, TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures at Animal Kingdom will all close permanently on January 13th, 2025.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Both of these closures tie into the ongoing future of Walt Disney World. While Big Thunder Mountain has arguably needed the TLC of a long refurbishment for a while, it’s likely no coincidence that it’s happening at the same time that Disney is likely to begin construction on the new Cars area in Frontierland, which is replacing the nearby Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island.

Meanwhile, the Dinoland U.S.A. closures are the first portion of a phased closure of Dinoland as a whole, which is being done to make way for the construction of Animal Kingdom’s new Tropical Americas addition.

TriceraTop Spin

November is scheduled to see Disney World operating at near full ride capacity, with Test Track being the only ride scheduled for refurbishment during the month. However, that seems to be the calm before a storm of 2025 closures. Stay tuned to DFB for further coverage.

What a YEARLONG CLOSURE Means for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney World

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