food IS a theme park
Y’all. We have some AMAZING news from EPCOT. Spaceship Earth has soft opened seven days (yep, a whole WEEK!) ahead of its original reopening date.
We’ll admit we’ve been missing hearing Dame Judi Dench’s narration on Spaceship Earth in EPCOT since it’s been closed. The ride closed in August for a refurbishment. Well, Spaceship Earth was not supposed to reopen until October 25th, but y’all, we visited EPCOT today and were met with a lovely surprise: Spaceship Earth has soft opened.
If you are heading to Disney World soon, we want to make sure you are prepared for the closures! There are FOUR new closures starting this week, and we don’t want you to be caught by surprise. There is a lot of construction happening in Disney World right now.
Harambe Market
Work is being done on Pueblo Esperanza in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Piston Peak National Park in Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney Studios in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the new Monsters, Inc. land coming to Hollywood Studios. Plus, other dining locations and attractions are also closed for refurbishment!
If there’s one thing you can count on in Disney World this year — and possibly in 2026 — it’s that a lot of things will probably be closed during your stay.
Saratoga Springs Resort
The parks are seeing an unprecedented amount of construction as new lands and expansions are built. Some rides are closed for updates. Disney World is also busy at hotels, updating lobbies and rooms. At one hotel, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, a pool and restaurant will be closing soon for routine maintenance.
Tucked away in World Celebration is a ride that has a rather tumultuous history.
Are you okay, Figment?
Journey Into Imagination with Figment is the third iteration of the attraction in the Imagination Pavilion, and fans tend to have VERY strong opinions about both the character of Figment and the ride itself. Both have some deep EPCOT lore. And honestly? We think it’s time for this ride to get its redemption arc.
OK, we’re gonna come right out and say it. Disney World is a bit of a chaotic mess right now. In Magic Kingdom, two rides are closed for updates, an entire section of the park is closed to make way for a Cars expansion, and a Villains Land is being built behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. In Disney’s Hollywood Studios, two sections of that park are also closed to make way for a Monsters, Inc. land and a re-imagining of Animation Courtyard. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is doing a phased closure of Dinoland, U.S.A., to make way for Pueblo Esperanza. Whew.
Philharmagic
Well, we’ve got even more closure news to share with you. In Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland, Mickey’s PhilharMagic is set to close on November 1st, while Vacation Fun in Disney’s Hollywood Studios will temporarily close on October 20th. WHAT IS GOING ON, DISNEY?
The Disney World parks feels like construction central right now!
Construction walls in Animation Courtyard
Disney World is going through a LOT of change right now, but not all of them are changes we’re looking forward to. While we’re excited for new attractions and lands, we are dreading some of these changes in 2026!
Things are a little chaotic in Disney’s Animal Kingdom right now. There’s a lot of construction going on, thanks to a new land, Pueblo Esperanza, that will be replacing DinoLand, U.S.A. Right now, only one ride has remained open in Dinoland, Dinosaur, although it will eventually close as construction progresses.
Kali River Rapids
Well, another ride will be closing for months in that park, too. Kali River Rapids will be closing for a refurbishment on October 6th. So if you have plans to ride it, you’ll need to get to Animal Kingdom ASAP.
Ride closures for refurbishment or updates are pretty common in Disney World, and right now, several rides are closed. In Magic Kingdom, both Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad are closed to get updates.
Spaceship Earth
Meanwhile, in EPCOT, Spaceship Earth is closed for a refurbishment. The good news is that these closure are temporary, and we now know when Spaceship Earth will reopen — on October 25th. Yes, you’ll soon be able to once again listen to Judi Dench explaining the history of communication to you while riding on what could be one of the most chill rides in Disney World.
If you are heading to Disney World soon, we want to make sure you are prepared for the closures! There are currently three closures happening at Disney World hotel pools, and we don’t want you to be caught by surprise.
Turtle Shack Pool at Old Key West
It is hard to beat a relaxing day by the pool, so you need to know about these pool closures. The good news is that every hotel with a pool closure has other pools that are open, so you won’t be left without a pool to relax by!
A store has officially reopened in Disney Springs! While this store wasn’t closed for long (only about two weeks), we are happy to see that it has reopened.
Rothy’s is open again!
Rothy’s at Disney Springs closed for a very brief refurbishment earlier this month, and as of September 26th it is back to business as normal. The store has been at Disney Springs for almost two years– it opened back in November 2023. Rothy’s focuses on sustainable and washable shoes and handbags.
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