Here’s a complete list of the attractions, lands, entertainment, and more that are permanently closing at Walt Disney World Resort.
Refurbishments and closures are part of the routine at Disney World –after all, every ride and show needs a bit of downtime to look and operate at its best. But in some cases, a short-term closure can turn into a permanent one. And with big changes on the horizon for numerous attractions and lands across Disney World’s theme parks, a lot will be closing in the near future.
Below, find a complete list of all of the rides, theme park lands, shows and entertainment, and more that’ll be closing at Disney World in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Rides Closing at Disney World
Photo by Dom Tabon
DINOSAUR
One of the biggest reveals at the 2024 D23 Expo? The expanded details about the attractions, dining, and reimaging coming to Animal Kingdom. A big expansion is planned for the theme park –but the expansion plans also include removing the current Dinoland, U.S.A. and replacing its attractions.
As a result, Disney announced that DINOSAUR will close permanently to make way for one of the new land’s key attractions: an Indiana Jones-themed ride will take over its space.
We don’t yet have an official closing date for DINOSAUR, but with construction scheduled to begin on the land in fall 2024, it’s likely it won’t be around for too much longer.
Liberty Belle Riverboat
Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland is getting two exciting additions: brand-new attractions inspired by Pixar’s Cars film franchise! But with the news of these thrilling new rides comes the closure of another ride, one that’s been around since 1973.
The Liberty Belle Riverboat, which travels around the Rivers of America, will close to make way for the upcoming Cars-themed attractions.
We don’t yet know when the Liberty Belle will take its last voyage around Frontierland, but with construction scheduled to get underway in 2025, it’s likely that this ship will set sail for the last time at some point during that same year.
Lands Closing at Disney World
Photo by Laurie Sapp
Dinoland, U.S.A.
Back at the 2022 D23 Expo, Disney revealed that Dinoland, U.S.A. was going to be replaced –and at 2023’s Destination D23, we learned the Animal Kingdom land will ultimately make way for a brand-new Tropical Americas-themed land called Pueblo Esperanza.
Dinoland, U.S.A. will disappear and in its place, Animal Kingdom will introduce rides themed around Indiana Jones and Encanto.
While we don’t yet have an official closure date for all of Dinoland, U.S.A., we do know construction is slated to begin in fall 2024. Since the Indiana Jones themed attraction will take over the current site of DINOSAUR, it’s likely the land could close within a couple months.
However, Disney did note that construction for Pueblo Esperanza will happen in stages, so some aspects of Dinoland, U.S.A. may remain longer.
Rivers of America
Okay, technically the Rivers of America aren’t their own land, but they are sizable enough to be one! And with the massive changes planned for Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, it’s essentially like an entire land is closing.
Like we mentioned above, one of the biggest announcements of 2024 was the news that Disney planned to add two Cars-inspired attractions to Frontierland. However, those two new attractions will require the loss of the Rivers of America.
Frontierland’s waterfront will close completely, disappearing into the past in order to make way for the new Cars attractions. Though the timeline on the closure of the Rivers of American is still to be determined, construction is slated to kick off in 2025.
Entertainment Attractions Closing at Disney World
It’s Tough to be a Bug!
In 2023, Disney revealed that Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life theater would be getting a new show at Destination D23: It’s Tough to be a Bug!, inspired by Pixar’s A Bug’s Life, will close and be replaced by a new show inspired by Zootopia.
The new Zootopia-themed show, titled Zootopia: Better Zoogether, will open in winter 2025. Although we don’t have an official closing date for It’s Tough to be a Bug! just yet, we don’t expect it to stick around too far into 2025.
Lighting McQueen’s Racing Academy
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at Hollywood Studios will close on October 7, 2024 to make way for a brand-new stage show.
A Disney Villains show will take the place of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at Sunset Showcase. While we don’t have a name or storyline for this new show just yet, we do know that the live production is scheduled to kick off in summer 2025 –and it’ll feature villains like Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent.
Tom Sawyer Island
We’ve already touched on the upcoming closures of the Liberty Belle Riverboat and the Rivers of America –and there’s one more Disney World casualty planned for this area of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom.
Tom Sawyer Island will close when the Rivers of America close. With the waterway itself slated to disappear, so too will the island that sits in the midst.
We don’t yet have an official closure date or timeline for Tom Sawyer Island. However, since work on the Cars-inspired attractions that’ll take over its space is scheduled to begin sometime in 2025, it’s likely that 2025 will be the last time guests can board a ferry over to the island.
What’s Currently Closed at Disney World?
Photo by Laurie Sapp
While the list above covers all of the upcoming permanent closures planned across Disney World, below you’ll find a list of attractions, entertainment, and more that have already permanently closed in 2024.
Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade
The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, an opening day attraction at Magic Kingdom, closed permanently on June 23, 2024.
The arcade will be transformed into a new Disney Vacation Club member lounge, with theming inspired by exploration and adventure.
Restaurant Marrakesh
This EPCOT eatery was once a staple of the Morocco Pavilion in World Showcase, but its doors have been shuttered since 2020. Home to consistently tasty food and culturally-inspired atmosphere, it wasn’t hugely popular –but it was always good for a great meal.
However, since the theme parks reopened post-COVID-19 pandemic, Restaurant Marrakesh has remained shuttered. It’s uncertain whether the restaurant itself will ever reopen or return, though its space has been utilized for a variety of different purposes in recent years.
Star Wars Launch Bay (Well, Some of It)
Star Wars Launch Bay over in Hollywood Studios has seen its activities and offerings dwindle in recent years. Currently, Star Wars Launch Bay does play host to some character meet and greets. However, some areas, including the Star Wars Launch Bay Cargo Bay, are closed.
With rumors about the upcoming Monsters, Inc. attraction headed to Hollywood Studios potentially taking over the space that Star Wars Launch Bay currently occupies, it’s still yet to be determined how much longer it’ll remain open. In its current partially open, partially closed status, you can visit –but who knows what might be available in the future.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
If you’ve visited Hollywood Studios since 2020, you’ve likely noticed Voyage of the Little Mermaid has been sitting closed. While it might seem like this stage show is permanently closed, it’s actually being reimagined –and though the previous iteration is closed for good, a new version will open in 2024.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid will be transformed into The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure. This will be an updated version of the original show, featuring the same songs as the original plus “Daughters of Triton” and all-new puppets and visuals.
