Disney movies always have a happy ending, but without struggle, conflict and heartache, you can’t get into “happy forever.” Like its beloved movie, Walt Disney World’s current expansion plans follow a similar storyline.
In August 2024, Disney announced many new attractions will enter its four Orlando theme parks. These include a spot based on “Zootopia” to come to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, “Monsters, Inc.”
However, the fun of visiting a realistic version of Monstropolis or racing with Lightning McQueen comes at a price, and there are several popular attractions on the chopping block.
Three of them are closing next month and will only be a few weeks away.
Freedom Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island
Radiator Springs is making a permanent pit stop in Magic Kingdom, but that comes with a price.
To clear the space for new rides, Disney is selling a large number of borders, including multiple long-term attractions including American Rivers, Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat. Your last chance to experience these attractions is July 6. The three attractions will be closed on July 7, so work can be started in areas themed on “cars”.
Disney shared in a blog post that the “Car” area will be located in Piston Peak National Park, a fictional park inspired by the Rocky Mountain area and the U.S. border national park, which includes “tall trees, snowy mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers, roaring rivers and impressive Earthlings.”
The “car”-themed area will bring two new attractions to Frontierland: one for exciting rallying competitions and the other for young sports cars. According to the blog post, guests will also be able to explore “Guest House, Ranger Headquarters, Trails, and more.”
“It’s hard to be a mistake!”
Disney announced in 2023: “It’s hard to be a bug!” It will undergo a “Zootopia” makeover. However, it only recently announced the exact closing date for the 4D movie based on 1998’s A Bug’s Life, which is played several times a day in the Tree of Life in the Animal Kingdom.
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This movie will be replaced by Zootopia: Better Zoogether! In winter 2025-2026. Zootopia: Better Zoogeth! It will feature fans’ favorite characters as officials of Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and Clawhauser, which may be in a similar 3D movie format with special effects that make the show more appealing.
To make room for new attractions, “It’s hard to be a mistake!” It will be closed permanently on March 17.
Dinosaur
The closure of a ride called Dinosaur made me think of a lot of extinction puns, and I don’t even know where to start. So, I will chase. Dinosaurs, along with other Dinoland USA in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, are preparing to build land with tropical America-themed.
Dinoland USA is already in a phased closure. Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama, Triceratop Spin and Fossil Fun Games carnival games areas are closed, with only Dinosaur (a handful of dining locations and Boneyard) and outdoor play areas themed on excavation sites, staying open.
The new tropical America region will have two anchor attractions: one with the theme of “Encanto” and the other aims to mimic one of Indiana Jones’ many adventures. The latter will eventually replace the dinosaurs.
Disney held a formal groundbreaking ceremony in the Tropical Americas of the Animal Kingdom on January 17, with the behind-the-scenes architecture already in progress.
Disney hasn’t released an exact closing date for dinosaurs yet, but when they reveal everything about the new park this year, they share that dinosaurs will be in “by 2025” and it will be your “last chance” to ride. So if you have a 2025 trip on your calendar, you may need to visit the Animal Kingdom before this ride becomes extinct.
muppet* Vision 3D
During this year’s Disney experience, Disney presented Disney’s Ultimate Disney Fan Event during Disney Ultimate Fan Game in Anaheim, California, announcing a “monster, company.” Hawkeye fans know this will likely be in one of two places: Animated Gardens (home of Star Wars Launch Bay) or Puppet Gardens.
Related: Disney confirms Muppet*Vision 3D for Muppet*Hollywood Studios is off, but that’s not all bad news
To the collective frustration of puppet fans around the world, Monstropolis replaced the park’s mutt-themed area and closed the puppet*Vision 3D.
Attractions come and go, but this particular person is more popular than its farce comedy. This is one of the final projects that Muppets creator Jim Henson worked on before his death in 1990. Disney said in a blog post that it is “exploring ways to maintain movies and other parts for fans to enjoy”, but it is unclear what that might mean.
June 7 is officially the last day to watch Muppet*Vision 3D and its “Glorious Three-Hour Finale” before permanently closing the upcoming “Monsters, Inc.” on June 8. land. Construction on the new land is scheduled to begin later this year.
Rock and Roll Coaster
As part of an announcement about the shutdown of Muppet*Vision 3D, Disney shared that the puppets are not leaving Hollywood studios forever. Instead, Kermit Frog, Miss Pig and their friends are relocating to Sunset Boulevard.
Rock’N’Roller Coaster Ride currently has music and a storyline based on the band Aerosmith, but their residence is about to end. Muppets will soon take over Disney World’s only upside-down roller coaster.
Disney hasn’t disclosed the exact closing date for the Rock’N’ roller coaster in its current form, but using Muppet*Vision 3D is about to die, which could be your last year in a super stretch limousine with Aerosmith.
Bottom line
I’m very excited about everything new to happen at Walt Disney World in the next few years, but that doesn’t cost much less to ride a car I’ve long-lost.
My next Disney World tour will include visiting the attractions on this list so that I can ride on the memories for the last time. If you haven’t traveled this year, the following stories can help you plan your farewell trip to the upcoming ride.
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