Trip refurbishments are rumored for a few Magic Kingdom’s hottest sights, and may get started later this 12 months and final thru 2025. Listed below are the newest rumblings on those doable closures–none of which were showed via Walt Disney International–in conjunction with our hypothesis about what they could entail, timing for the downtime, and extra.
Let’s get started with Peter Pan’s Flight, which isn’t if truth be told a rumor in any respect. Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a really-for-real building allow for the set up of set items at Peter Pan’s Flight in Magic Kingdom, record InterAmerica Degree, Inc. as contractor. The paintings has the default expiration date of 1 12 months, which isn’t specifically noteworthy (it’s when the expiration is shorter or longer).
InterAmerica Degree is a widespread collaborator with Imagineering on new and refreshed sights and presentations. Just lately, this comprises paintings on Spaceship Earth and, these days, the reimagining of Nation Undergo Jamboree into Nation Undergo Musical Jamboree. The allow doesn’t specify the scope of labor past the obscure and generic (and ceaselessly used) “set up set parts.” On the other hand, this and the allow coming from Imagineering means that the challenge will entail new or reimagined display scenes, or perhaps new results.
We now have been essential of Peter Pan’s Flight. It was once essentially the most debatable select on our Record of 10 Points of interest That Have Elderly Poorly at Walt Disney International. So it will have to pass with out pronouncing that I’m absolutely on board with this challenge. Actually, I’m hoping Peter Pan’s Flight has a multi-month closure to respire new lifestyles into the appeal.
After using the variations at Disneyland in California and Tokyo Disneyland this month, I’m very in a position to look updates to the Magic Kingdom incarnation. I’d love one of the results from the Shanghai Disneyland model, which is the most productive of the bunch. However it’s additionally model new, while each the Anaheim and Tokyo variations are the similar vintage taste as Magic Kingdom–and feature noticed improvements in recent times.
If I recall as it should be, there have been if truth be told rumors round 2019 that Peter Pan’s Flight can be one of the vital vintage Magic Kingdom sights to obtain updates forward of Walt Disney International’s fiftieth Anniversary. Supposedly, the plan was once very similar to 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 came about and all of the ones plans for Walt Disney International’s fiftieth had been deserted. (…Or the can was once kicked down the street to 2024?)
To be transparent, I don’t need to see Peter Pan’s Flight up to date as a result of I dislike it–I like it. This experience has enduring reputation and excessive wait instances for a reason why. It’s a vintage, and merits to be handled as such with admire and loving updates to stay it contemporary. Flying over the streets of London and Neverland is a undying lightning-in-a-bottle enjoy that are supposed to by no means pass away.
As an alternative, Peter Pan’s Flight will have to be plussed with projection mapping and different lighting fixtures results–as has been finished in Anaheim, Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Updating infrastructure so the flight is much less jerky and smoother would lend a hand with suspension of disbelief. I may pass on, however upgrades to the experience device aren’t throughout the scope of this building allow, so there’s no level.
Extra realistically, the obvious alternate is most probably the removing or replace of the Local American citizens scene in Peter Pan’s Flight. I don’t purport to be knowledgeable on this kind of factor, however the depiction there does strike me as a little of a cartoon (to position it charitably). With that stated, I additionally assume it’d be a disgrace to lose Local American citizens within the appeal (that turns out like the other of Disney’s targets). Given her presence in Peter Pan’s By no means Land Journey, I guess Tiger Lily remains to be a suitable personality. Having a brand new scene along with her can be cool.
If that does occur, I’m hoping it isn’t the one alternate. Peter Pan’s Flight at Magic Kingdom has some nice results and lines as in comparison to the opposite variations, nevertheless it hasn’t been modernized with new results to just about as nice of some extent, both. There’s a large number of alternative and untapped doable to make it a experience that if truth be told justifies the ones triple-digit wait instances.
Logistically, I’m curious as to how a Peter Pan’s Flight closure may paintings–particularly if it happens simultaneous with the following access. My intestine says this could be a shorter closure–or a sequence of them–even supposing it comes to higher guest-facing adjustments. I may see a situation the place a Peter Pan’s Flight reimagining had been treated in a similar way to Jungle Cruise or Haunted Mansion, with transient downtime for staging adopted via paintings after hours and/or with a couple of scattered days of downtime. (They may even put scrims round quite a lot of display scenes and simply have them be lacking.)
That manner, folks may plan across the Peter Pan’s Flight closure and it might have much less have an effect on on holidays. There’s additionally the sensible fact that Peter Pan’s Flight is a huge motive force of Genie+ gross sales at Magic Kingdom, and Disney most probably doesn’t need to take it out of fee for a longer duration and lose out on that. Alternatively, perhaps that’s a part of the rationale Tiana’s Bayou Journey is on Genie+ as a substitute of an Particular person Lightning Lane!
Subsequent up is a widely-reported rumor that Large Thunder Mountain Railroad will quickly shut for a longer refurbishment, which is able to consequence within the experience being down for greater than a 12 months. This isn’t but showed via Walt Disney International, nor have any building allows been filed to the most productive of our wisdom.
We’ve tried to independently corroborate the rumored Large Thunder Mountain Railroad closure, however had been not able to take action. On the other hand, it’s being reported via more than one credible shops–and even though we can not discuss to the veracity of the rumors themselves, it’s one thing that passes the odor take a look at and turns out believable to us.
Accordingly, we need to convey it for your consideration because it’s most likely going to be a last-minute announcement if it does occur. And it would possibly not! However it’s a sufficiently high-profile appeal that this doable experience refurbishment will have to no less than be to your radar. Simply bear in mind that not anything is concrete.
In step with wdwmagic, Large Thunder Mountain Railroad may shut once September 2024. The Magic Kingdom coaster wishes a vital refurbishment involving really extensive paintings at the experience device and retracking. This long-planned challenge is considered as preventative paintings that’s an important to increase the helpful lifetime of the curler coaster, making sure the experience’s longevity and operational standing for many years to come back.
Whilst the experience has had a variety of winter-time closures for a number of weeks to over a month within the final a number of years, the final long closure was once in 2016 when Large Thunder Mountain Railroad was once down for 4 months within the overdue summer season and early fall. Previous to that, BTMRR had more than one closures in 2012 for in depth paintings, set up of the interactive queue, in addition to the Barnabas T. Bullion and Large Thunder Mining Corporate backstory.
Each model of Large Thunder Mountain Railroad has had in depth closures in recent times–excluding Magic Kingdom. Possibly maximum instructive is the BTMRR at Disneyland, which closed for a significant renovation in January 2013. This challenge had a an identical scope as what’s rumored for Magic Kingdom, with new experience automobiles, observe alternative, repainting the mountain, and likewise restoring the Rainbow Ridge Mining The city.
That was once in the beginning scheduled to be finished via Fall 2013, nevertheless it wasn’t finished till March 2014. By the point Large Thunder Mountain Railroad did reopen over a 12 months later, its go back got here with a lot fanfare and new options–and a possible “blueprint” for different tasks of this nature that we’re now probably seeing with Haunted Mansion and Fantasmic at Disneyland. Kind of a quasi “Disney Vault” technique to excite enthusiasts.
As famous above, I do know completely not anything about this doable challenge, however I’d be expecting one thing an identical with the Magic Kingdom model of Large Thunder Mountain Railroad. A closure that lasted 14 months roughly one decade in the past interprets to no less than 18 months when adjusted for building timeline inflation. (A factor I made up, however you recognize what I imply–and that it’s an actual phenomenon!)
There’s no manner Walt Disney International goes to near Large Thunder Mountain Railroad for between a 12 months and 18 months and now not have the rest marketable to turn for it when the appeal returns. There will probably be new raise hill results, midnight lighting fixtures, redone display scenes with Easter eggs and different ancient tributes–one thing, the rest. Given the associated fee in money and time, I absolutely consider they’ll make it depend and this gained’t “simply” be a closure for invisible paintings that “most effective” extends the lifetime of the curler coaster.
I additionally consider there’s a powerful chance that Past Large Thunder will get printed at D23 Expo, and a part of that involves extra adjustments to this aspect of the park. If this is the 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 no less than a 12 months, timing doesn’t make an enormous distinction. In the end, it’s going to be down throughout each and every week and season, anyway. Now not most effective that, however Walt Disney International has proven a willingness to near marquee sights at widespread instances of the 12 months. Glance no additional than Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster throughout spring smash (two times!), Tower of Terror throughout spring and summer season, and the impending Check Observe closure from summer season thru no less than the vacation season.
However, it’s most likely that the Large Thunder Mountain Railroad challenge gained’t get started till Tiana’s Bayou Journey opens on June 28, 2024. That’s a part of the rumor, nevertheless it’s additionally kind of evident. Whilst one model of the rumor issues to BTMRR taking place in September, truthfully, I may see it remaining prior to then.
From my standpoint, having each Large Thunder and Tiana’s Bayou Journey open thru no less than mid-July to take in the outlet ‘season’ crowds for the brand new Frontierland headliner is sensible. That will additionally give time for Nation Undergo Musical Jamboree to open, which is now anticipated on the tail finish of summer season. (As I’ve stated prior to, I wouldn’t be stunned if that slips to October 1, 2024.)
After the outlet rush of Tiana’s Bayou Journey, it may additionally make sense to take BTMRR offline in order that refurbishment is completed prior to October 2025. Summer season crowds in most cases get started winding down in opposition to the top of July and drop off a cliff originally of August. If it is a year-plus closure, it makes extra sense to have BTMRR down for the months of August and September two times than it does the months of October thru December. However after all, that assumes the challenge is able to roll–and it will not be!
Oh and talking of Frontierland, we’re additionally conscious about experiences that Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade is rumored to near this summer season. I tried to corroborate the ones again final month when the tale first broke, however had no luck. Which is bizarre, for the reason that rumor is it’ll be the place the Disney Holiday Membership living room is positioned, and if true, that will have to be one thing of an open secret.
For now, I if truth be told have reason why to consider this one will not be credible. Which may be bizarre, as a result of after I first heard the rumor, it struck me as so evident. That DVC living room wishes to head someplace and Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade has controlled to hold on for roughly a decade longer than I anticipated.
In my opinion, I’ll be unhappy to look it pass (if it is going). I’ve formative years nostalgia for the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade and feature finished it greater than ever in the previous few years because it went to unfastened play. However I additionally keep in mind that it’s been on borrowed time for some time. It’ll be attention-grabbing to look what occurs there–no end result would marvel me. I’m now not satisfied that even Disney is aware of what it needs to do with Frontierland within the long-term at this level–nonetheless turns out like a tight quantity of uncertainty there.
In the long run, you will have to take all of this with an enormous grain of salt as they’re all rumors and/or have now not but been showed formally via Walt Disney International. (Imagineering has filed a allow for Peter Pan’s Flight, so one thing will occur, nevertheless it might be one thing easy that happens solely in a single day and not leads to downtime. We doubt that given the involvement of a 3rd celebration, nevertheless it’s conceivable.)
The hot button is that it’s nonetheless believable that none of those tasks materialize. Once more, we doubt it. If the rest, we’d be expecting extra reimaginings and refurbishments of this nature for a few causes. The primary is that there was once a large number of deferred repairs and proportionately fewer closures in the previous few years because of pent-up call for and finances cuts. So a number of sights are late for refurbishments and can most probably get them later this 12 months or in 2025.
2nd, the cash spigot is ready to be grew to become on for Parks & Accommodations, taking into consideration extra tasks of this nature to (in the end!) occur. Positive, it’s now not as thrilling as brand-new sights–and plenty of of chances are you’ll lament extra rides being closed throughout your holiday–however refurbishments are very a lot a need for keeping up suitable appeal requirements and making sure that breakdowns don’t proceed to occur at a extra widespread charge. So right here’s hoping we see extra in this entrance!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you take into consideration the opportunity of long experience refurbishments/reimaginings of Peter Pan’s Flight and/or Large Thunder Mountain Railroad? Hope those classics are up to date to verify their longevity for many years to come back? Do any sights at Walt Disney International strike you as being high applicants for experience reimaginings? Do you settle or disagree with our alternatives? Any questions we will be able to can help you resolution? Listening to your comments–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas beneath within the feedback!
