Disney World’s refurbishment schedule currently includes two notable Magic Kingdom attraction closures, several resort projects extending into 2027, and a planned Disney Skyliner shutdown in January. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is expected to remain closed until late spring 2027, while the Walt Disney World Railroad is scheduled to return in November 2026.
This page focuses on planned refurbishments, maintenance windows and construction that you can account for before your trip. If you’re trying to find out which rides are unavailable today, use my separate guide to what rides are closed at Disney World right now.
Disney World refurbishment schedule at a glance
| Attraction or area | Location | Refurbishment dates |
|---|---|---|
| Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress | Magic Kingdom | Closed now; expected to reopen late spring 2027 |
| Walt Disney World Railroad | Magic Kingdom | Closed September 28, 2026; expected to reopen November 2026 |
| Disney Skyliner | Resort transportation | January 24–30, 2027 |
| Luna Park Pool | Disney’s BoardWalk | January 11 through April 2027 |
| Animal Kingdom Lodge guest rooms and public areas | Animal Kingdom Lodge | Work continuing through early 2027 |
| All-Star Movies guest rooms | All-Star Movies Resort | Work continuing through January 2027 |
| Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower areas | Contemporary Resort | Work continuing through late 2027 |
| Coronado Springs Convention Center | Coronado Springs Resort | Through late September 2027 |
| Port Orleans Riverside guest rooms | Port Orleans Riverside | Through August 2027 |
Disney can extend, shorten or add refurbishment windows, so I treat dates farther out as planning information rather than guarantees. I check the official Disney calendar again shortly before traveling.
Magic Kingdom refurbishments
Magic Kingdom currently has the most noticeable scheduled attraction work, although neither closure takes one of the park’s biggest thrill rides out of circulation.
Carousel of Progress
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress has been unavailable since July 6, 2026 and is expected to reopen in late spring 2027.
This is much more than a routine maintenance closure. Disney is updating the attraction’s time periods and scenes while retaining the basic concept of following the same family through changing eras of technology.
Disney has said the revised version will include the 1960s, the 1980s, the turn of the millennium and a new possible-future scene. The attraction’s classic “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” will remain part of the experience.
Because Disney has given this project a broad late spring 2027 reopening rather than a specific date, I would not plan a spring trip assuming it will definitely be available.
Walt Disney World Railroad
The Walt Disney World Railroad closed September 28, 2026 for routine refurbishment. Disney currently expects it to reopen in November 2026.
This affects more than sightseeing because the Railroad normally provides another way to move around Magic Kingdom. Until it returns, plan on walking between the lands rather than using the train as transportation.
For a narrower look at attraction availability in this park, see my Magic Kingdom ride closures guide.
EPCOT refurbishments and announced updates
EPCOT does not currently have the kind of major scheduled ride closure that would make me restructure an entire park day. What makes EPCOT important for longer-term planning is the amount of future work Disney has announced.
Spaceship Earth is getting a major reimagining
Disney announced in August 2026 that Spaceship Earth will receive its first major update in nearly two decades. The attraction’s story will broaden from the history of human communication to the larger idea of human connection.
What Disney has not announced yet is just as important for trip planning: there is currently no official closure date or reopening date attached to the project. I would not treat Spaceship Earth as closed until Disney publishes an actual refurbishment schedule.
Dreamfinder is returning to Journey Into Imagination
Disney has also announced a new chapter for Journey Into Imagination featuring both Figment and Dreamfinder.
Again, Disney has announced the project but has not yet provided a closure window. That makes this an upcoming attraction update, not a scheduled refurbishment you need to plan around today.
I maintain the attraction-specific schedule separately in my EPCOT ride closures guide.
Hollywood Studios refurbishments and construction
The bigger issue at Hollywood Studios right now is construction rather than a long list of ride refurbishments.
Monstropolis construction
Construction continues on the new Monstropolis area inspired by Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. Disney has confirmed that parts of the land will begin opening in 2027.
The project includes a new theater show, themed dining and the much larger door-coaster project. Disney has specifically said work will continue on the coaster while portions of the land begin welcoming guests, so I would not assume the entire project opens at once.
If you’re simply trying to find attractions that will be unavailable during your trip, my Hollywood Studios ride closures page is the better reference.
Animal Kingdom refurbishments and construction
Animal Kingdom is undergoing one of the biggest transformations at Walt Disney World, but most of it should be thought of as construction and replacement of former areas rather than temporary ride refurbishment.
Tropical Americas opens in 2027
Construction is underway on Tropical Americas, or Pueblo Esperanza, in the former DinoLand U.S.A. area. Disney has confirmed the new land will open in 2027.
The land is planned to include Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, the animal-themed El Carrusel de los Animalitos, dining and a children’s play area.
Expedition Everest’s Yeti
Disney also announced that the Yeti Audio-Animatronic inside Expedition Everest will be restored to full movement.
Disney has not yet announced a refurbishment window for that work. Until a closure date is published, I would not list Expedition Everest as an attraction you should expect to miss.
For temporary attraction downtime rather than construction projects, see my Animal Kingdom ride closures guide.
Disney Skyliner refurbishment in January 2027
The Disney Skyliner is scheduled to close January 24 through January 30, 2027 for routine refurbishment. Disney says complimentary bus transportation will be available during the closure.
This matters most if you’re staying at Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach or Riviera and planned to rely on the Skyliner for EPCOT or Hollywood Studios.
I would build extra transportation time into those days rather than assuming the replacement buses will reproduce the normal Skyliner travel experience. You can see which hotels are affected in my guide to Disney World resorts with Skyliner access.
Disney World resort refurbishments
Resort refurbishment is easy to overlook because it doesn’t show up on a ride list, but it can have a much bigger effect on the trip if you plan to spend afternoons at your hotel.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Guest rooms and some public areas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge are undergoing refurbishment through early 2027. Disney warns that guests may see or hear daytime construction and that alternate routes may occasionally be necessary.
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and Villas
Refurbishment work in select areas of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and BoardWalk Villas is continuing through 2027.
A more consequential closure is scheduled for January 11 through April 2027, when Luna Park Pool, Luna Park Crazy Play Area and Leaping Horse Libations will be closed for routine maintenance. The leisure pools will remain available.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower
Disney currently says phased refurbishment will continue in select areas of the Contemporary Resort, Bay Lake Tower and the Main Tower atrium through late 2027.
Main Tower exterior maintenance may also affect views and occasionally require alternate walking routes.
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
The Coronado Springs Convention Center and surrounding El Centro Corridor are undergoing a phased refurbishment through late September 2027.
Disney says much of this work is scheduled overnight to reduce its effect on normal resort operations.
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Guest-room refurbishment at Port Orleans Riverside is scheduled to continue in phases through August 2027.
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Guest-room refurbishment at All-Star Movies is planned to continue through January 2027. Guests may encounter daytime construction or occasional alternate routes while work is underway.
Art of Animation refurbishment begins in 2027
A much longer room-refurbishment project is scheduled to begin at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort in mid-June 2027. Disney currently expects the phased project to continue through October 2028, with one themed area being worked on at a time.
Major Disney World construction projects that aren’t refurbishments
Not every construction wall at Disney World means an attraction is temporarily closed for refurbishment. Several major projects involve entirely new lands or experiences.
| Project | Park | What Disney has announced |
|---|---|---|
| Piston Peak National Park | Magic Kingdom | Two Cars-inspired attractions; construction underway |
| Villains Land | Magic Kingdom | Two major attractions plus dining and shopping; active development |
| Monstropolis | Hollywood Studios | Parts of the Monsters, Inc. land open in 2027 |
| Tropical Americas | Animal Kingdom | Indiana Jones, Encanto and other experiences opening in 2027 |
Piston Peak is already visibly under construction in Magic Kingdom. Disney has announced two Cars-inspired attractions: Cars Ridge Run Rally and Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along. I cover the larger question of where the Cars expansion fits into Walt Disney World in my guide to Cars Land at Disney World.
Villains Land is also in development for Magic Kingdom, but Disney has not announced an opening date. I would treat both projects as construction updates rather than adding them to a list of attractions currently closed for refurbishment.
Recently completed Disney World refurbishments
A lot of outdated closure information remains in search results after rides reopen. These notable 2026 projects are no longer current refurbishments:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – reopened after its major refurbishment
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – reopened after its extensive update
- Frozen Ever After – its early-2026 refurbishment is complete
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – the former Aerosmith version has been replaced by Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
I would not continue listing these among the main current refurbishments simply because they were major projects earlier in the year. For trip planning, what matters is what will actually be unavailable during your dates.
What’s the difference between a refurbishment and a temporary closure?
A refurbishment is planned. Disney generally announces a closure window in advance because maintenance, construction or attraction changes require the ride or area to be unavailable.
A ride marked temporarily closed in My Disney Experience during the day may simply be experiencing an operational or technical problem. It could reopen shortly afterward.
That’s why I don’t use this refurbishment schedule as a live ride-status tracker. For same-day downtime and the current scheduled ride closures, go to what rides are closed at Disney World right now.
How far ahead does Disney announce refurbishments?
There isn’t one fixed schedule. Large attraction projects can be announced months or even years ahead, while routine maintenance windows can appear much closer to the closure date.
That means a trip with no major refurbishments listed today is not guaranteed to remain that way. I check again when park hours and trip details firm up, then once more shortly before traveling.
Should you change your trip because of a Disney World refurbishment?
Usually, no. I would only seriously consider moving a park day if the closed attraction is one of the main reasons I’m visiting that park.
A resort refurbishment can be more important if you expect to spend a lot of time at the hotel. A closed feature pool or heavy construction near your room can affect several days of a vacation, while one closed attraction may only change an hour of one park day.
For a longer trip, I still like leaving some flexibility in the schedule rather than locking every park day into place months ahead. My broader Disney World planning guide covers that part of the trip.
Where to check the official Disney refurbishment schedule
I use Disney’s official calendar as the final check for announced ride refurbishments because dates can change after a trip is booked.
You can check the Walt Disney World day calendar for scheduled attraction closures and the individual Disney Resort hotel pages for hotel-specific construction notices.
For major projects without a closure date yet, I don’t treat an announcement as a refurbishment schedule. Spaceship Earth, Journey Into Imagination and Expedition Everest all have significant updates announced, but until Disney publishes actual downtime, they’re future projects rather than attractions I would tell someone to plan around.
What I’d watch next
The most important confirmed dates on the schedule right now are the Walt Disney World Railroad’s expected November 2026 return, Carousel of Progress remaining closed until late spring 2027, and the Disney Skyliner refurbishment from January 24 through January 30, 2027.
Beyond those, I’d watch for Disney to announce actual closure windows for the upcoming Spaceship Earth, Journey Into Imagination and Expedition Everest work. Those dates will matter much more to vacation planning than simply knowing the projects are coming.
If you’re checking immediately before a park day rather than planning months ahead, switch to my current Disney World ride closures page instead.
