RIDES CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE AND REHAB AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Walt Disney World rides and attractions can be closed for maintenance, rehab, or replacement at any time.
The way I keep up with this is to check the “Refurbishments and Attraction Closures” part of the weekly Walt Disney World Resort Update section of MousePlanet.com.
That said, the most common time for attraction closures is January and early February. For this reason, this site suggests that first time visitors who are unsure whether or not they will ever return should avoid this period.
Why go during a period when some of the best of Walt Disney World may not be available?
For the currently known 2016 winter closures at Disney World, see this.
However, I’ve seen some claims that “only Splash Mountain is closed” during this period, so I went back and analyzed ride closures over the last five years to double check the facts.
The results of this analysis are presented below.
WINTER RIDE CLOSURES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Over the past five years, an average of three rides are closed in January at Walt Disney World. (This figure excludes rides closed for massive rehabs—e.g. a nine month do-over.)
The average number of closures drops sharply as mid-February and the President’s Day Weekend approaches, and continues to drop into March.
See the chart for daily averages (click it to enlarge it.)
Splash Mountain is indeed the most common ride to be closed in this period–it has been closed each of the last five years, for at least five days, and for an average of almost 30 days.
Other attractions closed more than once during the period include Test Track, Buzz Lightyear, the Backlot Tour, and the Liberty Belle riverboat. Other significant attractions closed at least once in winter include Rock N’ Roller Coaster, Kali River Rapids, and Indiana Jones.
There’s not much on this list I’d want to miss…so the advice to first time visitors who may not be able to return remains the same–avoid January and early February!
This advice is reflected in this site’s 2014 weeks to visit, ranked in order.
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99 Comments on "Winter Ride Closures at Walt Disney World"
Mari, you should face at most 3-4 closures–maybe less, as rides commonly re-open at the end of Jan. For weather, see this.
Hi!
Booked 2/6-2/13 for 2016 at Contemporary. You have me doubting myself with your rankings, but unable to do any other weeks in February then I’d be running into high prices with March. I have a 4YO and a 2YO. How worried should I be about closures? How about the weather in February? Thanks!
Jenny refurbs can be announced any time, typically about 8 weeks befroe closure. There’s no official list, but you can find unofficial lists all over the place–e.g. weekly on MousePlanet here http://www.mouseplanet.com/search.php?type=c&cid=wd
The best dates in Jan/Feb are from the day after MLK Day to the Thursday before Presidents Day, then again later Feb beginning Feb 21.
Hi Dee! My date recommendations are here http://yourfirstvisit.net/2013/12/08/2015-weeks-to-visit-walt-disney-world-ranked-in-order/ Because you don’t care about ride closures (and I agree if you are coming back doesn’t matter) then the period from 1/18 to 2/12 is in play as well. My hotel recommendations are here: http://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/where-to-stay/