4 Disney World Attractions That Will Be Closed This Week (PLUS One Returning!)

Welcome to 2021! You might be celebrating the new year at Disney World this week. If so, you’ll want to take into consideration the attractions that will be closed for refurbishment!

Disney World experienced a few changes this past week. The policies for free MagicBands and souvenir luggage tags have changed. And, Park Hopping returned with a few adjustments. We want to help you further prepare by listing all the attractions closed between January 4th through January 10th, 2021.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Refurbishments

Kali River Rapids

It’s starting to cool down in Florida! This is the time of year that you might see what water rides go down for refurbishment. It’s not too fun to get soaking wet in the cold. Unless, of course, you remembered to pack your poncho! Disney uses this time of year to refurbish rides like Kali River Rapids.

This attraction is scheduled to close on January 4th, 2021 then is set to reopen on April 2nd, 2021.

Learn more about the Kali River Rapids closure!

Magic Kingdom Refurbishments

Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat

Wander through Liberty Square and you’ll notice something HUGE missing from the Rivers of America…water! The river has been completely drained as Cast Members refurbish the surrounding area. You’ll spot construction vehicles, tools, and other non-Disney relics sitting at the bottom of the riverbed.

Two attractions are affected by the drained river. Liberty Square Riverboat is not making its daily tours around the riverbed. (Surprisingly, you need water to make a boat float!) Tom Sawyer Island is also closed due to the fact that the only way guests can set foot on the island is by raft! As of right now, both attractions are scheduled to stay closed until February 28th, 2021.

See more photos of the drained Rivers of America here!

Walt Disney World Railroad

Railroad enthusiasts will have to wait a while before boarding the train in Magic Kingdom! The train has been temporarily closed for about two years now. The closure occurred when the construction began for TRON Lightcycle Run. The massive construction site is prohibiting the train from transporting guests around the kingdom.

There has been no clear indication when the train will start running again. TRON is currently slated to open in October 2021. This could point to a timeline for the train reopening. We’ll keep checking the refurbishment calendar to see if an opening date is scheduled!

See more TRON construction photos here!

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

Tomorrowland fans, you can breathe a sigh of relief. The PeopleMover is scheduled to reopen this week! Here’s a quick recap for those of you who haven’t heard the PeopleMover saga. Disney intended to reopen the PeopleMover on the day the Magic Kingdom reopened in July. The ride remained closed for quite a few days before it was put on the refurbishment list.

The reopening date was delayed and has settled on January 10th, 2021. Disney World’s refurbishment calendar still notes this as the opening day. We’ll see if they keep to the schedule this week!

Read the full PeopleMover story here!

Among these few closures, you’ll notice some construction happening around Disney World. EPCOT is a big construction zone as the park work towards its major transformation, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is undergoing an entryway overhaul and guest room refurb, while the Main Street Train Station is covered with a scrim facade. You might see more changes around Disney World as it transitions from Christmas to a new year!

What are you most looking forward to in the new year? Let us know in the comments!