OH NO. Does This Mean the Railroad Is Closing AGAIN in Magic Kingdom?!

Be straight with us Disney World…are we going to have a problem?

We’re used to Disney World attraction closures, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we welcome them. In fact, one ride keeps closing and it’s become bothersome. The ride in question is Magic Kingdom’s Walt Disney World Railroad and we have reason to believe that we could be in store for another long refurbishment.

The Walt Disney World Railroad takes passengers on a trip around Magic Kingdom to different stations throughout the park. While an awesome little ride and gorgeous park icon when it’s open, this ride has had trouble staying open in the past.

A massive refurbishment was done on the ride for THREE YEARS that finally ended in 2022, thanks to construction on the now-open TRON Lightcycle/Run ride in Magic Kingdom.

When the Railroad reopened, it did so with new sounds and voices, along with a new conductor assuming the role. According to Disney, the new voiceover was “someone who grew up on Main Street, U.S.A., dreaming of the day they’d be on the railroad. They’ve now achieved that dream, and they know everyone and everything at Magic Kingdom…an unofficial mayor of sorts. This conductor is humble, genial, and knowledgeable, and he’s eager to help passengers of these iconic steam trains get to their destinations around the park he loves so dearly.”

Disney also took that long refurbishment process to fine-tune mechanics and make a better overall ride experience.

However, the closures weren’t done, as it once again had to cease operations during the construction of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Frontierland.

Well, now we know MORE Magic Kingdom construction is on the horizon, thanks to the new Cars expansion in Frontierland as well as the new Villains Land which will be situated fairly close by, all things considered. Right now, the latter project is slated to be placed behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which is undergoing its own minimum-one-year-long refurbishment.

The Walt Disney World Railroad does intertwine with the proposed expansion areas, so, once again, we’re worried about a long closure.

While probable, it’s worth noting that nothing is imminent…yet. This is purely speculative, albeit, we have plenty of history to pull on to make this assessment. Either way, the idea is disheartening, as it feels like we consistently get the Railroad back only to lose it. Over. And. Over. Again.

As of now, the ride is still in operation and Disney World hasn’t indicated that it will close. Again, this could be a matter of “yet”, so make sure you get your rides in as much as possible in the meantime.

We’ll continue to keep you posted on the status of the Walt Disney World Railroad as well as all the latest updates from Disney World, so keep it posted right here at AllEars to stay in the know!

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Do you think the Walt Disney World Railroad will stay open or close during these upcoming expansions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!