Super Enthused

Disney just announced all the changes, openings, closures and what we can expect for their theme parks in 2026, let’s break it down!

Walt Disney World consists of four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. There are changes happening at all four parks, but not all of those will be ready for 2026, some are long and ongoing. We’ll talk about all of that in this blog post!

• Note: this blog post is a companion piece to a full length YouTube video that has more detail and more in-person coverage, EVERYTHING in this blog post (and more) is covered in detail, in person, and in a very fun way, in this vlog:
  • EVERYTHING CHANGING AT DISNEY WORLD IN 2026, ALL 4 PARKS: https://youtu.be/t7Cap_EaxsU

Now, hopefully you’ll enjoyed the vlog, here is it in writing: what’s changing and happening park by park, including relevant links for deep dive YouTube videos on each topic if you want more info:

Magic Kingdom

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will reopen in Spring 2026
  • refurbished, re-tracked, with “new magic”
  • more info: https://youtu.be/BxgD-jN9gCU
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will reopen in Spring 2026
  • new ride vehicles, laser blasters, and a new character
  • more info: https://youtu.be/-B-agxOJ27g
• *** 📌 NEW Updated: Cinderella Castle repainting: the process began in January 2026, I covered the start of it here: https://youtu.be/UDRRe1yXg54 and is ongoing. I will continue to cover until the full castle repainting project is complete. Make sure you’re subscribed to Super Enthused on Youtube to stay up to date on ALL of this!!

Ongoing projects:

• Cars Land, officially named Piston Peak under construction, no opening timeline
  • detailed info: https://youtu.be/_P0ujLjx8V4
• Villains Land will remain under construction, no opening timeline
  • more info: https://youtu.be/MObqsKNge4U (all changes coming to all 4 parks as originally announced at D23)
• *** 📌 NEW Updated: Carousel of Progress, we do not know if this change is happening this year (2026), but it is worth noting that Disney has stated that a Walt Disney audio-animatronic will be added to the Carousel of Progress! All we know so far is: “you’ll be able to catch a brand-new introductory scene and hear from the legendary man who never stood in the way of progress — Walt Disney. There are still plenty of additional details to be revealed, including what John, Sarah, and the rest of the family are up to.” from the Disney Parks Blog. Timeline unknown.

EPCOT

• Frozen Ever After closing Jan 26, 2026, reopens February 2026
  • Updated animatronics, no more glowing faces! (Anna, Elsa and Kristoff Audio-Animatronics figures)
  • more details: https://youtu.be/E7aNZwOG04U
  • *** 📌NEW: Frozen Ever After has reopened and we got a look at the gorgeous new animatronics, check out the update here: https://youtu.be/NBd3adiU6LI
• Soarin’ Across America opens Memorial Day 2026
  • New journey over America (replaces current Soarin’ Around the World)

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

• Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets opens Summer 2026
  • Aerosmith version closes March 2 (March 1 last day of operation)
  • Total retheme from Aerosmith to The Muppets, with new Scooter animatronic
  • Full details and closure beginning: https://youtu.be/rZuymo984Yk
• Millennium Falcon Smuggler’s Run new mission with The Mandalorian and Grogu starts Summer 2026 (updated: May 22, 2026)
• Disney Jr Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live opened Summer 2026
• The Magic of Disney Animation (including Off the Page) opens late Summer 2026
  • more details: https://youtu.be/rZuymo984Yk

Ongoing projects:

• Monsters Inc Land, Monstropolis under construction, no opening timeline, but project is well underway!
  • more details: https://youtu.be/rZuymo984Yk
  • NEW updates on this (updated Feb 2026): https://youtu.be/knmLgb2wwsU

ANIMAL KINGDOM

• Dinoland USA Closes Forever Feb 2026
• Dinosaur officially closed Feb 2 (Feb 1 last day of operation)
  • LAST Christmas in Dinoland USA (Dec 2025): https://youtu.be/_Gc07mgcfIo
  • 📌 NEW UPDATED: I vlogged the FULL closing weekend of Dinoland and Dinosaur, our last ride and capturing the last weekend ever, both days, of this now extinct theme park land and attraction: https://youtu.be/NX1AZGlLT6A
• Bluey and Bingo are coming to Animal Kingdom Summer 2026
  • 📌 NEW Update to this, affection section and animation experience are closing Feb 2026, all the details here: https://youtu.be/KCXlJ4RrtWQ

Ongoing projects:

• Tropical Americas Land under construction, no opening timeline

DISNEY SPRINGS

• Level99 opens in 2026, no opening timeline
  • Find out all the details about Level99 coming to Disney Springs here: https://youtu.be/22yAYnGvHmk

There is SO MUCH change happening right now, we’re going through a very interesting time in theme park history here in Orlando, with all the parks really, but this post is focused on Disney World, which currently has 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, Disney Springs, over 20 themed hotels, gazillions of restaurants and stores! WDW has a huge footprint here in Florida and is a massive part of the tourism economy. But besides business, there are many of us true theme park fans who are really interested in watching things change, the history and future of the parks we love.

MORE OF WHAT’S COMING!

So for all of us, let’s GEAR UP for an exciting 2026, and I will continue to cover all the changes happening in all the Orlando parks, while mixing things up with lots of fun, over on the Super Enthused YouTube channel! -> www.YouTube.com/superenthused

Covering theme park history in the making is something I am so passionate about!

All blogs written by Jackie, Super Enthused, a theme park and travel enthusiast who loves all things magical, whimsical, special, and themed! I make vlogs every week on my YouTube channel called Super Enthused to share the latest, best, and coolest things from the theme parks here in Orlando, like Disney World and Universal Orlando, but also travel to places all over the USA, we especially love to do road trips, but also so much more than that! We go to the UK often and do the UK theme parks, historic sites and attractions too! It’s a mix of things I genuinely love, and I share my real and authentic experiences, with my own unique attitude, love for trying new things, passion for sharing and connecting with my awesome enthusiastic community all over the world, and goal to put more goodness out into the world! I hope you subscribe on YouTube and to this blog and join me in living a more enthused life. tons of love, J

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