Are you traveling to the most magical place on earth in
August? If so, you may experience ride
and attraction closures for refurbishment.
August is considered a “slower” time of the year in Disney terms—heat but
smaller crowds—and after the majority of summer travelers head back home Disney
is taking advantage and will close and update some attractions.
So far on the list is the Liberty Belle River Boat located
in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom, Jungle Cruise at the Magic Kingdom, Prince Charming’s Regal Carousel in the Magic
Kingdom, and MuppetVision 3D in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There may be other rides and attractions
added to the list.
What can a guest do?
Well, knowing what rides and attractions are closed can be half of the
battle. There’s nothing like the build
up to a much anticipated ride or attraction, only to find out upon arrival that
it is not available. The touring plan
has to be revamped and sore feelings soothed.
This kind of disappointment can be avoided when you know what rides or
attractions are closed ahead of time.
For example, during our last trip to the World, we were only
going to spend one day in the parks.
Deciding between Studios and EPCOT was difficult. But knowing that Test Track was closed for
refurbishment helped us decide—we went to Studios.
Another strategy to combat ride or attraction closures is to
change the time of your trip, if possible.
Guests traveling at “off peak” times know that while they will be
treated to less crowded parks, they will also find shorter park hours and ride
closures. Guests traveling at busier
times of the year, will find park hours extended, extra dining locations open,
and special shows or attractions added to the list of all the other rides and
attractions in addition to thicker crowds.
It is a trade off and guests traveling to Walt Disney World have to
decide what is more important—access to everything OR smaller crowds.
If your trip is “once in a lifetime” then going during a
time when all the rides and attractions are open will be important. Also know that even when everything is open,
it is difficult, if not impossible, to do and see everything. For those of us who know we are coming back,
there are no worries when a ride or attraction is closed. We know we will catch it next trip. . . and
look forward to experiencing the improvements!
Personally, we opt for off season usually. Because we are 'regular' visitors every few years, it won't make or break our trip to miss a ride or two. That being said, we still try to stay tuned to what is expected to close.
ReplyDeleteFor example, my absolute favourite ride is Indiana Jones in Disneyland. We know that since it just underwent a huge refurb this last year, our next years trip more then likely will be a safe bet for it being open :)
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