January is the "Refurbishment Month" at Disney Parks

The list continues to grow for the attractions that will soon be unavailable for Disney guests. See which attraction will be closing and for how long. Will your Disney trip be affected?

Refurbishments

Refurbishments are a part of life at Disney Parks. These may take place for various reasons. Whether it be for mechanical issues or cosmetic updates, a refurbishment can take place for many reasons. Based on the nature of the work, the refurbishment may take a few days or several months.

The vast majority of refurbishments reopen as planned, and on a few occasions, even earlier than expected. Unfortunately, refurbishments may also be delayed. This is frustrating for guests particularly when a guest-favorite attraction is affected.

Although the Disney Parks stay busy throughout the calendar year, there are slower times for the parks. With the growing list of refurbishments, it appears that January may be “Refurbishment Month” for the Disney Parks.

January Refurbishments

The Disney Skyliner typically undergoes routine maintenance every January. Earlier this fall, Disney shared dates of closure for the Disney Skyliner for maintenance. Guests staying at Disney’s Skyliner Resorts will want to take note of these dates.

Just recently, Disney shared that even more refurbishments are planned. Over at Disneyland, the Haunted Mansion will close. This is customary to remove the holiday overlay additions, but it appears that this closure may last a bit longer. Check out the Haunted Mansion expansion that may keep this attraction closed for an indefinite period of time.

Yesterday, we shared that Kali River Rapids at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will also be closing soon for refurbishment. You can see the official closing dates HERE.

New Refurbishment

Adding to the growing list of refurbishments for January 2024 is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Walt Disney World. Located over in Frontierland, this attraction is the only attraction that draws a crowd. Splash Mountain is closed to be reimagined as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure later in 2024.

Big Thunder Mountain will close on January 16 for a brief refurbishment. At this time, Big Thunder Mountain is planned to reopen to guests on January 21, 2024. Frontierland may be a “ghost town” for these few days in January.