Disney parks are constantly changing their refurbishment schedules, making it difficult for guests to keep up with the operating times and latest news regarding their favorite attractions, resorts, shops, and restaurants. Here are a few big, upcoming changes that are either confirmed by their respective parks or at the least very strongly rumored for the very near future.
This month’s refurbishment update includes two construction updates from Epcot, plus a closure, that turned into a refurbishment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (which might actually be coming to an end soon!)
1. Future World – World Showcase shortcut (Epcot)
Status: Confirmed
Dates: Now – Fall 2019
Now that the Epcot International Flower and Garden festival has concluded, the “shortcut” pathway that connects Future World and World Showcase (on the side of the park where the Imagination pavilion is) has been closed so work can begin on widening this alternative guest pathway. No official end date for this refurbishment project has been announced, but we anticipate work to be completed before the start of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival on August 29th (which also just so happens to be the opening date for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!)
2. Epcot entrance
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Dates: Now – TBA
And speaking of Epcot, construction walls went up around the Leave a Legacy monuments several weeks ago as work began on the new Epcot entrance design, and now it looks like over half the concrete slabs that were a part of this project are now gone, which means we’re likely looking at only a week or two more before all traces of Leave a Legacy are gone from the front of the park, and this initial phase of the Epcot entryway redesign is complete.
3. Mickey’s Of Hollywood (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Dates: Now – Summer 2019
After the closure of the Planet Hollywood Studios and then Legends of Hollywood several weeks ago Disney’s Hollywood Studios has closed yet another merchandise location for refurbishment in the run up to the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. This time, the closure is Mickey’s of Hollywood which will remain shuttered through the summer while the interior is remodeled. This location is the main retail shop in the park on Hollywood Blvd, which guests can find just beyond the front entrance.
4. Rafiki’s Planet Watch (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Status: Confirmed
Dates: Now – TBA Summer 2019
Last fall, Disney announced that Rafiki’s Planet Watch (and the connected Wildlife Express train) would not be available to guests for an indeterminate amount of time, releasing a statement that said they “anticipated” reopening this attraction in Spring 2019. However, though Disney definitely missed that original Spring opening date, they have confirmed that this attraction will once again welcome guests this summer.
It has also been confirmed that when it reopens this attraction will be a part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom‘s celebration of the 25th anniversary of The Lion King, and several areas are being refreshed and changed to help bring guests back to Rafiki’s Planet Watch when it reopens. We don’t know exactly what kinds of changes have been made in the 9 months since Rafiki’s Planet Watch has been closed (and what, if anything, has been removed from this area), but it looks like this attraction closure turned into a refurbishment, which is definitely a strange but interesting development.
Though we don’t know exactly when this refurbished and refreshed attraction will reopen, based on changes on Disney’s website we’d guess it will be welcoming guests once again sometime this month, potentially as soon as next week!
