Seasonal closures are nothing new at Walt Disney World but sometimes its hard to tell when something is truly only operating seasonally or standing but not operating (as we’ve seen most recently with Stitch’s Great Escape). However, over the recently busy President’s Day Weekend at the resort saw some long-closed attractions reopen, giving us a sense of what is currently operating seasonally…and what is not.
1. The Muppets Present…Great Moments in History
Image: Disney
Though it was announced last year that The Muppets Present…Great Moments in History was going to close at the Magic Kingdom, Disney surprised us by bringing this attraction not once but twice for a limited time during high traffic periods.
Unfortunately, this version is a bit slimmed down, omitting the “JJ” character and only [performing the “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” story during each limited-time return. However, this now-seasonal attraction has proved to be a hit for guests at the Magic Kingdom during heavy traffic periods, and hopefully we’ll see it back again during Spring Break and maybe even summer!
2. Primeval Whirl
Image: Disney
After an unexpected (and unexplained) four month refurbishment in 2019 we expected that we had seen the last of Primeval Whirl at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, this attraction unexpectedly reopened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom a few times in 2019, and then once more this past weekend. This was especially surprising considering Disney’s official attraction page for this ride was updated last year with a “Temporarily Closed” notice, which is the same status that the long-closed Stitch’s Great Escape had on its attraction page as well, and we’re pretty sure that attraction is not going to be opening back up ever again..
Because of this attraction’s fluctuating operations, no FastPass+ reservations are available at all for Primeval Whirl, but if you end up visiting Disney’s Animal Kigdom during a very busy day, you just might be able to catch a ride on this attraction!
3. Character meet and greets
Image: Jeff Christiansen, Flickr (license)
Though you’re able to meet Mickey, Minnie, and other iconic characters every day of the year at Walt Disney World parks, there are some special characters that only come out a few times of the year. Stitch at the Magic Kingdom only meets infrequently, and Toy Story characters at Disney’s Hollywood Studios have recently been slimmed down, only appearing during the busiest parts of the year. If you are a big character fan, you’re definitely more likely to see a bigger variety of options on days when the park is super busy.
4. Aunt Polly’s Refreshments
Though Aunt Polly’s Refreshments at Tom Sawyer Island is one of the oldest eateries at the Magic Kingdom (it welcomed its first guests in 1973), this grab-and-go dining location closed in the early 2000s and remained dormant for over a decade, simply sitting abandoned in the middle of Tom Sawyer Island. However, during 2015’s spring break rush, Disney surprised everyone by opening this eatery once more, and has opened this location for weeks at a time during busy periods ever since.
Aunt Polly’s location on Tom Sawyer Island makes it somewhat unique, and considering this restaurant has remained at the Magic Kingdom essentially unchanged for the past 40 years, it is definitely a piece of Walt Disney World history! Though the cuisine here isn’t exactly the best, nothing beats having a picnic on Tom Sawyer Island while watching the Liberty Belle float by.
