With Fantasmic! ready to return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this holiday season, it feels like the pandemic era of Walt Disney World has finally come to a close, with rides all operating at full capacity across the resort, beloved characters once again meeting (and hugging!) guests, and live entertainment back to performing at venues inside all four theme parks.
However, despite all these reopenings, we couldn’t help but notice that some corners of Walt Disney World have quietly stayed shuttered over the last few years, with Disney avoiding making any announcements on the fate of some of its long-running attractions as it resumes its post-pandemic operations. With this in mind, we can’t help but wonder if Walt Disney World has actually closed some of the following attractions permanently without making an official announcement.
1. Enchanted Tales With Belle (Magic Kingdom)
Even as other character experiences and shows have returned to Walt Disney World, the hybrid show-character interaction attraction Enchanted Tales with Belle has yet to reopen alongside them. Walt Disney World’s official website lists this attraction as “temporarily unavailable”, but considering Enchanted Tales with Belle has not reopened in over two years, we’re starting to wonder if that temporary could be changed to mean permanent in the near future.
Late last year, fans were hopeful about a potential reopening as construction permits were filed for the location of this attraction, with many hoping this meant that preperations were being made to get Enchanted Tales With Belle ready for guests once again. However, in the months since, no work has seemingly happened (at least, in guest view), and this former Fantasyland staple (which was modestly popular prior to 2020) has remained shuttered. It’s anyone’s guess as to what Disney might do with this space if this attraction does stay closed forever, but for now, guests can wander by Belle’s cottage and hope that maybe, this tale as old as time might be told again one day in the future.
2. Main Street Trolley Show (Magic Kingdom)
Once a staple of Main Street USA, the Main Street Trolley show featured the Citizens of Main Street welcoming guests to the Magic Kingdom, all while singing and dancing along to different songs, which would change depending on the season. The characters would wave and interact with guests, and the show was an important part of the park’s “streetmosphere,” giving guests a taste of the Magic Kingdom’s world-class entertainment while they made their way toward Cinderella Castle. However, this show did not return after the park reopened 2020, and in worse news, the attraction website for this show, which previously said “temporarily unavailable” has now been completely deleted from the Walt Disney World site.
Though it is possible that we could see the Main Street Trolley Show return later under a different name or with an alternate theme, it seems more likely that this is one attraction that simply will never come back to the Magic Kingdom.
3. Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
Between Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Star Tours and Star Wars Launch Bay, there’s no shortage of Star Wars representation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, young Padawans prior to spring 2020 had an entertainment option just for them with Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple, which allowed them to learn the ways of the force while participating in an interactive show (and of course, posing for PhotoPass pictures!).
However, even though it was a popular offering for kids, Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple has not been performed in over two years, and earlier this year, signage related to this show was removed, which may be a clue that Disney is simply not planning to bring this show back. Though Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple is still mentioned on Walt Disney World’s website, the page is obviously out of date, and does not display any available times for the future for this long-closed show. Unfortunately, this probably means a reopening isn’t in the cards for this former Star Wars entertainment option, which had previously delighted children (and their parents!) for year.
4. Voyage of the Little Mermaid (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
Rumors about the potential closure of Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Disney’s Hollywood Studios stretch all the way back to 2017, long before the COVID-19 Pandemic shut the show down in 2020. However, even though the show beat the previous rumors, perhaps this time Voyage of the Little Mermaid is really gone for good. Though signage at Disney’s Hollywood Studios pertaining to this show remains, Disney has quietly removed all mention of Voyage of the Little Mermaid from their website, and the theater that houses the show has remained shuttered for over two years.
While the rumor mill has been wrong about the death of this show before, things certainly aren’t looking good for this long-running show, which first opened in 1992 and ran almost continuously for over 25 years. If this show is truly closed for good, it will be interesting to see what Disney does with the theater space that formerly housed this attraction, as it could be easily repurposed to house another show.
5. Meet Tinker Bell at Town Square Theater (Magic Kingdom)
While most character meet and greets have returned to Walt Disney World, one character who has been missing in action outside of parades and shows is Tinker Bell. Though the iconic Peter Pan fairy used to meet guests across the hall from Mickey Mouse in the Town Square Theater area of the Magic Kingdom, this character has yet to return to this location. In addition, Disney has removed mention of the former Tinker Bell meet and greet at Magic Kingdom from its website, likely meaning that guests at the Magic Kingdom who want to see Tinker Bell will have to settle for waving at her during the Festival of Fantasy parade or at one of the nighttime spectaculars during which she appears.
While Disney could bring Tinker Bell back to the parks in a different location, right now it seems unlikely that this character will be returning to the lineup any time soon.
