ASTONISHED - That's How I Felt Reading the Latest Disney World Ride Closure Announcement

Just when we thought Disney couldn’t possibly throw more surprises our way, they went ahead and threw us another curveball.

That’s right. Amidst all the construction and closures already on the docket for 2025, one of Tomorrowland’s most iconic rides is officially going offline for a refurb. Now, let me tell you, this announcement caught us completely off guard. With everything else already in the works at Magic Kingdom, refurbishing this ride wasn’t even on our radar.

As we were saying, right now Magic Kingdom is buzzing with changes. Disney is hard at work transforming parts of the park with new attractions, massive construction projects, and long-term refurbishments. So, when Disney announced yet another ride closure – this time for Astro Orbiter – it caught us completely off guard.

As you can see from their site, the Astro Orbiter ride will be closing for refurbishment beginning January 13th, 2025. At the moment, there is no official reopening date, but their site says it’s planned to reopen in the summer of 2025.

Astro Orbiter is closing soon.

To be fair, Astro Orbiter isn’t typically the headline-grabber at Magic Kingdom. It’s not Space Mountain or Haunted Mansion, but it is a beloved staple of Tomorrowland. And in a park that already has so many closures on the horizon, this announcement left us with one burning question: Why now?

The Surprising Timing

Disney is no stranger to juggling projects, but the current level of construction chaos at Magic Kingdom feels unprecedented. Let’s break it down:

- Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America are going away permanently in 2025 to make room for the Cars-themed area coming to Frontierland.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will close on January 6th, 2025 for a refurbishment that will last over a year, reopening sometime in 2026.
- Beyond Big Thunder Mountain, the construction on Villains Land is already in motion.
- And on top of all that, they’re transforming the former Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade into a DVC Lounge.
- And Hall of Presidents is closing in January as well.

Basically, Magic Kingdom already has a full plate when it comes to closures and construction projects. So, for Disney to tack on Astro Orbiter as another refurbishment project feels like the ride must really need some TLC.

Why Astro Orbiter, and Why Now?

For starters, Astro Orbiter hasn’t exactly been a must-do attraction in recent years. It’s one of those rides that adds to the ambiance of Tomorrowland with its spinning rockets high above the crowds, but it’s rarely at the top of anyone’s must-do list.

That said, it’s an iconic part of Magic Kingdom’s skyline, and when you do ride it, there’s something magical about soaring above the park with those 360-degree views.

So for Disney to announce its refurbishment, especially right now, feels almost out of character. The timing seems oddly abrupt, and it raises the question: what’s going on with Astro Orbiter? Does it need some kind of major repair? Are they planning to give it a futuristic makeover to align with other updates in Tomorrowland?

We don’t have all the answers yet, but one thing’s for sure: this refurbishment announcement adds yet another layer to the already jam-packed Magic Kingdom construction calendar.

If you’re planning a trip to Magic Kingdom in the near future, you’ll definitely want to plan strategically. Between the upcoming Cars area, Villains expansion, and now Astro Orbiter going offline, the park is in the midst of a major transformation.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the details surrounding Astro Orbiter’s closure, so keep following AllEars for all the latest updates.