This Disney California Adventure and Disneyland experience refurbishment calendar for the tip of this yr and 2023 lists non permanent attraction closures so you already know what gained’t be working earlier than planning your trip. Additionally, we provide information about reimagining tasks which are underway to boost experiences across the resort. (Updated December 5, 2022.)
While nobody desires attraction closures throughout their go to, they’re a crucial a part of maintaining Disneyland and Disney California Adventure in good situation, as routine upkeep, security upgrades, and attraction enhancements are all finished throughout scheduled experience closures. Usually, there are solely a handful of simultaneous closed rides, plus new sights being constructed.
Having an thought of which sights are closed at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure is essential, however we suggest consulting our 2023 Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide for extra complete information. That covers the whole lot from saving cash on park tickets and lodges to the place to eat, when to go to, and extra.
In addition to scheduled attraction refurbs, unscheduled downtime may happen throughout a go to. This normally solely happens for just a few hours at a time, so if you happen to discover an attraction is closed throughout your go to to Disneyland Resort and it’s not listed under, it’s possible a short lived closure that can final just a few hours. Check with close by Cast Members to verify.
Below is a schedule of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure refurbishments, when the closure begins, and when the refurbishment will conclude. To the extent that particular dates are usually not but listed, these can be up to date as soon as Disneyland Resort supplies exact begin and/or finish dates. The following day can be when the attraction is scheduled to reopen.
Here are the closure schedules for Disney California Adventure and Disneyland…
Disney California Adventure
- Frozen: Live on the Hyperion – Return Date Unknown
- Paint the Night Parade – Return Date Unknown
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure – Closed January 9-12, 2023
While Frozen: Live on the Hyperion and Paint the Night Parade are listed above, there’s no indication both are returning anytime quickly–if ever. The former will possible get replaced by one thing else completely, and the parade may pop-up subsequent at Walt Disney World.
Next, let’s check out the late 2022 and early 2023 Disneyland attraction closures…
Disneyland
- Chip ’n’ Dale Treehouse – Permanently Closed
- Disneyland Forever – Return Date Unknown
- Donald’s Boat – Reopens March 8, 2023
- Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster – Reopens March 8, 2023
- Goofy’s Playhouse – Reopens March 8, 2023
- Indiana Jones Adventure – Closed January 9, 2023 by means of Spring 2023 (Date TBD)
- “it’s a small world” – Closed January 9, 2023 by means of TBD
- Magic Happens Parade – Returns February 24, 2023
- Main Street Electrical Parade – Return Date Unknown
- Mickey’s House – Reopens March 8, 2023
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – Opens January 27, 2023
- Minnie’s House – Reopens March 8, 2023
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin – Reopens March 8, 2023
- Adventureland Treehouse – Opens someday in 2023
Beyond these dates, let’s cowl some particular closures and reopening dates…
Indiana Jones Adventure is the most recent addition to the refurbishment calendar. This attraction had a few brief refurbishments earlier this yr, and we had been relieved to see it added to the calendar again then. After it reopened, we questioned what they even did throughout the downtime. Six months later, Indiana Jones Adventure is in even worse form, with a number of main results damaged or not engaged on a constant foundation, together with the climactic scene.
Thankfully, it seems that Indiana Jones Adventure is lastly going to obtain the prolonged refurbishment it has desperately wanted for the final yr. It’s clear that prolonged downtime is required to repair the whole lot that’s damaged, and whereas we’ll miss Indiana Jones Adventure whereas it’s down, I’d slightly it not be on this sorry state. (At the very least, please restore the pre-show. That ought to be easy!)
“it’s a small world” is one other recently-added attraction to the calendar.
This is an annual closure, with the downtime essential to take away the seasonal overlay and convert the attraction from “it’s a small world” vacation again to the traditional model. This usually takes just a little underneath two weeks, so you’ll be able to count on “it’s a small world” to reopen earlier than the start of February 2023.
Finally, Disney introduced on the current D23 Expo that the long-awaited return of the “Magic Happens” parade will happen at Disneyland on February 24, 2023 for Disney’s one centesimal Anniversary.
This parade ran for roughly two weeks pre-closure, and continues to be primarily brand-new. We nonetheless have by no means seen Magic Happens, and have resisted the temptation to observe on YouTube or hearken to the soundtrack. Glad to listen to it’s lastly returning!
This isn’t the one returning or new leisure for 100 Years of Wonder. Disneyland introduced different new nighttime spectaculars for Disney’s one centesimal Anniversary, which embody the “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks at Disneyland and “World of Color – One” at Disney California Adventure.
No phrase but on Main Street Electrical Parade or Paint the Night Parade. Either of these returning in all probability hinges upon whether or not Disneyland hires sufficient new performers to employees one other evening parade. As it stands, the forged of “A Christmas Fantasy” parade can be reassigned to one thing as soon as the vacation season ends. That may very well be Magic Happens, however Disney has already posted separate casting requires that.
Maybe Main Street Electrical Parade will make its 63rd farewell run in early 2023, maybe Paint the Night will make a shock return to DCA, or it’s attainable that solely Magic Happens will lastly enter its third week of performances. All of that is still to be seen.
The different large closures proper now are principally in Toontown, which is closed to be reimagined, and can reopen on March 8, 2023. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is opening earlier than that, on January 27, 2023. (This means there can be development partitions up in Toontown making a hall resulting in the brand new experience for the primary month-plus.)
When all is claimed and finished, each ‘attraction’ in Toontown ought to return, with the possible exception of Chip ‘n’ Dale Treehouse. That’s anticipated to be eliminated and changed by a path that connects Toontown to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
At an unscheduled date someday on the horizon is the Princess and the Frog reimagining of Splash Mountain. Recently, Disney introduced that this attraction can be known as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and can open in Late 2024.
In order to make that opening timeline, it’s possible that the present incarnation of Splash Mountain will shut in early 2023. The winter closure date would give Disneyland the headliner throughout the vacation season, which is the busiest time of yr at Disneyland. Our expectation is that Splash Mountain will go down as soon as Haunted Mansion and “it’s a small world” return from their post-holiday overlay elimination refurbishments.
Now, just a few notes in regards to the above refurbishments. For starters, there’s far more on the above lists than regular. Most of those sights are at the moment closed for budgetary, staffing, or different non-maintenance associated causes. There are literally far fewer conventional refurbishments occurring proper now than usually.
Beyond that, Disneyland is infamous for altering its refurbishment schedules, including or canceling deliberate downtimes weeks or days upfront. While this apply continues to be comparatively unusual within the grand scheme of issues, it’s value declaring as a result of it does occur.
Now, right here’s a little bit of our philosophy regarding refurbishments, with the precise instance of the current multi-year Disneyland Railroad refurbishment used as an instance…
Thoughts on Refurbishments
Nobody likes a favourite attraction to be refurbished throughout their trip. It means lacking out and doubtlessly not having the ability to expertise the experience for one more yr or longer, relying upon the frequency of your visits to Disneyland. A few years in the past, the Disneyland Railroad closed for an prolonged refurbishment attributable to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge development.
At first, we had been actually upset. This may look like an odd attraction to lament the closure of, however as Southern Californians with Disneyland Annual Passes, this was an absolute favourite of ours. We rode commonly after we needed to relaxation our ft, or just a break from the crowds. With the exception of perhaps ‘it’s a small world’, we did Disneyland Railroad greater than some other attraction.
However, that preliminary disappointment fairly rapidly gave strategy to pleasure. We started desirous about methods Disneyland Railroad may very well be plussed, bettering the expertise for years to come back. Disney had already introduced that some modifications can be made (because the observe wanted to be re-routed), and we had been excited for the prospect of latest present scenes or different visuals.
From my perspective, investing within the long-term high quality of an attraction is much extra essential than the non permanent satisfaction I’ll get out of driving it on my subsequent go to. This is why it all the time perplexes me when regulars contend that their trip can be ruined as a result of their favourite attraction can be closed.
If it’s your favourite attraction and also you’re energetic within the Disney fan group, meaning you’ve been to Disneyland earlier than and possibly will go to once more. It would thus stand to purpose that you’d need one thing you like to get the TLC it deserves, and proceed to enhance.
Disneyland Railroad works as a superb instance right here…largely as a result of it did obtain important modifications and enhancements. (Arguably, the Rivers of America suffered attributable to being condensed, however that’s one other subject for one more day–we cowl all facets of this in our New-Look Grand Circle Tour of Disneyland put up.)
The level extends to different sights which have seen related plussings, but additionally have extra of an issue with results breaking. Take Indiana Jones Adventure, for instance. This is a experience that appears to get a refurbishment about each different yr (typically extra often) and we’d argue that it may in all probability use extra common upkeep than that.
If you’re a long-term fan, would you slightly expertise Indiana Jones Adventure each single go to with 75% of the results working, or each single go to minus one or two with 95% of the results working? For me, the reply to that’s simple. I’ll take a superior long run expertise each time.
Beyond that, there’s the far more compelling justification for normal refurbishments: they’re important for the protection of sights. While we could consider these sights as all enjoyable and video games that supply a protected sense of exhilaration, that’s when they’re correctly maintained.
It’s disagreeable to consider, however there have been a number of preventable deaths within the historical past of Disney’s parks. During a darkish period of Disneyland historical past, improper upkeep was the reason for dying on Big Thunder Mountain. Likewise, years of neglect at Disneyland Paris have led to incidents of damage that may very well be attributed to an absence of upkeep. In each instances, this has been addressed, and upkeep has improved significantly.
This is just not meant to scare anybody or provoke an emotional response. Disney’s worldwide security document is sterling as in comparison with different park operators. It’s nonetheless essential to keep in mind that these enjoyable, ‘magical’ locations additionally exist in the actual world and use plenty of doubtlessly harmful components if security is just not considered as key. (Or, in Disney’s case, one of many Four Keys.)
When it involves upkeep that’s not important to the protected operation of an attraction, we’re left to ponder what quantity of present high quality ought to be accepted. If following a strict Nunis-ian interpretation of the Four Keys, present is a vital consideration, and it ought to all the time be 100%. This is a pleasant aim to attempt for, however the sensible actuality is that 100% present high quality is an unworkably excessive threshold typically.
In my estimation, it is a good instance of balancing visitor pursuits with present high quality. Get the results working which are simply fixable, and discover different methods to handle results which are often breaking. We’re not speaking about security right here, simply random results. Indiana Jones Adventure has had quite a few results disabled or changed over time as a result of they had been unreliable.
Guests are understandably involved when it seems an inordinate variety of sights are closing throughout their trip, particularly out of state guests. Trips to California are usually not low cost and are sometimes as soon as in a lifetime experiences; first-timers actually don’t need to miss out on experiences about which they’ve learn in depth hype.
With that mentioned, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure should be publishing their routine refurbishment schedules a number of months upfront, permitting visitors to plan round closures. Disney plans upkeep properly upfront, and this information ought to be handed alongside to visitors. For essentially the most half, it’s.
Obviously, unplanned upkeep can happen, which takes rides out of fee for hours and even days on the final minute. This is an unavoidable a part of subtle theme park sights, and there’s no actual strategy to “plan around” this. It simply is what it’s.
However, the issue with a “not during my vacation” angle like that is that it’s all the time going to be somebody’s (or tens of 1000’s of someones) trip. If Disneyland and Disney California Adventure sights with present high quality points aren’t shut for refurbishments for worry of some visitors throughout a time-limited window lacking out, all visitors in perpetuity are going to have a lesser expertise.
The finish results of that pondering is a duct-tapped strategy to attraction upkeep, with no matter work that may be finished in a single day achieved, and two parks filled with sights with half their results damaged. First-timers can be left questioning why there was a lot hype about Disneyland within the first place, as so many parts of rides merely don’t work. If you’re studying this as a lifelong fan, properly…perhaps you wouldn’t have turn out to be a lifelong fan if this had been really Disneyland’s modus operandi.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site lodges in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides past Disney, try our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of different locations!
Your Thoughts…
Any questions in regards to the present refurbishments at Disneyland Resort? What do you consider refurbishments on the Disney Parks? Are you extra involved about an improved long-term expertise, or do you suppose “not during my vacation!”? Any different elements you suppose are value contemplating? As talked about, we predict it is a dialog, so please share your ‘refurbishment philosophy’, or some other ideas or questions you’ve got, within the feedback!