Watch Out! 6 Closures Might Affect Your Upcoming Disney World Vacation

Disney4me · June 17, 2023

Headed to Disney World soon? Before you go, you’ll want to know what’s going to be CLOSED when you get there.

Cinderella Castle

Disney World will periodically shut down rides, restaurants, and attractions to update them, so you may see some closures during your upcoming vacation. We’ve got a full list of next week’s planned closures so that you’re prepared before your trip!

Click here to subscribe

Magic Kingdom

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Splash Mountain closed on January 23rd for a long refurbishment. The ride is being re-themed to become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, with a Princess and the Frog theme.

2023-wdw-mk-main-street-usa-frontierland

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure…and the crane

The new ride will reopen sometime in late 2024. We’ll be watching for more updates on the reopening timeline. The tree at the top of this ride has been removed as Disney continues construction, and several new rock structures have been built at the bottom of the drop. We also noticed some progress in the queue as more materials were brought in.

wdw-2023-mk-magic-kingdom-tianas-bayou-a

Construction plows on!

If you miss Splash Mountain or want to celebrate the new ride, you should check out our DFB t-shirts! We have a Splash Mountain Farwell Tour shirt…

2023-dfb-merch-briar-patch-band-splash-m

DFB Exclusive!

…and a Tiana tee as well!

2023-dfb-merch-tiana-rose-tshirt-700x525

Check out our new Tiana-inspired merch!

You can shop both tees (and lots of other Disney merch) at our online store.

Click here to shop our DFB merchandise store.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Voyage of the Little Mermaid

This Little Mermaid-themed stage show has been closed in Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a long time now.

2022-wdw-atmo-dhs-voyage-of-the-little-m

Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Disney hasn’t announced when or if the Voyage of the Little Mermaid will reopen.

Did you hear about the NEW holiday party that’s coming to Hollywood Studios? Click here!

EPCOT

In the Japan Pavilion, Tokyo Dining is currently undergoing a major refurbishment, and will not reopen until summer 2023. For now, this restaurant isn’t showing opening hours at least through mid-August (as far as Disney’s calendar is showing for now).

Tokyo Dining Construction Walls

However, a brand new restaurant is coming to EPCOT this summer: Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya will be a table-service restaurant featuring a “festive dining experience in a sharable Izakaya-style.”

2023-wdw-epcot-japan-shiki-sai-sushi-iza

©Disney

The restaurant will be located in the Japan Pavilion, on the second floor (above the Mitsukoshi Department Store), and will offer “stunning views of EPCOT, the World Showcase Lagoon, and, of course, fireworks.” That location sure sounds a LOT like the current location of Tokyo Dining. Disney has not confirmed that this new restaurant will be taking over the Tokyo Dining location, but we’re certainly keeping our eyes and ears peeled for more news!

Click here to learn more about the NEW restaurant coming to EPCOT.

Disney World Hotels

Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

Trattoria al Forno is still closed for refurbishment this week. Although this restaurant was supposed to reopen on June 19th, Disney’s website has been updated to say that it’ll actually reopen in “late June 2023.” We had a reservation to visit when it reopened, but Disney called us to say that Trattoria will NOT be open on June 19th and they don’t know the exact date of when it will reopen. The Cast Member that we spoke to cited construction delays.

2022-wdw-disneys-boardwalk-trattoria-al-

Trattoria al Forno

Disney’s website also states, “No dinner offerings will be available. However, Trattoria al Forno will provide a limited breakfast menu during those dates, with Guests who book breakfast being directed to dine in the Flying Fish dining room.”

Trail’s End Restaurant at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Trail’s End Restaurant at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground closed in mid-April and is currently undergoing a MAJOR refurbishment.

2023-wdw-fort-wilderness-resort-campgrou

Trail’s end construction

It will reopen this summer as “a marketplace concept with expanded quick service options.” The table service option will no longer be offered.

Disney Springs Boat Transportation

A few Disney World hotels offer a boat transportation service to and from Disney Springs, but that service has been temporarily PAUSED due to low water levels. A Cast Member at Saratoga Springs told us that the dock area had been drained for about a week. Apparently, a lack of rain in areas up north has impacted some of the waterways to get to Disney Springs. With low water levels, it’s not possible for the boats to run.

Boat Dock

The Cast Members didn’t know when the boats might be back up and running. Check when you visit to see if the service is available.

This affects the following hotels:

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Disney’s Port Orleans — Riverside Resort
Disney’s Port Orleans — French Quarter Resort

Not Available

These hotels normally offer boat service to Disney Springs but are currently unable to provide that service. Instead, buses are available to transport guests to and from the Springs.