If you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World in 2025, then there are some things you need to know! There have been so many announcements, updates, and renovations that will change how your trip may look. Disney World is forever in a state of change like Walt wanted, and 2025 is bringing lots of change!
Keep reading to find out how the changes to the hotels and attractions may affect your trip, and to see how some of the changes will even affect how you plan your rides during the day! We have exactly what you need to know when planning a trip to Disney in 2025.
There are so many changes coming to Disney World, and some of them have already started! We are going to break down these Disney changes in 2025 by category so that you can be better prepared for your upcoming trip.
New Themed Areas and Attractions
Even though we already knew some of the changes coming to Disney World in 2025, the announcements at the recent D23 convention added tons more to that list! Disney World will be updating A LOT over the next few years and here’s what will change the most in 2025:
Dinoland U.S.A. will be extinct
Pun intended here, but it’s true: Dinoland U.S.A. at Animal Kingdom will be demolished sometime between the Fall of 2024 and throughout 2025. Disney announced that area will be becoming a new themed area called “Tropical Americas,” which will showcase “Encanto,” a new carousel, and “Indiana Jones.” In fact, “Indiana Jones” will be replacing the DINOSAUR ride.
Zootopia takes over “It’s Tough to be a Bug”
In Winter of 2025, “Zootopia” will be taking over the theater underneath of the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom. “It’s Tough to be a Bug” will be leaving. The new show will be called “Zooptopia: Better Zoogether!” and hopefully it won’t terrify children the way it’s predecessor did.
Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America closing
One of the announcements made at D23 was the expansion of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, and the inclusion of “Cars” and their world of Radiator Springs. This does mean that Tom Sawyer Island, Rivers of America, and the Liberty Belle Riverboat will be demolished at some point during 2025.
We don’t have an exact date, but we know this entire area will be closing during 2025. If you’re used to escaping the crowds on Tom Sawyer Island, that won’t be an option for much longer!
Reimagined Test Track will Open
In 2024, Test Track went down for refurbishment and reimagining. The “new” Test Track will be opening during 2025 – no exact date yet. What we do know is that new scenes will be added, and the reimagined ride will take into account technology of the past, present, and future. We know everyone will be happy for this exhilarating ride to be back though!
Nighttime Parade Coming to Magic Kingdom
Summer of 2025 will be bringing a nighttime parade to the Magic Kingdom! I know I have missed the Main Street Electrical Parade and will be happy for a new parade! The Starlight Parade will be debuting sometime in Summer, and this will be a great reason to plan your trip for later in the year. This is one of the Disney World changes in 2025 that can definitely affect when you want to visit.
New Lounges Coming to Disney World
Both Magic Kingdom and EPCOT will be getting new lounges! Disney in 2025 will definitely look a lot more adult friendly with these two lounges being added.
Magic Kingdom will be getting a “Pirates of the Caribbean” tavern, and will offer pirate treats and drinks for both adults and children – but we definitely think this will be a great place for adults looking to relax.
EPCOT will be getting a Spaceship Earth themed lounge, and both the D23 announcement and concept art for this lounge leads us to believe it will be elegant, relaxing, and even have a place to watch the fireworks!
Hotel Renovations and Perks
Disney World in 2025 won’t just look different in the parks, the hotels will also have changes and updates, so that guests will be more comfortable and have even more places to stay when visiting!
Bay Lake Tower Being Refurbished
Bay Lake Tower, the sister DVC hotel to the Contemporary Resort, will be undergoing a major refurbishment from September 2024 – September 2025. This will definitely change the number of available rooms, the noise levels, and accessibility of this hotel. This tends to be a more affordable way to stay at the Contemporary, and we don’t think this will be a great choice of resort until the refurbishments are over.
Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool Undergo Maintenance
Stormalong Bay at the Yacht Club/Beach Club is the best pool in Disney World, and unfortunately won’t be available from January 2025 – June 2025. The lazy river, sand bottom pool, and adjoining Shipwreck Pool area will be closed, and honestly, this is a reason not to skip staying at Yacht Club or Beach Club for the first half of 2025.
Proximity to EPCOT is great, but not having the amazing pool makes the value not great for these hotels. There are some other great pools at Disney World that will be open, and maybe check them out for your Disney World in 2025 trip! We have our favorites here!
Island Tower at Polynesian Will Be Open
Opening December 17, 2024, the new Island Tower section of the Polynesian Villas & Bungalows will finally be open! This means you are able to book these brand new rooms for 2025, and it gives us another DVC (Disney Vacation Club) option for Disney World.
These rooms can sleep up to 9, and will allow both DVC and non-DVC members to stay surrounded by the beauty of Polynesia.
New Cabins at Fort Wilderness
The updated cabins at Fort Wilderness opened Summer 2024, which means they will be available for Disney World stays in 2025. They are more modern and brighter, but still have the rustic feel lovers of the Fort are used to. These are still a great choice for those looking for a little more space and an upscale camping experience at Disney.
Fantasia Pool Being Refurbished
The large Fantasia Pool at All-Star Movies Resort will be under refurbishment from January 2025 – April 2025. If you’re staying there, and have kiddos who love the pool, just know this large pool won’t be available. You will still be able to use the Duck Pond Pool, but it’s not as large or as close to the preferred rooms.
Extended Park Hours will Stay!
On-site guests at the Disney Resorts will continue to get Early Theme Park Entry, being able to enter the parks in the morning earlier than non-resort guests. Deluxe Resort and Deluxe Villa Resort guests will also still get to enjoy Extended Evening Theme Park Hours throughout 2025 as well! These are great reasons to stay on Disney property during 2025, and we have our other reasons why here!
Complimentary Water Park Ticket
One of the biggest announcements and changes that will affect your Disney in 2025 planning is the complimentary water park ticket for resort guests! Resort guests will receive a complimentary water park ticket for each member of their group for their check-in day.
This will definitely encourage guests to get to their hotel as early as possible, and is a great way to keep guests from trying to check-in early to be honest. Disney is giving them tickets to go somewhere, and letting them enjoy the water parks for free.
DVC members, Annual Passholders, and Cast Members can take advantage of this offer as well! Also, keep in mind that typically only one of the water parks is open at a time, so the one you’ll be visiting will be based on which is open at the time. You can check out our water park thoughts here too!
Transportation Options are Crucial for Your Stay
Planning where to stay based off the transportation options is always important, but will be even more important for Disney World in 2025. There are more rides, more areas, and Disney World is forever growing. This means more time in the park, more walking, and needing to make smarter transportation options.
Disney resorts offer varying levels of access to the parks, and varying types of transportation. We definitely think it’s better to choose the resorts that offer multiple options to get to and from the parks, especially for those will little ones and accessibility needs. Being able to walk or take a boat, Skyliner, or Monorail over the Disney busses will greatly enhance your Disney World experience.
Also, just a note: though no announcements have been made, the Skyliner tends to go under annual maintenance at the end of every January. It’s best not to stay at one of the Skyliner resorts at this time, becasue you won’t be able to use this helpful form of transportation.
New Lightning Lane Pass System
We aren’t surprised that the Genie+ system had a short life, and it has already been replaced! For your trip in 2025, you’ll be using the new Lightning Lane pass system. We are still using the single Lightning Lanes we are used to, but Disney has added the Lightning Lane Multipass.
Guests will be able to purchase this in advance to their trip, and are able to choose attractions and arrival windows before they purchase to be sure that it’s worth the money for them. You will also be able to make plans for multiple days at one time.
For Multipass you are able to choose 3 experiences and arrival windows in a theme park in advance. And for the high demand rides that aren’t available on Mulitpass, you can still buy up to 2 single Lightning Lanes per pass per day.
You’ll also still receive ride photos and videos, and have access to the PhotoPass lenses with the purchase of Lightning Lanes.
Disney Room Cancellation Policy Changes
The last big change that might affect your Disney World in 2025 trip would be the changes to the room cancellation policy. Beginning January 1, 2025, if you have booked a room-only reservation (not a package), you will have less days to cancel your reservation.
Instead of the 5 days before your trip, you will have to cancel at least 8 days before your trip to receive a full refund with no penalty. This means you’ll have to be very sure you are going when you book, and if you need to cancel, then make sure you do it earlier now to avoid any penalties.
We hope that the tips and information here help you plan your Disney World in 2025 trip a little better! We know it can be stressful and confusing, and there’s a lot of information to keep track of, but knowing the changes in advance can help you better plan and pick the best resort, rides, and theme parks to visit in 2025!
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