Why January 6th is a HUGE DAY for Disney Fans

January 6th is shaping up to be quite a day at Disney World.

Magic Kingdom

As we’ve said many times in the past, refurbishments are a fact of life at Disney World. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a single day when every ride and attraction across the report is up and running without a single one closed for some kind of maintenance. Given the complex nature of many of these attractions and their necessary safety requirements, this is understandable. However, even when keeping that in mind, the sixth day of 2025 is setting up to be a doozie.

On January 6th, three large people-eating attractions across the Walt Disney World will be closing for refurbishments of various lengths.

Let’s begin with the biggest of the three, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The popular coaster will close for refurbishment on January 6th, and remain down for the majority of 2025. According to Disney, guests will be able to dodge “exploding dynamite and falling boulders as (they) swoop around turns, drop into canyons and dart through the mysterious ghost town of Tumbleweed” once again in 2026, “with a little bit of new magic” to boot.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

The loss of the “wildest ride in the wilderness” for at least a year will undoubtedly have a major impact on the park’s overall waits and crowd flow, as Big Thunder is still one of the Magic Kingdom’s most popular rides – – with some of its highest wait times.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Next, January 6th will see Animal Kingdom’s Kali River Rapids close for refurbishment. This one was expected, as the attraction – – like most outdoor water rides – – tends to go down for maintenance in January and February as the weather is often too cold for most guests to enjoy them (yes, even in Florida). The ride is scheduled to reopen in March of 2025.

You’ll probably sit with strangers on Kali River Rapids

The closure will likely have a noticeable effect on Animal Kingdom’s wait times, particularly the park’s busier rides, as Kali River Rapids is often in the Top 5 longest average waits at the park during most weeks behind only the Pandora attractions and/or Expedition and Kilimanjaro Safari. The rapids, which first opened in 1999, are described by Disney as “a thrilling whitewater adventure through a lush jungle in the heart of Asia” where riders can “…skim across an erupting geyser, drift below a canopy of lush vegetation and be whisked along fast-moving rapids. Graze gushing waterfalls and bedrock amid the raging current. Then, as the harmony of nature is disrupted, you’ll plummet down a dramatic 20-foot slope!”

Kali River Rapids

Finally, EPCOT’s Gran Fiesta Tour – – located in the Mexico pavilion – -is also closing for refurbishment on January 6th. While the boat ride isn’t often thought of as a headline attraction at EPCOT, its closure will likely put even more strain on the popular Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attractions located in Norway and France respectively as they’ll be the only rides in World Showcase until the Gran Fiesta Tour reopens in March of 2025.

Let’s Go for a Ride!

The attraction, which Disney describes as a “gentle cruise down the Rio Grande on a dark boat ride past some of the most famous sights and cities in Mexico” featuring the Three Caballeros, technically opened at EPCOT in 2007. However, the essential core of the attraction located in the park’s Mexico Pavilion has existed at the park since it opened as El Rio del Tiempo on opening day in 1982.

Fiesta Hoy!

January 6th is going to be a massive day at Walt Disney World, with three attractions going down for refurbishment, including one that will remain so for the entirety of 2025. Stay tuned to DFB for more on these closures.

7 Disney World Rides That Will Permanently Close in 2025

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Which of these rides will you miss the most during their refurbishment? Let us know in the comments below.