ALERT: This Disney's Hollywood Studios Attraction Is PERMANENTLY Closing Tomorrow

A Hollywood Studios attraction is closing FOREVER today.

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy

As we’ve talked about many times, change is — for better or worse — a fact of life at Disney theme parks. Older attractions, some beloved, some not, are often closed to make way for new experiences. For example, today marks the final day of operation for a long-running show at Hollywood Studios.

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy, based on the lead character of the popular Pixar Cars franchise, opened in 2019. A “high-octane, first-of-its-kind show that’ll put you in the middle of the Disney and Pixar Cars universe” according to Disney, the show has featured the titular Lightning, as well as other Cars characters including Tow Mater, Cruz Ramirez since its opening.

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy

However, in the late summer of 2024, Disney announced that the show would be closing to make way for a new villain-themed show. The new show will be set in the “reflective realm of the Magic Mirror” and will feature appearances by dozens of the most infamous evildoers, with fiendish foes Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent each breaking through the glass to take the stage in live production numbers.”

©Disney

Disney announced Lightning McQueen’s Lightning Academy’s closing date at the same time, writing “Before these villainous fiends take the spotlight at Sunset Showcase, guests should speed on over for another lap around the track at Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy before October 7th.”

Racing Academy

As October 7th arrived, we were in Hollywood Studios for the show’s final day.

Racing Academy

The gloomy weather did a good job expressing the feelings of many Cars fans as Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy staged its final performances. (Of course, they also have the massive Cars expansion coming to the Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland in the next decade to look forward to).

Racing Academy

As of the morning of its final day of operation, there didn’t seem to be any type of crowd surge for the show, as it was averaging a wait of approximately 15 minutes, which is in line with its usual wait time.

Not quite a packed sendoff

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is closing today to make way for a brand new, Disney Villains-themed show which is scheduled to open in 2025. Stay tuned to AllEars for further coverage of Disney World’s latest projects.