I Was a Disney World Cast Member and Even I’m Not Ready for These 6 Changes

Disney World is going through a lot!

I used to be a Cast Member at Disney World, and now my entire job is sharing the best tips and tricks to make your Disney vacation even more magical. I consider myself a Disney expert, and I thought I had seen everything, but these 6 changes have me feeling a bit nervous.

Disney World is about to go through some major changes — some not so controversial, and some that have given us big feelings. During my time as a Cast Member, I thought I had experienced it all, but these 6 Disney changes are throwing me for a loop! 

Starting off with the one I find most painful, Muppets Courtyard is closing permanently in 2025. I actually got nauseous writing that out. If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I love Kermit and the gang. Muppets Courtyard is one of my favorite areas in Hollywood Studios and starting in May, the area will experience a phased closing.

On May 10th, Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano will close permanently with PizzeRizzo and Muppet Vision 3D following suit on June 7th, 2025. The land is closing to make way for Monstropolis, the new Monsters Inc. Land. 

While I do think this land will be amazing, I can’t imagine a life without Muppets Courtyard just yet! Luckily, the Muppets will be moving over to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster so they aren’t leaving entirely. I’m honestly not sure how I feel about that replacement either, if we’re being honest. It could either be amazing or really…interesting. Only time will tell.

Speaking of permanent closures, I’m not ready for Tom Sawyer Island to be replaced. Over in Magic Kingdom, Lightning McQueen and Mater are moving into Frontierland. While I am a huge Cars fan, I won’t deny I’m having a hard time saying goodbye to this Magic Kingdom staple.

Now, is Tom Sawyer a hugely popular attraction that is beloved by everyone in Magic Kingdom? No. (Unfortunately.) I personally love this little island as an escape from the crowds with plenty of shade and seating, however, I can’t deny that it is not a well-used part of the theme park.

The new Cars area will bring with it two brand-new attractions as the Cars embark on a new journey into new frontiers. We’ve gotten a few sneak peeks at the new attractions, and while I am excited, this is just such a major goodbye in my eyes.

Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America were a Walt Disney-conceived idea that originated in Disneyland. With its removal from Magic Kingdom, this is one of the first major departures from Disneyland that we will see, which is a bit sad. I’m not against progress, of course, but I can be sad and excited at the same time. This Sage video is a great way of expressing my feelings.

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Another change I’m truly not prepared for is the major Magic Kingdom expansion! Luckily, I don’t have complex feelings about this one, though! Disney is finally giving us what we’ve been begging for for years, and they’re bringing a Disney Villains Land to life.

This is the first major Magic Kingdom expansion since 2012’s New Fantasyland, so I don’t even know what to expect! It’s bringing with it 2 major attractions, new dining, shopping, and more. We have been breaking down the concept art, trying to find every little detail while we eagerly await news on the land. 

Permits regarding the expansion are in the works, which means we could see ground breaking on this area soon. The expansion will be located behind Big Thunder Mountain as a part of the “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” project.

Next up is the closure of Dinosaur. I mean, is anyone really prepared for this? Dinosaur is set to become extinct sometime in 2026, and I am truly not ready.

Dinosaur, along with all of DinoLand U.S.A., is closing to make way for the brand-new land, Pubelo Esperanza! This new land looks amazing with 3 new attractions, shopping, dining, and more coming with it.

Encanto and Indiana Jones will be the stars of this new land, which I am pretty pumped about. We will get to head inside Casita and experience a brand new adventure alongside Indiana Jones, but we will be saying goodbye to Dr. Seeker in the process. I think this post is me just realizing I struggle with change… oh well!

Also in Animal Kingdom, I don’t know if I’m quite ready for the new show coming to the Tree of Life! Zootopia: Better Zoogether is set to debut in Winter 2025, and I’m just not sure what to expect.

Ginnifer Goodwin is reprising her role as Judy Hopps, and Nick Wilde will be there too! The show will take us through the different biomes you see in Zootopia and will feature original music. That all sounds really exciting, but we did have to say goodbye to It’s Tough To Be A Bug to make room for the new show.

The attraction closed on March 17th, 2025, and we will never forget Flik and his friends and all they taught us. This one was honestly not enjoyed by most Disney fans, but I will never forget those crawly bugs and menacing black widow spiders. I have high hopes for Better Zoogether. It has some big (or very tiny) shoes to fill.

Finally, I am not ready for Test Track to reopen in EPCOT. This is mainly because I will be too excited to see the changes! The iconic EPCOT attraction closed in June 2024 and has yet to reopen, despite my personal pleas.

The ride is changing again, this time with inspiration from the previous EPCOT attraction, World of Motion. When this ride reopens, it’s sure to be a madhouse in EPCOT, which I’m also not prepared for.

I can’t wait to see more of what this retheme will be because, honestly, Disney has remained a bit tight-lipped about it. Luckily, we have gotten a few behind-the-scenes glimpses to keep us fed until it reopens in late Summer 2025. I’m also wondering if I’m so averse to Disney change because I’m getting flashbacks of WallCOT. (Literally years of construction walls in EPCOT.)

If all of this sounds like a lot to keep up with, consider using a travel agent! If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

Wow! Did you get all of that? That’s just scratching the surface of what’s changing in Disney World, and while I might not be totally prepared, I’d better get ready. It’s all coming whether we’re ready or not. As always, be sure to keep following AllEars for more Disney content.

5 MAJOR CHANGES Coming To Disney World This Summer

What changes are you not prepared for? Tell me in the comments! 

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