The REAL Reason Disney Adults Are Park Hopping This Year

I’m a Disney expert, and although I live halfway across the country, it’s my mission to be in the parks as much as possible.

I know many AllEars readers feel the same way and wish they could be in the parks 24/7 riding rides, eating delicious Mickey-shaped food, and enjoying the atmosphere. Unfortunately, real life hits you in the middle of daydreaming, and most of us have a limited time for trips. So with all of the changes going on, you might find yourself upgrading to a Park Hopper ticket!

I try to avoid purchasing Park Hopper tickets because they are significantly more expensive than one park per day tickets. However, on my most recent trip, I did not have a choice. I HAD to create my own farewell tour and say goodbye to everything that will be permanently closing!

First, we started the day at Animal Kingdom, where I made a beeline for DinoLand. After getting teary-eyed seeing some of the construction site (RIP TriceraTop Spin), I rode Dinosaur for what was possibly the last time. Not gonna lie, I was EMOTIONAL walking through that gift shop after the ride. I almost caved and bought the ride photo! I also need Disney to find somewhere else to put Dr. Seeker AND the ketchup, mustard, and mayo detail from the queue. (If you know, you know! If you don’t, click here)

Now, let’s face it, I’ll probably be back before Dinosaur closes (it is only summer after all), but you just never know when closing dates will change! It seemed like The Boneyard was going to stay open until 2026, but it is now closing in September. Dinosaur is more popular, but it’s possible the closing date could move depending on construction needs.

It was wild to walk around the land and picture something entirely new, but it also helped wrap my mind around the ideas Disney is talking about. Take it all in and mourn it, but also, take it as an opportunity to get excited about the future! It doesn’t hurt if you stop for a snack at Restaurantosaurus or Dino-Bite Snacks either. 😉

This land will soon be known as Pueblo Esperanza, which will feature a new carousel, an Encanto attraction, and an all-new Indiana Jones attraction. Oh, and you’ll find one of the biggest quick service restaurants on property here!

Then it was time to leave DinoLand and head to my next destination — Muppets Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios! At the time, it was a couple of weeks before its closure, and as of writing, the land is now closed. Did you miss out? Firstly, I am so sorry. Second, Disney has revealed plans to keep Muppet*Vision 3D alive somewhere, so we’re just waiting to see what that will be. It’s too beloved not to give us!

A Monsters, Inc.-themed Land will take over this area of the park. Again, this is SO hard because the Muppets are iconic…but so is Monsters, Inc.!

That’s not all in Hollywood Studios, though! Coaster fans will also need to head over to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Why? Because the Muppets are taking over in 2026!

Aerosmith has starred in this ride since it opened in 1999, but the coaster as we know it is scheduled to close sometime next year for its retheme. Disney has not released a lot of details about the Muppets Coaster, but I knew I had to enter Aerosmith’s recording studio and super stretch limo at least one more time.

Now that we’ve wrapped up Hollywood Studios, there’s one more stop on the farewell tour. Magic Kingdom is getting ready to permanently close Tom Sawyer Island, the Rivers of America, and the Liberty Square Riverboat. Are these the most popular attractions in the park? Not by a long shot. Are they still iconic and nostalgic to Disney fans like you and me? Of course!

So it was time to hop on the slow-moving boat with some of the best views in Magic Kingdom. After that, I hopped on a raft and explored Tom Sawyer Island for the final time. It was WILD to walk around and remember running around this area as a kid!

This part of Magic Kingdom officially closes on July 7th, 2025, to make way for a new Cars area of Frontierland. Visitors will be able to experience two new attractions and feel like they stepped into a real National Park. I was relieved to hear about how much water there will be in the new area, but it just won’t be quite the same!

Yes, it’s more expensive. If you are staying for four or more days, you can get away with the regular tickets and visiting one park per day (as long as the attractions you want to experience don’t break down). But if you’re doing a faster vacation this year, I’d highly recommend splurging for that Park Hopper ticket! Or, if you needed an excuse to book a quick trip, here you go! Once these attractions are gone, they are gone for good.

To everyone visiting soon, please enjoy your time in the parks with all of these beloved attractions. Remember to breathe and take it in as much as you possibly can!

Stay tuned to AllEars to keep up with the latest closure news — we cover it all here!

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! 

Do you have a farewell tour trip planned for Disney World this year? Let me know in the comments!

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