3 MAJOR Ride Changes Hit Magic Kingdom Next Year

2026 is right around the corner, and a LOT is changing next year at Disney World.

With ride closures, refurbishments, and entire lands under construction, there can be a lot to keep track of! But that’s why AllEars is here to help keep you in the know about the changes that are coming. 3 major attractions will change in 2026 at Magic Kingdom, and we’re breaking down what you can expect to see on your next trip.

Big Thunder Mountain

Over in Frontierland, Disney is bringing some long-lost magic back to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, along with a refreshed story and brand-new effects. The headliner change is the arrival of Rainbow Caverns. The new effects will activate when trains dive underground into glowing caverns filled with phosphorescent pools, illuminated stalagmites and stalactites, and vibrant rainbow-colored mineral formations.

These updates also tie into the park’s future: the attraction is being subtly connected to the upcoming Piston Peak expansion. Disney is using tree lines and visual buffers to blend Frontierland into the Cars-themed area, with towering geysers stretching across both areas. Even better? Guests will be able to walk through the Big Thunder Mountain geyser field for the first time, exploring the pathways and colorful pools up close.

On top of that, Imagineers have fully replaced the ride’s track, promising a smoother and more modern ride experience. Additional new effects have been teased, and while they haven’t confirmed anything specific, fans are hoping for something similar to Disneyland’s explosive dynamite scene.

Disney is also refreshing the attraction’s storyline, spotlighting the legendary Barnabas T. Bullion, the gold miner whose ambitions sparked the creation of the Big Thunder Mountain Company. But as always, the mountain fights back. With mysterious cave-ins, malfunctioning machinery, and forces of nature pushing back against Bullion’s greed, guests will discover just how “wild the wilderness can get” when the attraction reopens in 2026.

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Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin

Tomorrowland is getting even more upgrades next year, starting with Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, which officially closed on August 4th, 2025, to begin its transformation. While the ride’s beloved gameplay remains, Disney is completely modernizing the experience from the ground up.

The biggest news? A brand-new opening scene featuring an original character named Buddy, a robot designed specifically for the attraction. Buddy’s role is to guide guests through how to play the game by running system checks on the Star Cruisers, offering enthusiastic encouragement, and helping Space Rangers improve their aim before launch. He brings a familiar Pixar-style charm and energy we think fans will adore.

The ride vehicles are also getting fresh Star Command-inspired paint, plus built-in screens displaying your score in real time. No more waiting until the end of the ride to see how well you did or didn’t! The new blasters will be fully handheld and will light up or react when you hit a target, making gameplay feel far more interactive.

Speaking of targets, those are being redesigned too, with reactive elements and clearer visual feedback. Each vehicle will fire two different colored lasers, eliminating the classic “Wait, which laser is mine?” guessing game. It’s everything longtime fans have been asking for. The newly upgraded attraction is on track to reopen in 2026, and you’d better believe we’re ready to try for Galactic Hero again.

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Carousel of Progress

One of the most unexpected and most celebrated announcements from the 2025 D23 Ultimate Fan Event was the reveal that Carousel of Progress is finally getting a major refurbishment. This attraction dates all the way back to the 1964 World’s Fair, and while it has remained a sentimental favorite, fans have long hoped for updated scenes and a refreshed finale.

Disney confirmed that the updated attraction will include a brand-new pre-show featuring a Walt Disney animatronic. This figure will be similar to the one that premiered at Disneyland earlier this year — though instead of Walt’s office, he’ll appear inside an Imagineering workshop setting. It’s an inspired choice that ties the nostalgia of the show to the spirit of innovation that defines Tomorrowland.

Alongside the pre-show, Disney is set to update the entire presentation and is heavily hinting that a new finale scene is on the way. While we don’t yet know all the details, the refurbishment is expected to begin and wrap in 2026, marking the biggest change to the show in decades.

While these are the major ride projects arriving in 2026, Magic Kingdom’s transformation doesn’t stop there. Two enormous expansions with the Cars-inspired Piston Peak area in Frontierland and the highly anticipated Villains Land coming “beyond” Big Thunder Mountain. Both are actively under construction. They’re still years away, but their impact is already visible through shifting walkways, towering construction walls, and ongoing land development.

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Are you heading to Disney World in 2026? Tell us in the comments below!

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