These New Disney World Lands Are Coming Along VERY Well (Meanwhile, Villains Land, Where You At?)

The past few weeks have been truly WILD in Disney World with openings practically every week for numerous weeks in a row, but now, things have started to slow down a bit.

In fact, things over at Disneyland Resort have ramped up more this week with Oogie Boogie Bash news, but that’s not to say that nothing has happened in Disney World. This week, we actually got looks at TWO of the new lands coming to Disney World, and it looks like they’re making great progress!

This past week, we got great looks at how Monstropolis is coming along in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as an update on Tropical Americas in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and we couldn’t be happier! We know we’ve still got a long way before we can experience them, but that doesn’t mean we’re any less stoked. However, there are still closures to warn you about from June 5th through June 12th — here’s what you need to know!

Magic Kingdom

Pete’s Silly Sideshow

Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus has been temporarily unavailable since January 4th, 2026. This is the area where you can meet Daisy Duck, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy in their circus attire.

While the meet-and-greet area is temporarily closed, you can still meet these characters! Goofy and Minnie can be found at the entrance to Storybook Circus, and Donald and Daisy are in the back of Storybook Circus by the restrooms. Disney hasn’t announced a reopening date, but we will keep an eye out!

Big Top Souvenirs

Disney also temporarily closed Big Top Souvenirs, the merchandise location inside this area of the park. There’s no reopening date in sight, only that it’ll “reopen for guests later this year.”

They’ve completely taken apart the tent for structural repairs on the building. During the closure, you can find similar souvenirs at The Emporium and snacks at The Confectionery on Main Street.

Liberty Square Riverboat, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Rivers of America

The Rivers of America, including the Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island, have permanently closed as of July 7th, 2025. There are lots of construction walls up around the area, the river has been drained, and structures on Tom Sawyer Island have been demolished.

This area is closing to make way for the new Cars area, called Piston Peak. This will replace the Rivers of America and will feature two brand-new attractions. Disney has not yet released an opening date for this new area.

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Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Animation Courtyard (well, parts of it)

Animation Courtyard closed on September 25th, 2025. This included Star Wars Launch Bay, the Disney Jr. Play and Dance! show and the character meet-and-greets. The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure and Walt Disney Presents remained open, but as of May 26th, the new land here, The Walt Disney Studios, has begun its phased opening!

This area will soon feature The Magic of Disney Animation, where animated characters will “come to life.” You will be able to watch portraits interact, see a short film, and even learn to draw Disney character sketches. There will also be a new Drawn to Wonderland playground area, and yes, the iconic Mickey Sorcerer Hat is back as well! You can already experience the new Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! show, as well as meet and greets with Sofia the First and SuperKitties, as well as see other characters roaming around the area.

Muppets Courtyard

As of June 8th, the Muppets Courtyard is blocked by construction walls, and both Muppet*Vision 3D and PizzeRizzo are closed forever. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano closed for good on May 11th, 2025. Most recently, Disney took us behind the scenes to see how things are really looking at Monstropolis!

There’s a lot of scaffolding over near the former PizzeRizzo location, tons of tarps over the buildings while work is done on the ground to ensure nothing gets damaged, and looking at the BIG building the new roller coaster is going in has us wildly excited.

We look forward to getting more updates to continue seeing how the new land comes to life!

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EPCOT

Refreshment Port

Refreshment Port is closed for refurbishment as of January 12th, and now we know that it’ll reopen as La Poutinerie, and will be sponsored by Air Canada. Yes, the airline!

Again, no date has been announced yet, but now that we know it’s being rethemed, we’re hoping to get more information soon!

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Disney’s Animal Kingdom

DinoLand U.S.A.

As of February 2nd, DinoLand U.S.A. is officially closed to make way for the new Tropical Americas land coming to the park. It’ll feature three new rides, a quick service dining location, a beautiful fountain in the center of the land, and so much more.

Most recently, we got to see updated photos thanks to @bioreconstruct on X of both the new Indiana Jones attraction coming to the area that was formerly DINOSAUR, as well as how the new Casita attraction is coming along.

It’s looking like it’s coming along well, and we can’t wait to see more updates soon!

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Disney World Hotels

Boat Dock — Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

From May 11th through June 5th, transportation from the Boat Dock at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will be unavailable to guests as it undergoes routine refurbishment.

Guest transportation is expected to start back up around June 6th, though construction as a whole is expected to last through mid-June.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Construction at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, specifically on the porte cochere, will now continue through at least early 2027.

That’s not ideal for anyone staying at any Disney World resort, but this one is especially an issue since it’s one of the resort’s most expensive hotels.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Work is currently taking place all over Bay Lake Tower through late 2027, including exterior elevator landing repairs that will be taking place through late May 2026.

If you’re staying here soon, expect to see and hear construction throughout your stay.

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort

Dining location closures will be taking place at the hotel for the majority of the rest of the year. The Turf Club Lounge will close for refurbishment in early April and will reopen in early August. While that closure is happening, the Turf Club Bar & Grill will remain open with a pop-up bar serving a modified Lounge food and beverage menu.

Following that, the Turf Club Patio will close from early to mid-August, and then from mid-August through mid-September, the Turf Club Bar & Grill will be closed for refurbishment.

Yachtsman Steakhouse – Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

On May 11th (yes, a lot happened this day), Yachtsman Steakhouse closed for refurbishment. This means that currently, the only way to get items from the menu is to head over to the newly reopened Crew’s Cup Lounge next door.

This restaurant is expected to open sometime in early August.

Leisure Pools — Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort

Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club Resort are undergoing visible exterior maintenance, which has also led to the closure of some of the resorts’ leisure pools.

At Disney’s Yacht Club, the Admiral leisure pool will be closed for maintenance through early May 2026. At Disney’s Beach Club, the Tidal leisure pool will be closed through early May for refurbishment. Guests may also hear or see work during the daytime until the refurbishment is complete.

Promenade Fine Art Gallery — Disney’s BoardWalk

The Promenade Fine Art Gallery, located on Disney’s BoardWalk, will be moving. The BoardWalk store has been closed since October 20th, 2025.

The good news is that the gallery isn’t permanently closing; it’s just moving locations. We don’t know yet where the art gallery will be moving to, but we will keep you updated as we learn more! Most recently, we found out that Disney has filed two permits for the BoardWalk titled “Project Bubbles” and “Project Amazon.” We’re very curious to see what this turns into!

Jellyrolls — Disney’s BoardWalk

The popular dueling piano bar, Jellyrolls, closed for good at Disney’s BoardWalk on April 19th, 2025.

Now we know that this wasn’t the end for Jellyrolls, as it’ll be moving to a new location about 10 minutes away, and will reopen in late summer or fall of 2026! We still don’t know what’s set to go in the former location, but there are walls all the way up around the building, and the Jellyrolls sign has been removed.

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We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disney World news, so stay tuned to AllEars!

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Are you visiting Disney World this week? Let us know in the comments!

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