The competition between Disney (DIS) -) and Comcast's (CMCSA) -) Universal Studios theme parks is fierce with each company trying to upstage their rival at every step. Whether it means refurbishing or retheming an older ride or attraction, building a new ride or land from the ground up, or developing a whole new theme park, the two companies have projects constantly underway.
Sometimes the process requires closing down a few rides to service them and keep them operating into the future. Disneyland Resort this summer closed three popular classic rides at Disneyland and one ride at California Adventure for refurbishments, beginning June 5 but have since reopened the rides.
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Several Disney popular rides closed
Disneyland closed the popular Peter Pan's Flight in Fantasyland, which often has long lines requiring 30-minute to hour-long waits, and sometimes longer on the busiest days. It also closed Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, located next to the Peter Pan ride at Disneyland. The Mr. Toad and Peter Pan attractions are original rides that began operating at Disneyland on Opening Day, July 17, 1955. The park shut down Alice in Wonderland in Fantasyland, which has a historical average wait time of 26 minutes.
Next door to Disneyland at California Adventure, Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure closed for refurbishment.
Tarzan's Treehouse in Adventureland closed in September 2021 for an "exciting refresh," according to the Disneyland website, and remains covered from public view during a "transformation," but no reopening date has been revealed.
Finally, the Monorail and Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and Radiator Springs Racers at California Adventure are closed for refurbishment.
Disney World in Orlando closed Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith Hollywood Studios in February for refurbishment before reopening the ride in May. Currently, the Disney World Magic Kingdom website shows one attraction closed for refurbishment, the Liberty Square Riverboat.
Universal Orlando Resort is busy building its new theme park, Epic Universe, which is scheduled to open in 2025. It's Universal Studios Florida is also developing a new DreamWorks land for the park.
Universal Orlando Resort's Hogwarts Express at Wizarding World of Harry Potter is scheduled to be closed for refurbishment Dec. 10-16, which will be a disappointment for Harry Potter fans. That ride is the only closed ride listing for the Universal Studios Florida on its website.
Universal Studios closes classic water ride
When the weather is extremely hot at a Disney or Universal Studios theme park in either Orlando, Fla., or in Southern California, visitors at the parks will seek a refreshing water ride to cool off during the day. Often, the water rides have long standby lines on hot days, which will make that ride even more enjoyable when riders get splashed.
Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Orlando and Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., each lost their major water rides when Splash Mountain closed down in both parks. The "Song of the South"-themed ride closed on Jan. 23 at Magic Kingdom, and the ride closed on May 31 at Disneyland. Both rides are being rethemed as a "Princess and the Frog"-themed ride, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, and will reopen sometime in 2024.
During the winter months, Universal Orlando Resort's Islands of Adventure park has chosen a time of the year that usually isn't too blazing hot to close a popular water ride. Guest favorite Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges water raft ride will close for refurbishment from Feb. 5 through March 8, according to the park's website. The March 9 reopening should be just in time for warmer springtime weather.
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