Trip refurbishments and momentary attraction closures are a truth of life on the Disney Parks. Ditto downtime and delays, that are unplanned and unannounced. This replace covers a mixture of these issues, with an emphasis on the upcoming Radiator Springs Racers refurbishment at Disney California Journey. (Up to date August 15, 2025.)
As mirrored in current updates to the 2025-2026 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar, elevated upkeep has been occurring after a couple of years of lighter refurbishment schedules. This winter was jam-packed with closures–together with excessive profile sights in the course of the coronary heart of Spring Break season–as Disney tried to get the parks in tip-top form earlier than the beginning of Disneyland’s seventieth Anniversary celebration.
This in all probability isn’t going to win me any mates, however Disneyland ought to add much more sights to the closure calendar. There are quite a few rides which have been experiencing above-average downtime, and others which are working however not show-ready. The explanation for that is that preventative upkeep was not occurring because it ought to–which is the ‘better of each worlds’ resolution, because it means in a single day work that has minimal impression to visitors. I assume that’s what occurs whenever you let go of a bunch of old-timers who held the institutional information and lived-experience essential to take care of and repair so many of those legacy sights! (However I digress…)
Radiator Springs Racers Refurbishment (Closing & Reopening Dates)
Anyway, at present’s massive information is that the top-rated Vehicles Land attraction at Disney California Journey can be quickly closing in a few months for routine upkeep. The Radiator Springs Racers refurbishment will begin on August 18, 2025 and the Vehicles Land headliner can be closed for a bit of over one month.
Disneyland has now introduced that the Vehicles closure will proceed by way of September 25, and Radiator Springs Racers reopens on September 26, 2025. Word that this return date is topic to alter, which regularly does occur with a refurbishment of this scale and scope.
Often, Disney provides itself a little bit of a buffer and sights usually tend to reopen forward of schedule versus be delayed, however we’ve seen each occur within the final yr. So if Radiator Springs Racers is a must-do for you, we’d advocate pushing your go to off for a couple of days–ideally into early October 2025–simply to be protected.
The refurbishment of Radiator Springs Racers is alleged to be a typical one, with a scope of labor together with however not restricted to trace resurfacing, lighting upgrades, and audio/visible updates. Late final month, Disneyland filed a development allow to improve all present lighting to LED fixtures for Radiator Springs Racers, and likewise improve different audio, video, and community updates all through the attraction.
Since 2022, Radiator Springs Racers has closed for 4 separate refurbishments, together with 2 in 2023. The Vehicles Land headliner final closed for a quick refurbishment from February 26-March 1 final yr, and was down from August 18-27 in 2023.
Prior to those 4 refurbishments, Radiator Springs Racers solely had one scheduled closure–a three-day stretch in 2013–throughout its first decade of operations. After all, it’s not unusual for newer rides to not want as a lot upkeep, however the change is nonetheless notable.
The refurbishment of Radiator Spring Racers can be notable irrespective of when it have been occurring. There’s a purpose why it’s our #1 trip in DCA and #5 in all of Disneyland Resort on our Record Rating All 68 Sights at Disneyland & California Journey. Truthfully, #5 is likely to be a bit too low, however it’s onerous to beat the OGs at Disneyland.
Radiator Springs Racers is without doubt one of the few sights I make a degree of doing each single go to. That’s occurring a bit much less now that we’ve got a toddler, however the Single Rider line is a large win for us, particularly throughout vacationer season when decrease tier APs are blocked out.
On this case, the closure of Radiator Springs Racers is much more notable as a result of it’s occurring proper earlier than Halloween Time at Disneyland begins on August 22, 2025. Granted, that seasonal occasion has been moved ahead strategically in order that it now begins as colleges return into session throughout what was beforehand low season, however what we noticed final yr was elevated attendance all through August and into early September as a consequence of Halloween Time and ticket offers.
Because of the RSR refurbishment, it’s attainable that ‘looks like’ crowds can be increased in the course of the first month of Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Occasion dates. Radiator Springs Racers helps tremendously with absorbing crowds throughout that tough ticket occasion, and except Disneyland adjusts ticket gross sales downward, that would current a problem. Simply one thing to pay attention to when selecting your dates for that occasion.
On the same word, the identical will happen with wait occasions all through Disney California Journey throughout each day ops. It’s not simply us–Radiator Springs Racers is way and away the most well-liked trip at DCA. Throughout this refurbishment, wait occasions will enhance throughout the board by a couple of minutes, with a disproportionate impression at Incredicoaster, Soarin’ and Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!
Halloween Begins Early at DCA
Though Halloween Time at Disneyland begins on August 22, Oogie Boogie Bash at DCA kicks off on August 17, 2025. Forward of each, Disney California Journey has began celebrating spook season even earlier. Halloween in Vehicles Land is now underway, because the residents of Radiator Springs don their Halloween costumes and enhance their properties to rejoice “Haul-O-Ween.”
For the Haul-O-Ween overlay in Vehicles Land, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree turns into Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters transforms into Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween. Each of those attraction overlays at the moment are working each day at DCA by way of October 31, 2025.
However wait, there’s extra! The largest attraction overlay has additionally began early, as Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy — Monsters After Darkish every day. This implies you’ll be able to expertise two variations of this attraction in the identical day.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Darkish begins each day at 3pm. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission BREAKOUT closes at 2pm for the change. The Monsters after Darkish B-side model of the attraction continues to run each day by way of October 31, 2025.
Talking of these particular rides, we’ve got extra to share on stealth refurbishments, downtime & delays at DCA…
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout
You may recall that earlier this yr, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! was closed for a couple of week throughout Spring Break.
Whereas the scope of labor was by no means revealed, we all know what it was/relies on a allow Disney filed for the challenge. That concerned the alternative of brake and drive management cupboards throughout all shafts, in addition to further work in one of many shafts. It’s unclear how lengthy this can take, however based mostly on the outline, it sounded to us like a challenge that would final a number of weeks–if not months. Regardless of that, it was scheduled for a closure of lower than every week. One thing didn’t add up.
We additionally cautioned that work might proceed to be accomplished in phases whereas the trip is operational. It’s solely attainable to take one shaft down at a time for a ‘stealth’ refurbishment, which is precisely what Tower of Terror at Walt Disney World acquired a few years in the past. It decreases trip capability, however it retains the attraction operational. It was attainable that operations wished Mission Breakout open for the busy spring break season, so that they did every week of downtime adopted by nevertheless lengthy it takes of a stealth refurbishment.
Within the months since, we observed that one elevator shaft was down on Mission Breakout with regularity. Together with that common wait occasions elevated for Mission Breakout, and Lightning Lane availability was harder and aggressive. Someday, I used to be doing Early Entry area testing and made the error of beginning at Mission Breakout when two elevator shafts have been down. Massive mistake.
In any case, the above is previous tense as a result of, over the past week or so, we’ve observed that this stealth refurbishment seems to be completed. On each of our most up-to-date visits, Mission Breakout was firing on all cylinders and working all shafts. The posted wait time was cheap, and the precise wait was even shorter. (Can’t converse to Lightning Lanes.)
It’s solely attainable that Disney paused the stealth refurbishment as a result of finish of the ticket deal and final minute rush of that and inflow of demand as a result of finish of blockouts, return of Tier 0 ticket costs, and many others. So we don’t need to get forward of ourselves, however our assumption is that the stealth refurbishment has wrapped up, with the purpose of ending earlier than Halloween season. Disney beginning the ‘Monsters After Darkish’ overlay reinforces this notion.
Soarin’ Theater Sometimes Offline
Soarin’ additionally had an extended wait as a result of additionally it is present process a refurbishment to one in all its theaters. This isn’t actually a brand new growth, and truthfully, I’m not even certain whether or not “stealth refurbishment” is the fitting time period right here. It looks as if Soarin’ has steadily had one theater out of fee for the final two years.
I bear in mind when formulating our unique Lightning Lane Multi-Move Rankings at DCA, we positioned Soarin’ close to the highest as a consequence of this. It’s onerous to say whether or not upkeep groups are actively engaged on the theater or what, precisely, is occurring. Both manner, it’s once more value drawing your consideration to as a result of Soarin’s wait occasions can balloon in consequence. It additionally means they’re extra prone to be correct, and that LLMP availability is prone to be decrease.
Lastly, I’d simply add that–subjectively–Mission Breakout and Soarin’ are two of the extra excruciating rides to expertise at decreased capability. Even when each are at 100% capability, I really feel like the road can transfer glacially gradual, with unexpectedly lengthy waits (together with through the Lightning Lane) for those who get unfortunate with load cycles. Maybe I’m simply extremely impatient, however this feels interminably lengthy once they’re in ‘stealth refurbishment’ mode. I received’t be doing both till they’re working at full tilt.
Walkway Closure
Lastly, in a tangentially-related Vehicles Land information, the walkway between Radiator Springs Racers and Avengers Campus is blocked by two units of development partitions. The realm between the 2 lands is out of fee for the growth of Avengers Campus that’ll add two new sights. The partitions blocking this path are anticipated to stay till someday in 2026.
The trail in query connects Avengers Campus to Vehicles Land proper by Radiator Springs Curios and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. It’s additionally close to the new-ish Pink’s Group Backyard overflow seating space for the Cozy Cones (attempting to cram as a lot previously-uncovered information into this one replace!).
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Your Ideas
What do you consider the Radiator Springs Racers trip refurbishment? Disenchanted that it coincides with the beginning of Halloween Time at Disneyland, or do you assume the post-summer “low season” is the very best time for such downtime? Have you ever skilled stealth refurbishments at Soarin or Mission Breakout? Run into downtime & delays at DCA? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
