Walt Disney World's Jungle Cruise Set for Summer 2024 Refurbishment

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Posted: Tuesday July 9, 2024 7:55am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

According to the latest Walt Disney World calendar update, the Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise will close for refurbishment later this summer.

The Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom is set to close for refurbishment beginning August 26, 2024

The Jungle Cruise closure begins on August 26, 2024, and continues through at least September 17, 2024, as far as the current calendar goes.

While we don't expect any show changes during the closure, several permits were recently filed, including one with contractor Underwater Enginerring Services, Inc.

New Jungle Cruise chimp scenes

Although the Jungle Cruise's show scenes have recently been updated, the ride has not been closed for refurbishment since 2017.

Jungle Cruise overview

We also expect Big Thunder Mountain to close soon for refurbishment, which could leave the Magic Kingdom without two of its major high-capacity attractions in September. Dates for the Big Thunder closure are not yet available.

View all current and upcoming Walt Disney World refurbishments.

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EricsBiscuit5 days ago

If you maintain something, it lasts. Same goes for the monorails. They have refurbished almost all of them in recent years.

Disstevefan16 days ago

The current monorails were put into service in 1989, so these are in service 35 years and counting. The previous version ran 1971 to 1991 (so there was overlap I guess?) so that was 20 years. I thought the intended lifespan was supposed to be 20 years, so our current monorail is not 20 years past their lifespan, they are only 15 years past their lifespan today. I suspect they will not be replaced anytime soon, so they will hit the 20 year past due state in 5 years. WDW monorails by 2030:

MisterPenguin6 days ago

Six years ago, Bob Gurr and insiders were telling of WDW buying new monorails. Then that money got shunted into refurbishing what they had.

Disstevefan16 days ago

I have no idea. The manufacturer I think. We know the WDW monorails are well past their lifespan. FYI, Tokyo is replacing their monorails after 24 years I think it is?

ToTBellHop7 days ago

Disstevefan1 does. He’s an actuary.

castlecake2.07 days ago

Who determines what their lifespan is?

Fido Chuckwagon8 days ago

Re-tracking BTMRR IS maintaining it. Or do you think that a roller coaster that operates 14-16 hours per day, 365 days per year, in the harsh Florida climate can just stay as-is forever without a track replacement?

Disstevefan18 days ago

I want to think they can still maintain things even when they are really old. The WDW monorails are like 20 years past their lifespan?

Fido Chuckwagon9 days ago

The longer they put it off the more likely that something goes catastrophically wrong, including but not limited to someone getting hurt. It’s not like they have a spotless safety record with other BTMRR’s as it is…

ToTBellHop10 days ago

Given their wording, I presume they mean “before the parties” and you’ll be able to jungle all the way.

Phicinfan10 days ago

I just got tickets to Mickey’s Christmas in November(12), hope it’s back by then

JohnD10 days ago

So, while technically no thematic changes to the "regular" version, its reasonable to assume that when it re-opens, it could re-open directly as Jingle Cruise for the holiday season. ("before the winter holidays begin").