Let’s face it — Going to Disney World is NOT a relaxing vacation. You start your day with chaotic rope drop in the morning, then you race to as many rides as possible, wait in a bunch of lines, walk approximately one million steps, and pass out cold as soon as your head hits the pillow each night. If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, the theme parks are NOT where you’ll find it. That’s why we recommend checking out the pools at your Disney World hotel to grab some actual relaxation time!

If you’re staying at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort or Disney’s Port Orleans — French Quarter, you’ll need to know about these pool CLOSURES that could affect your vacation. But don’t worry! At both hotels, you have a few backup options so you don’t have to completely give up your chill pool time. Let’s check out those closures and all the temporary refurbishments happening in Disney World from February 18th through the 24th.

 

Fuentes del Morro Pool at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

The Fuentes del Morro Pool is the most popular pool at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The pool is themed to look like a colonial Spanish fortress and has two waterslides (including one that’s over a hundred feet long!), water spray cannons, and a shipwreck play area for the little kiddos.

Fuentes del Morro is currently closed, and it’ll remain closed through late March of this year, so about another month or so. The closure is for routine maintenance, which we often see at Disney’s hotel pools during the winter months.

So if you’re staying at Caribbean Beach, are you just out of luck? Don’t worry! You can still visit any of the five leisure pools at this hotel. There’s one leisure pool at each village.

Doubloon Lagoon Pool at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter

Doubloon Lagoon at Port Orleans — French Quarter has a 51-foot long water slide that looks like a sea serpent, a whirlpool spa, and Mardi Gras decorations. The pool closed in January and will stay closed through April 2024.

If you’re staying at French Quarter and want to take a swim, head over to Ol’ Man Island at Port Orleans — Riverside, which you can easily walk to from French Quarter. Ol’ Man Island is actually a pool complex! The pool area there has waterfalls, a 95-foot waterslide, a whirlpool, and a kiddie pool.

Those aren’t the only current closures in Disney World, though. Check out this list to see more rides, restaurants, and attractions that are currently being affected by refurbishments.

Magic Kingdom

Country Bear Jamboree

Country Bear Jamboree closed on January 27th, 2024, for refurbishment.

Disney announced that a NEW show is coming to Country Bear Jamboree, with the bears learning an all-new act. The new show should open sometime this summer.

Learn more about the changes coming to Country Bear Jamboree here!

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate this now-closed attraction, check out these Country Bear Jamboree Collectible Plushes on Amazon!

The set comes with three collectible plushes: Teddi Barra, Big Al, and Henry.

View on Amazon

The Barrel Bridge on Tom Sawyer Island

The Barrel Bridge on Tom Sawyer’s Island has been completely missing for several months. When it first went missing, we asked a Cast Member what was going on. They told us that it had been removed for repairs and would be back soon.

We’ve checked back every single day, but every day we’re disappointed to see that it’s still gone! There’s no word on when the bridge might return.

Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant

Tomorrowland Terrace is a quick service restaurant that’s remained closed since the 2020 pandemic-related closures, but even before that, this spot was only occasionally open.

Once in a while, you’ll see the dining room open as a rest area (and it’s still being used for the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Parties), but it’s usually all roped off and empty. Disney hasn’t announced when this spot could finally reopen, but we’ll be watching for updates.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Splash Mountain closed over a year ago for a long refurbishment. The ride is being re-themed to become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, with a Princess and the Frog theme.

The new ride will reopen THIS SUMMER! Disney previously said it’d open in late 2024, but we’re excited that it’s actually going to open earlier than planned.

Disney also recently released lots of new information about this ride, including a hint that there will be Splash Mountain Easter Eggs throughout the attraction!

Splash Mountain vs. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: Huge Changes After One Year

If you miss Splash Mountain or want to celebrate the new ride, you should check out our DFB t-shirts! We have a Splash Mountain Farwell Tour shirt…

…and a Tiana tee as well!

You can shop both tees (and lots of other Disney merch) at our online store.

Click here to shop our DFB merchandise store.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster closed on January 8th, it won’t reopen until the summer of this year.

Although we don’t have an exact reopening date yet, we know that it’ll be at least a few months before the ride reopens. Last year, when the ride closed around this time (on February 20th, to be exact), it reopened on May 26th.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Well, it’s official — Voyage of the Little Mermaid is permanently closed in Disney World. We had suspected this was the case for some time (as it hasn’t actually been open for a few years now), but now the permanent closure has been confirmed.

Disney is going to introduce a NEW show in this spot, though it will still be themed to the animated movie The Little Mermaid! The new show will be called “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure” and is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Fall 2024.

It will be a “fully reimagined theatrical production inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic.”

Is This a CLUE that Something NEW Is Coming to Hollywood Studios?

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Kali River Rapids

Kali River Rapids usually closes early in the year for refurbishment since water rides like this tend to be less popular during the winter months when it’s colder than usual. No one wants to get soaked if it’s chilly outside! In 2024, it closed on January 8th.

Disney has announced that Kali River Rapids will be closed through mid-March. Right now, Disney’s calendar shows that this ride should reopen on March 16th, but Disney hasn’t officially confirmed this as the reopening date.

Baby Animal TRIPLETS Have Arrived in Animal Kingdom!

EPCOT

Restaurant Marrakesh

Restaurant Marrakesh is still closed in the Morocco pavilion of EPCOT’s World Showcase, and there’s no word yet on when it might reopen.

The restaurant is kind of open right now — it’s functioning as a lounge with just a couple of drink options. However, we’re still waiting for the full restaurant to reopen!

Tons of NEW Menu Items Are Coming to the 2024 Flower & Garden Festival!

Disney World Hotels

1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

At Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, 1900 Park Fare has been closed for a long time, but Disney has finally announced an opening date and BIG changes coming soon!

1900 Park Fare will reopen with NEW dining offerings starting April 10th, 2024. It’s been confirmed that one of the signature menu items here — the Floridian Strawberry Soup — will RETURN! New characters will be available to meet at the restaurant for breakfast and dinner. Aladdin in his Prince Ali look, Mirabel, and Tiana in her new look for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will all be present.

For breakfast and dinner, you’ll be able to enjoy a buffet meal. There will be new menu offerings available that pay homage to the new characters and their stories.

Some Disney Fans Are NOT HAPPY With This 1900 Park Fare Change

Typhoon Lagoon

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will be reopening on March 17th, 2024! 

The water park has been closed since November 2023 while Disney worked on some refurbishments and spruced up the place. While the park was closed, visitors could instead go to Blizzard Beach Water Park, which was still open — but that’s about to change too.

Blizzard Beach will be closed as of March 17th, 2024, so March 16th will be your last day to squeeze in a visit if you want!

Learn more about Typhoon Lagoon here!

Looking for more resources to help you get ready for your upcoming trip? Check out these posts to learn all about Disney World’s rides:

• 10 Rides to AVOID in Disney World if You Struggle with Motion Sickness
• What It Takes to CHANGE a Disney World Ride
• 9 of the SCARIEST Rides in Disney World, According to YOU!
• A FULL LIST of the Thrill Rides in Disney World!
• The Ultimate Guide to the BEST and WORST Seats On EVERY Magic Kingdom Ride

We’ll keep you updated with all the latest news, so stay tuned to DFB.

Click here to check out more upcoming closures and current construction projects at Disney World.

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

The post Heads Up! 2 Hotel Pools Will Be CLOSED Next Week in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.