6 Major Changes Coming to Disney World in October
Who else is going to Disney World in October?! We know we are!
Get that pumpkin spice ready!
It’s the spookiest month of the year, and while we’ve been celebrating since August, it’s the last chance to grab limited-time Halloween eats (there were some INCREDIBLE treats this year). But that’s not all — there are new closures, character dining changes, hotel perk updates, and so much more. Check out six major changes hitting Disney World in October!
Heading to Disney World soon? Be sure to check out our planning worksheets. You can click the image below to get our list and make sure you don’t forget a thing!
Here’s an overview of what you can look forward to in October at Disney World!
Ride Closure Hits Animal Kingdom (Don’t Worry, It’s Temporary)
Let’s be honest — Animal Kingdom is a bit of a mess right now. That’s because the park is going through a HUGE transformation with the addition of Pueblo Esperanza, plus the new Zootopia-themed show coming later this year. Since there is so much going on, you may have missed another ride closure in the park!
Kali River Rapids
Kali River Rapids is closing for refurbishment on October 6th and is expected to reopen in mid-December 2025. Many water ride refurbishments are in January or February, but it seems like Disney is getting ahead with the permanent closure of DinoLand in February 2026.
We got DRENCHED to get this photo.
This isn’t a big deal for many because of the cooler weather in Florida during this time, but it’s important to note! Also, Kali River Rapids is another ride on Lightning Lane Multi Pass, so although we don’t recommend it for Animal Kingdom in general right now, you really don’t need it with this additional closure.
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Halloween Character Dining Changes to Hollywood Studios
For this update, we’re heading to Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios! This is the only place to eat with characters in Hollywood Studios right now, but things are changing on October 12th!
Hollywood & Vine
That’s when the Disney Junior Play n’ Dine breakfast officially ends. For a while now, popular Disney Jr. characters have been around for breakfast time, and then Minnie and her friends greeted visitors at lunch and dinner in their Halloween attire. So on October 12th, expect to see Minnie and friends instead for breakfast!
Witch Minnie at Minnie’s Seasonal Dine at Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (2022)
This will last all the way until November 5th, 2025. On November 6th, Minnie will be back in holiday attire to celebrate! Hollywood & Vine takes reservations, and although we’ve seen walk-up availability, we’d highly recommend grabbing a time. It’s going to get busy as the holidays get closer and closer!
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Another Hotel Pool CLOSES
Cooler weather means pool refurbishments ALL OVER Disney World. On October 13th, the Paddock Pool, aquatic play area, and The Paddock Grill at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort will be closing for routine maintenance.
Pina CoLava
The Paddock Pool is home to a 146-foot-long waterslide that flows from a water tower, and the nearby Paddock Grill is home to some classic pool fare like burgers, hot dogs, and more. The Disney World website indicates that they will remain closed through early December, but an official opening date has not been revealed.
Paddock Pool at Saratoga Springs
Staying at Saratoga? You’re not totally out of luck. The High Rock Spring Pool features waterfalls, zero-depth entry, and a 128-foot-long waterslide, and the nearby On the Rocks Pool Bar offers drinks and eats. You’ll also find three leisure pools with whirlpool spas at the Treehouse Villas, Congress Park, and The Grandstand. We’ll let you know as soon as Disney reveals the reopening date for these spots!
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Magic Kingdom Closing EARLY on a Random Tuesday
We’re no strangers to ducking and weaving around early Magic Kingdom closures due to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. As soon as dates are announced, we mark them on our calendars so we know when we’ll have to leave Magic Kingdom by 6 PM. However, there’s an extra date that the park is closing early in October, and you need to know about it!
Cinderella Castle
On Tuesday, October 21st, Magic Kingdom will close at 6 PM, but this time, it’s because a company is renting out the park! The early closure is likely due to a private event related to the Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo. The annual tech conference is in Orlando for the weekend, and the company has been known to visit Disney World for special after-hours events at the park (as in a full park buyout), causing the 6 PM closing time.
Adventureland
If you have a park hopper ticket, we actually recommend visiting in the morning, because wait times tend to be lower than on a regular park day. Just note you’ll need to park hop or head back to your hotel by 6 PM! If you have a one-park-per-day ticket, we highly recommend NOT going to Magic Kingdom on October 21st or any other day the park closes early. Time is money in Disney World!
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Extended Evening Hours Happening at Animal Kingdom
It’s pretty rare to see the Extended Evening Hours perk happening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but it’s happening on October 27th!
Tree of Life at night
Extended Evening Hours will run from 6 PM to 8PM that day. This perk is available exclusively to Disney World hotel guests staying at the following resorts:
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas
- Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
- The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort (Please be aware that the extended evening hours benefit applies to Disney Vacation Club Cabins only.)
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
- Shades of Green® on Walt Disney World Resort
Expedition Everest at night
This park typically closes around sunset or just after dark, but it’s a totally different park then, especially over in Pandora! If you miss out on this one, there are two more nights of Extended Evening Hours scheduled for November 5th and 12th.
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Last Day of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
We can’t believe the end of spooky season will be here before we know it! Luckily, there is plenty of time left to enjoy Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, a separately ticketed after-hours event in Magic Kingdom.
Halloween
The party kicked off on August 15th and runs on certain nights through October 31st — Halloween! A ticket to the party includes exclusive character experiences, entertainment (like the iconic Boo To You Parade), food at several restaurants around the park, low ride wait times, tons of trick-or-treating, and so much more.
Jack Skellington and Sally
Having FOMO? Well, as of writing, tickets are still available for a few nights, so snatch them up while you can!
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Those are some of the major changes coming to Disney World in October! Disney World will continue to change and update, and DFB will be here to keep you in the loop!
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