2 More Permanent Closures Hit Disney World

2026 has already brought major changes to Disney World. Rides have closed and been replaced, construction has dominated the landscape, and we even learned that a new Yeti is FINALLY on the way to Expedition Everest.

BoardWalk

Now, with the end of the year in sight, two more permanent closures have hit the “Most Magical Place on Earth” before the calendar turns to 2027. Let’s take a look at the places you unfortunately won’t ever be able to experience again.

Sunshine Churros

Located at Disney Springs, Sunshine Churros was known for a unique twist on the iconic dessert, including churros topped with Pop Rocks, Dubai chocolate, and other flavor combinations. Many of these were part of the rotating Churro of the Month promotion. The two Disney Springs locations both closed on September 5th.

Liberty Pop Churro

Atlantic Dance Hall

The BoardWalk saw the major opening of the Hurly-Burly Lounge in 2026, finally filling the gap left by Jellyrolls’ closure. However, the hotel also lost one of its longest-lasting locations. The Atlantic Dance Hall had long been a favorite of night owls at Disney World, as the hall often stayed open late into the night playing popular dance music. However, the venue closed on September 27th. As of October 1st, the venue became home to private events through Disney Meetings & Events and Disney Fairy Tale Weddings.

Atlantic Dance Hall

As mentioned, these closures are just two of several that hit Disney World this year. Other major ones have included:

• The Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith, which first opened at the then Disney-MGM Studios in 1999, was beloved by fans for nearly three decades before it closed in March. The ride closed forever to make way for… the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, which is the same ride track, but now with Muppet theming and animatronics in the queue, and a soundtrack of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem performing tracks from Def Leppard, Blur, Steppenwolf, Ohio Players, and Katrina and the Waves.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

• Carousel of Progress — which has been operating in one form or another since its debut at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, meaning it actually predates Disney World by over a decade — closed for a major refurbishment that will shift nearly everything about the 60+-year-old attraction, essentially permanently closing the version of the attraction as we knew it. The new version will attempt to keep the show “relatable for today’s audiences”; the whole show is being restructured. The show will now feature a Walt Disney animatronic in the pre-show, followed by new acts based on the 1960s (itself harkening back to the decade the show originally debuted), the 1980s, the 1999-turn of the millennium, and a “possible future” that will imagine a time where “extraordinary innovation has become part of life and proves that a beautiful tomorrow is just a dream away.” The new take on the classic show is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2027.

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

• DINOSAUR, permanently closed in February. The opening day Animal Kingdom attraction — which was known as Countdown to Extinction in 1998 — was shuttered as part of the Tropical Americas expansion. It’s being refurbished into Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, which will be set in the 1950’s in a South American temple where Indy finds a passageway that leads to the Mayan underworld. This is arguably a fitting full-circle moment given that the ride system and layout of DINOSAUR was essentially a clone of Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure.

DINOSAUR is gone, y’all

In addition to those attractions, several retail locations at Disney Springs have closed this year, including clothing store Shore, cupcake location Sprinkles, and fashion retailer Francesca’s.

Sprinkles Cupcakes is closed

2026 has seen a series of major closures at Disney World, with Sunshine Churros and Atlantic Dance Hall joining the ranks in the fall of 2026. Stay tuned to DFB for more on Disney World’s evolution.

Speaking of major changes at Disney World, what exactly is going on with alcohol at Disney World? Check it out in the video below!

“As Long as It’s Moving, That’s a Fix.” Joe Rohde Shares Thoughts on Yeti at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

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