One of the worst parts of Disney World is a fact that most of us have accepted as part of the experience, and it’s the crowds.

Cinderella Castle!

There’s no denying Disney is a popular vacation destination for people all over the world, and with that brings tons of guests to the parks daily. If you’re only going one time or take trips infrequently, it might be more tolerable. But for those who visit the parks regularly (like Annual Passholders) you might prefer to plan your visits around the busy seasons.

If you don’t like crowds, January 22nd, 2023, is one day you’ll want to skip Magic Kingdom. Why? It’s the day that Splash Mountain will be taking its last passengers before closing for good. After this date the ride will close permanently as construction begins on its retheming to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Splash Mountain

Disney announced the retheming way back in 2020, and now Splash’s final day is here! Disneyland’s version of the attraction will be closing as well, so if you aren’t able to make it to Disney World before the closure you could still ride the West Coast version, as we don’t know the official closing date yet.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Concept Art ©Disney

Disney hasn’t announced any special events for the closure but it’s likely that many guests will be heading over to Magic Kingdom to get one last ride in, so you might want to spend your day in another park. Festival of the Arts will be running in EPCOT with plenty to see, do, and EAT! You can also check out our Ultimate Guide to Animal Kingdom — you might find something new to do! And if you really want to avoid the crowds, head over to Hollywood Studios for an After Hours event. You’ll be surprised at how empty the park is!

An empty Galaxy’s Edge

If you’d like to relive the nostalgia you can instead opt to ride Splash in the coming days. We can’t promise it will be quiet though! If you want some inspiration on other Magic Kingdom spots to visit while you’re waiting for your Lightning Lane, you can download our checklist for free. It covers absolutely EVERYTHING in the park, from attractions, to dining, to merchandise and more!

For more details on the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride, check out our posts below:

• Take a look at the clue we found that construction would begin soon
• See our page full of details about the ride
• Learn about the new friends coming to the ride
• Get full details about Tiana’s new look
• Get an INSIDE look at the ride
• Check out some of the art inspiring the ride
• Get another look at the colorful concept art for the ride

Stay current on all of the ride updates in Disney World on our site!

After Hours Events Are BACK in Magic Kingdom! 

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