Journey refurbishments and short-term attraction closures are a truth of life on the Disney Parks. Ditto downtime and delays, that are unplanned and unannounced. This replace covers a mixture of these issues, with an emphasis on the upcoming Radiator Springs Racers refurbishment at Disney California Journey. (Up to date August 15, 2025.)
As mirrored in current updates to the 2025-2026 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar, elevated upkeep has been occurring after just a few years of lighter refurbishment schedules. This winter was jam-packed with closures–together with excessive profile sights in the course of the coronary heart of Spring Break season–as Disney tried to get the parks in tip-top form earlier than the beginning of Disneyland’s seventieth Anniversary celebration.
This in all probability isn’t going to win me any buddies, however Disneyland ought to add much more sights to the closure calendar. There are quite a few rides which have been experiencing above-average downtime, and others which might be working however not show-ready. The explanation for that is that preventative upkeep was not occurring because it ought to–which is the ‘better of each worlds’ answer, because it means in a single day work that has minimal impression to company. I assume that’s what occurs if you let go of a bunch of old-timers who held the institutional information and lived-experience obligatory to take care of and repair so many of those legacy sights! (However I digress…)
Radiator Springs Racers Refurbishment (Closing & Reopening Dates)
Anyway, at the moment’s huge information is that the top-rated Automobiles Land attraction at Disney California Journey will probably be briefly closing in a few months for routine upkeep. The Radiator Springs Racers refurbishment will begin on August 18, 2025 and the Automobiles Land headliner will probably be closed for a bit of over one month.
Disneyland has now introduced that the Automobiles closure will proceed via September 25, and Radiator Springs Racers reopens on September 26, 2025. Notice that this return date is topic to alter, which frequently does occur with a refurbishment of this scale and scope.
Often, Disney offers itself a little bit of a buffer and sights usually tend to reopen forward of schedule versus be delayed, however we’ve seen each occur within the final 12 months. So if Radiator Springs Racers is a must-do for you, we’d advocate pushing your go to off for just a few days–ideally into early October 2025–simply to be secure.
The refurbishment of Radiator Springs Racers is claimed to be a typical one, with a scope of labor together with however not restricted to trace resurfacing, lighting upgrades, and audio/visible updates. Late final month, Disneyland filed a building allow to improve all present lighting to LED fixtures for Radiator Springs Racers, and in addition improve different audio, video, and community updates all through the attraction.
Since 2022, Radiator Springs Racers has closed for 4 separate refurbishments, together with 2 in 2023. The Automobiles Land headliner final closed for a quick refurbishment from February 26-March 1 final 12 months, and was down from August 18-27 in 2023.
Prior to those 4 refurbishments, Radiator Springs Racers solely had one scheduled closure–a three-day stretch in 2013–throughout its first decade of operations. In fact, it’s not unusual for newer rides to not want as a lot upkeep, however the change is however notable.
The refurbishment of Radiator Spring Racers can be notable regardless of when it had been taking place. There’s a purpose why it’s our #1 experience in DCA and #5 in all of Disneyland Resort on our Listing Rating All 68 Points of interest at Disneyland & California Journey. Truthfully, #5 may be a bit too low, however it’s onerous to beat the OGs at Disneyland.
Radiator Springs Racers is without doubt one of the few sights I make some extent of doing each single go to. That’s taking place a bit much less now that we now have a toddler, however the Single Rider line is a large win for us, particularly throughout vacationer season when decrease tier APs are blocked out.
On this case, the closure of Radiator Springs Racers is much more notable as a result of it’s taking place proper earlier than Halloween Time at Disneyland begins on August 22, 2025. Granted, that seasonal occasion has been moved ahead strategically in order that it now begins as faculties return into session throughout what was beforehand low season, however what we noticed final 12 months was elevated attendance all through August and into early September as a consequence of Halloween Time and ticket offers.
As a result of RSR refurbishment, it’s attainable that ‘appears like’ crowds will probably be greater in the course of the first month of Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Celebration dates. Radiator Springs Racers helps tremendously with absorbing crowds throughout that arduous ticket occasion, and except Disneyland adjusts ticket gross sales downward, that would current a difficulty. Simply one thing to concentrate on when selecting your dates for that occasion.
On an identical be aware, the identical will happen with wait occasions all through Disney California Journey throughout each day ops. It’s not simply us–Radiator Springs Racers is much and away the most well-liked experience at DCA. Throughout this refurbishment, wait occasions will improve throughout the board by a couple of minutes, with a disproportionate impression at Incredicoaster, Soarin’ and Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!
Halloween Begins Early at DCA
Though Halloween Time at Disneyland begins on August 22, Oogie Boogie Bash at DCA kicks off on August 17, 2025. Forward of each, Disney California Journey has began celebrating spook season even earlier. Halloween in Automobiles Land is now underway, because the residents of Radiator Springs don their Halloween costumes and beautify their properties to rejoice “Haul-O-Ween.”
For the Haul-O-Ween overlay in Automobiles Land, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree turns into Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters transforms into Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween. Each of those attraction overlays at the moment are working each day at DCA via October 31, 2025.
However wait, there’s extra! The most important attraction overlay has additionally began early, as Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy — Monsters After Darkish every day. This implies you possibly can expertise two variations of this attraction in the identical day.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Darkish begins each day at 3pm. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission BREAKOUT closes at 2pm for the swap. The Monsters after Darkish B-side model of the attraction continues to run each day via October 31, 2025.
Talking of these particular rides, we now have extra to share on stealth refurbishments, downtime & delays at DCA…
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout
You may recall that earlier this 12 months, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! was closed for a couple of week throughout Spring Break.
Whereas the scope of labor was by no means revealed, we all know what it was/relies on a allow Disney filed for the mission. That concerned the alternative of brake and drive management cupboards throughout all shafts, in addition to extra work in one of many shafts. It’s unclear how lengthy it will take, however primarily based on the outline, it sounded to us like a mission that would final a number of weeks–if not months. Regardless of that, it was scheduled for a closure of lower than every week. One thing didn’t add up.
We additionally cautioned that work might proceed to be accomplished in phases whereas the experience is operational. It’s totally attainable to take one shaft down at a time for a ‘stealth’ refurbishment, which is precisely what Tower of Terror at Walt Disney World obtained a few years in the past. It decreases experience capability, however it retains the attraction operational. It was attainable that operations needed Mission Breakout open for the busy spring break season, in order that they did every week of downtime adopted by nevertheless lengthy it takes of a stealth refurbishment.
Within the months since, we observed that one elevator shaft was down on Mission Breakout with regularity. Together with that common wait occasions elevated for Mission Breakout, and Lightning Lane availability was harder and aggressive. Sooner or later, I used to be doing Early Entry area testing and made the error of beginning at Mission Breakout when two elevator shafts had been down. Huge mistake.
In any case, the above is previous tense as a result of, over the past week or so, we’ve observed that this stealth refurbishment seems to be completed. On each of our most up-to-date visits, Mission Breakout was firing on all cylinders and working all shafts. The posted wait time was cheap, and the precise wait was even shorter. (Can’t communicate to Lightning Lanes.)
It’s totally attainable that Disney paused the stealth refurbishment as a result of finish of the ticket deal and final minute rush of that and inflow of demand as a result of finish of blockouts, return of Tier 0 ticket costs, and many others. So we don’t need to get forward of ourselves, however our assumption is that the stealth refurbishment has wrapped up, with the purpose of ending earlier than Halloween season. Disney beginning the ‘Monsters After Darkish’ overlay reinforces this notion.
Soarin’ Theater Often Offline
Soarin’ additionally had an extended wait as a result of it is usually present process a refurbishment to certainly one of its theaters. This isn’t actually a brand new growth, and truthfully, I’m not even positive whether or not “stealth refurbishment” is the correct time period right here. It looks as if Soarin’ has continuously had one theater out of fee for the final two years.
I keep in mind when formulating our unique Lightning Lane Multi-Go Rankings at DCA, we positioned Soarin’ close to the highest as a consequence of this. It’s onerous to say whether or not upkeep groups are actively engaged on the theater or what, precisely, is going on. Both method, it’s once more price drawing your consideration to as a result of Soarin’s wait occasions can balloon consequently. It additionally means they’re extra prone to be correct, and that LLMP availability is prone to be decrease.
Lastly, I’d simply add that–subjectively–Mission Breakout and Soarin’ are two of the extra excruciating rides to expertise at diminished capability. Even when each are at 100% capability, I really feel like the road can transfer glacially gradual, with unexpectedly lengthy waits (together with through the Lightning Lane) should you get unfortunate with load cycles. Maybe I’m simply extremely impatient, however this feels interminably lengthy after they’re in ‘stealth refurbishment’ mode. I gained’t be doing both till they’re working at full tilt.
Walkway Closure
Lastly, in a tangentially-related Automobiles Land information, the walkway between Radiator Springs Racers and Avengers Campus is blocked by two units of building partitions. The world between the 2 lands is out of fee for the growth of Avengers Campus that’ll add two new sights. The partitions blocking this path are anticipated to stay till someday in 2026.
The trail in query connects Avengers Campus to Automobiles Land proper by Radiator Springs Curios and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. It’s additionally close to the new-ish Crimson’s Neighborhood Backyard overflow seating space for the Cozy Cones (making an attempt to cram as a lot previously-uncovered information into this one replace!).
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Suggestions for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site accommodations in our Anaheim Lodge Evaluations & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Evaluations. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and tons of different locations!
Your Ideas
What do you consider the Radiator Springs Racers experience refurbishment? Dissatisfied that it coincides with the beginning of Halloween Time at Disneyland, or do you assume the post-summer “low season” is the perfect time for such downtime? Have you ever skilled stealth refurbishments at Soarin or Mission Breakout? Run into downtime & delays at DCA? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
