Walt Disney World: September 2025
- Bobby Spina
- Aug 31
- 7 min read
September is upon us in 2025 (where is the year going??), and we've got quite the month ahead of us. From big closures to limited-time seasonal offerings, this month is shaping up to be one of the last "big" months of the year, especially as we enter the Fall season.
With all that being said, here's a rundown of everything you need to know as we enter the ninth month of the year!
September 2025
Despite Summer now officially behind us, September is starting off the new Fall season quite strong in terms of news. (Which is surprising, considering that September is typically known to be one of the most quiet months of the year in the world of Disney.) Regardless, we're starting off the month with a prominent closure over at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Can you guess what it is?
Tuesday, September 2nd
The day after Labor Day marks the next phase of closures for the (pre)-historic reimagining of Dinoland U.S.A into a new land themed to the Tropical Americas. More specifically, both the Boneyard and the Dig Site will permanently close forever on Tuesday, September 2nd. This means that your final day to experience the playground will be the day before on Monday, September 1st. And at the time of writing this article, that's tomorrow.
Like I said earlier, the closure of the Boneyard and the Dig Site marks the second phase of Dinoland U.S.A demolition and construction for the upcoming Tropical Americas. For context, the first wave of closures happened earlier this year back in mid-January when Chester and Hester's DinoRama permanently closed forever. Now, we're onto phase 2, with the third and final phase coming soon (more on that in a future article).
What's replacing the Boneyard and the Dig Site you ask? Well, two different things technically. You see, both areas currently serve a dual purpose. (1) is that they're both playgrounds. And (2), they're both connected by the Oldengate Bridge, which serves as the main entrance into Dinoland U.S.A.
Now, with the Tropical Americas on the way, both sections of the play area will be divided up into two brand new sections. Take a look at the concept art down below.
The concept art above displays what the new entrance of the Tropical Americas will soon look like as guests enter the fictional village of Pueblo Esperanza, which translates to "Town of Hope." Complete with a looming clock tower and central fountain, the village will feel lived in with a long, rich history, similarly to Harambe in Africa and Anandapur in Asia.
Essentially, the right side of the entrance (what is currently the Dig Site) is where majority of the town square will occupy. But what about the left side?
The left side of the entrance (what is currently the Boneyard) will be home to an all new attraction that the whole family can enjoy - a carousel! As the story goes, the village's local woodcarver has crafted different animals from various Disney stories (aka, Intellectual Properties) and has used them to create a carousel that the whole town can enjoy. We don't have an exact name for the carousel yet, so for now, I'm dubbing it as the "Disney IP Carousel." Seems fitting enough.
Genuinely speaking though, I think this will be a great little addition to the land. The carousel itself looks beautifully designed, I just wish it wasn't infested with Disney animal IP's, but it is what it is.
There's not really much else to report on other than the fact that the Boneyard's days have been officially numbered. Extinction for the remainder of Dinoland U.S.A is on the horizon early next year, so be sure to revisit the website soon (or the Timeline) to learn more about when DINOSAUR and Restaurantosaurus will be closing for good.
The entirety of the Tropical Americas will officially open sometime in 2027.
Monday, September 15th
Moving on over to the Magic Kingdom, and we have a wickedly cool, limited-time attraction overlay coming to the park. Over in the corner of Tomorrowland, Tron: Lightcycle Run will be getting a red-colored makeover to help commemorate (and market) the debut of the upcoming film, Tron: Ares.
To promote the film, the iconic and massive canopy that looms over the Tomorrowland skyline (also known as the Upload Conduit), will be ditching its rich blue color scheme for a limited time, as a new, electric red takes over both the outside and inside of the attraction!
To enhance the thrilling ride experience even further, the hypnotic rock music of Nine Inch Nails (NIN), will blast in your ears as you race through the Grid. Additionally, a new on-ride photo will also debut with the overlay as well.
Disney has stated that the limited time overlay will debut on Monday, September 15th, but provided no end date. Currently, we know that Tron: Ares is scheduled to debut in theaters on Friday, October 10th, so at the very least, I think Disney will have this overlay run through the end of the year, possibly reverting the attraction back to its original form either right before or right after the holiday season. (Although if I'm being honest, the red color scheme is a bit more festive for Christmastime, so I wouldn't be surprised if the overlay remains in place through the beginning of January.)
I have to admit, I think this limited-time overlay is going to be incredibly cool and unique, and I'm excited to see it come to fruition!
Thursday, September 25th
Shifting gears over to Disney's Hollywood Studios, and we have arguably the biggest closure for the month ahead. Yes, even bigger than the Boneyard.
For those who aren't aware, Animation Courtyard is about to undergo some long-overdue, but nonetheless exciting upgrades. So much so, that once complete, the area will be renamed as the Walt Disney Studios!
What changes are occurring, you ask? A lot, to put it lightly. I went into a good amount of detail back in my Destination D23/August News Recap article, but in short, the long-overstayed Star Wars Launch Bay will permanently close and be reimagined into an entirely new space called The Magic of Disney Animation - taking inspiration from the park's history! Take a look at some of the concept art below, followed by a description about the project from Disney.
"In 2026, the current home of the Star Wars Launch Bay will transform into a place where kids and kids at heart can laugh, draw, dream, and explore animated new experiences. Topping the building will be Mickey’s iconic Sorcerer Hat (just like the real building in California!), which will cast a spell with pixie dust.
Playful and interactive moments will be around every corner. You’ll see portraits come to life before your eyes, find inspiration by watching a short film (with a twist, of course), and you’ll even pencil in some time to learn how to draw your very own character sketch.
Our youngest animators-to-be can explore the “Drawn to Wonderland” playground filled with an oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset and a Tulgey Wood exploration area, all inspired by the original “Alice in Wonderland” concept art from Disney Legend Mary Blair.
The pixie dusting from the Sorcerer’s Hat will extend far beyond the walls of “The Magic of Disney Animation” as the entire courtyard is reimagined into “The Walt Disney Studios,” taking inspiration from several buildings found in Burbank. This special nod to the legendary Walt Disney Studios Lot includes our version of the Studio Theater, which will continue to house “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure,” and over at the soundstage, you’ll find a fresh Disney Jr. show.
While exploring the studio grounds and courtyard area, families can take a break to play, relax, or snack on tasty treats under lush trees. We can't wait for you to experience this fantastical place in 2026."
This is one of those "smaller" projects happening at Walt Disney World that I absolutely cannot wait for. Animation Courtyard has been neglected for quite some time now, as besides the updated Little Mermaid show, there's virtually nothing to do in this corner of the park. Now, some fresh and nostalgic new magic is about to be added back in, and I am super excited.
As a reminder, both the Star Wars Launch Bay and Disney Junior Dance Party will permanently close on Thursday, September 25th, 2025. Your last day to experience both will be the day before on Wednesday, September 24th.
Farewell, Star Wars Launch Bay. You will not be missed :)
Saturday, September 27th
Calling all Walt Disney World Annual Passholders! We're ending the month back over at Disney's Animal Kingdom, where there's a new Passholder magnet for you to grab over in Discovery Island. This time, the character featured is Crush the sea turtle from the 2003 Disney and Pixar film, Finding Nemo. Here's a look at the magnet below!
The magnet depicts Crush on the right side of a light blue Walt Disney World “D" with bubbles floating around him. It's a super cute magnet that's definetly worth taking a trip to pick up. You can find it at the Discovery Trading Post.
Saturday, September 27th marks the final day to get your hands on Walt Disney World's newest Annual Passholder complimentary keepsake.
That’s all for now on everything happening this month in September 2025! I hope you found this article as entertaining as it was informative. After this month, we only have three more months of 2025 left to go, so continue to stay tuned for even more news to come. Thanks for reading everyone!
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