CONFIRMED! Splash Mountain REFURB: August 28 - November 16, 2017

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't know if it is for a specific year but maybe just an annual average type look. im sure on a yearly basis actual number change but the general idea is the fall period is less crowded than summer. Of course Jan-March might have been more ideal but they are trying to affect the least amount of guests possible.

Ok thank you!

This could just be me but a mid-April to early June (especially the steady and lower crowds for the period of late April-mid May) would also seem like a good period (though that's not as long as the refurb is rumored to take) temps are also probably better and is interesting considering this is during the Flower and Garden Festival time period; attendance jumps for Memorial Day but is just a smidge more than the highest crowd point in the box highlighted.

Realize that I'm not meaning they should shift a refurb at all to April/May just making observations based on the graph.

Disney seems to be trending towards starting their events earlier and keeping them going for longer. Last year MNSSHP ran from September 2nd-October 31st; speculation (of course not concrete) is due to MK closing times at the current time a late August start date could be for this year's MNSSHP. This year Food & Wine will be going from August 31st-November 13th (considered a record). No one can change anything here for sure just making some observations.

 

[mbrown2097]

Just returned and can report that there are several things in Splash that are not working. It needs a little work IMO.

 

[czmom]

We will be there Nov 11-18. Will the closing of Splash make btmrr more crowded? My kids love to head to big thunder at rope drop and ride multiple times before the crowd.

 

[ThornXBL]

Just returned and can report that there are several things in Splash that are not working. It needs a little work IMO.

As sad as I am that my favorite ride will be down during our big trip this September (the first and perhaps only time I'll be able to get this group of 6 child-less couples to go together, lol), I do really want them to refurb as needed to keep it in peak working order. It wouldn't be my favorite attraction if it was having issues all the time.

 

[mamamelody2]

We are going November 12-19. I sure hope they are actually finished when they say they are, so we can get on it during one of our last days!

 

[maxiesmom]

Has this been confirmed or is it still speculation???

 

[LoveMMC]

That means we get one day to ride it. My son should be tall enough this trip. Do they ever start earlier than announced?

 

[rteetz]

Has this been confirmed or is it still speculation???

Disney has not updated their calendars yet to reflect this, so there is a chance still it might not happen but it's pretty certain as of right now.

 

[dillydally13]

Noooooooooo!

 

[Kindermouse]

I was at Disneyland last October, and yep, Splash Mountain was down. So we are planning an October WDW visit, and Splash Mountain will be down again?? Thanks for nothing.

I was also in DL last October and when I was there all of critter country was closed along with the 1,000,000 other Starwarsland construction closures and no night parade, and no fireworks unless you attended a Halloween party. When I started planning this Octobers trip -which costs about 3 times as much as trip to DL for us- a friend asked why I didn't do another DL trip for a fraction of the cost and half the headache in planning and I told her-yeah at least I can trust WDW not to plan a bunch of untimely ride closures during the busy Halloween party season, I dont want to do another trip with my favorite rides down............................................

Welp-they got me again

Luckily I went on splash last March but this refurb means that I will have at least a 2 year (probably closer to 3 years) gap between rides and our 1 and only trip to WDW and our 1 and only chance to ride the other splash has been foiled.

 

[Dis_Fan]

There is a list of rides in preparation for the 50th.

It's a bummer about splash probably being closed during our trip, but at least we have time to mentally prepare.

Just curious though, since you mentioned you don't work for Disney, how did you get the list if Disney hasn't officially announced anything, especially since your "source" must know it would be leaked on the Dis? Is it from someone in Disney management?

 

[rteetz]

It's a bummer about splash probably being closed during our trip, but at least we have time to mentally prepare.

Just curious though, since you mentioned you don't work for Disney, how did you get the list if Disney hasn't officially announced anything, especially since your "source" must know it would be leaked on the Dis? Is it from someone in Disney management?

It's not an official list but a list of possibilities.

 

[Dis_Fan]

It's not an official list but a list of possibilities.

So it's a top secret source then - I figured as much, but had to try. I am glad the Dis gives us insider info / possibilities, so no complaints here.

 

[rteetz]

So it's a top secret source then - I figured as much, but had to try. I am glad the Dis gives us insider info / possibilities, so no complaints here.

Not exactly top secret but it's definitely born set in stone so things can very well change.

 

[FelisLachesis]

Definitely at least 3!

In September we had 3 Anytime FPs thanks to a Contemp mix-up. Rode 3 consecutive times: was so much fun, were totally soaked, and the guests in Standby that we passed 3 times weren't as happy as we were for some reason.

You remind me of my two oldest kids at another theme park, which I won't name (but they have something called Fast Lane, opposed to Fast Pass). This Fast Lane allows someone to get into any Fast Lane ride, at anytime, for one day. Think like an unlimited Fast Pass. It does cost money, though, usually the price of admission over again. Anyway, my two kids rode the same roller coaster 14 times in a row! They ran out the exit, ran back to the Fast Lane entrance, got back on the ride, swirling for about 2 hours.

After the 5th time, they noticed one of the kids in standby, and his face kept getting a bigger and bigger scowl every time my kids ran past

 

[Davey Jones II]

Would it occur to you that maybe guests are least affected during this period? You have schools going back in session at the end of August and September. So those become relatively down times. Periods in October and November are also down times. They aren't taking this down in June and July for example.

So they didn't pick the absolute WORST time to do the refurb. That doesn't mean they picked a good time at all.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I'm sorry but that's laughable.

The parks division has been in cost cutting mode ever since Chapek took over. This is more of the same. By having a loooong refurb, they can keep the ride just sitting there doing nothing when it's supposed to be on "refurb". Yeah they'll fix it, but by taking much longer than needed, they save money on CMs while the ride is shuttered. They've done the same thing at DLR in the past, many Disney insiders reported on that on other boards.

After Chapek took control of the parks division, there were a lot of mysterious refurbs and closures, slashed hours, less parades, etc. A nearly three month refurb to fix a few effects and broken AAs? Come on, now. Before Chapek, almost every refurb I've ever heard of, with the exception of those which were actually plussing the attraction, were much faster than that.

They're still playing games to save money.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

As far as major rides in the same park, I went to Disneyland in Feb of 2015 as they geared up for the 60th anniversary. The following was closed.
Disneyland Park
The castle was under a tarp which was not only ugly... it impacted traffic flow to Fantasyland. This was done with about two weeks notice to guests.
Railroad
Peter Pan
Matterhorn
ALL of Critter Country was walled off past Haunted mansion. This closed:
Canoes
Splash
Winnie the Pooh
Hungry Bear Restaurant

CA Adventure
Soarin'
Luigi's flying Tires
The lagoon was empty- so no World of Color and it was pretty ugly
Ariel's Grotto (Princess Dining spot for DL Resort)
All of the Grizzly Peak area was walled off from the hub area to the entrance to the Grand. This greatly impacted traffic flow and closed:
Soarin
Redwood Creek challenge trail
Grizzly River Run

So.... there is definitely history of Disney closing multiple "big rides" as they gear up for anniversaries. Has we gone a week earlier- all the above was closed plus Small World. It was "off season" but the multiple closures- especially of whole lands- made it feel like summer crowd wise.

Ha! We were at Disneyland in Feb. 2015 because I had a business trip to California so we took advantage of it to spend a weekend at DL. Seemed like EVERYTHING was closed.

But this news makes me sad/angry. We'll be at Disney early November and this is my daughter's (and one of my) favorite rides. We depart Nov. 12 so I'll hold out hope for an early opening from the refurb.

 

[stinkpickle]

We will be there Nov 11-18. Will the closing of Splash make btmrr more crowded? My kids love to head to big thunder at rope drop and ride multiple times before the crowd.

I'd guess that BTMRR should still be fine at rope drop. November weather is typically cool enough in the mornings that rope droppers don't necessarily flock to Splash Mtn first thing.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Anyone who is upset about this, I urge you to go on WDW's website and complain there. You can write comments under "Contact us". There's nothing wrong with venting on these forums, but complaining directly do Disney is more likely to get a reaction, and possibly even a change.