Splash Mountain closing for normal refurbishment in January 2022

Splash Mountain will be closing at the Magic Kingdom for a month for routine maintenance in early 2022.

The attraction will be closed from Jan. 10 through Feb. 20, 2022. Disney World normally closes its water rides in the winter months for refurbishment due to the cooler weather. It has closed the ride in January the previous few years for maintenance.

Disneyland’s version in Anaheim will also be closed for routine maintenance around the same time.

Much anticipation is taking place for the retheming of the attraction to the “The Princess and the Frog.” The ride will pick up the story after the final kiss and guests join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.

The change comes as fans have pressured Disney to retheme Splash Mountain. The current story is based on the controversial “Song of the South” film released by Disney in 1946. The movie, which includes racist depictions, was re-released in theaters over the years and was played on television, but was never released on home video. It will also never appear on Disney’s streaming service Disney+, Disney has announced in the past.

Disney still appears to be in the development stage for the retheming and has said “it’s going to take a bit of time” until physical work on the attraction begins.