Summary
After a closure spanning over six months, one of the most popular rides atWalt Disney World’s Hollywood Studiospark - the Rock n' Rollercoaster - is once again welcoming guests. This reopening is four weeks ahead of Disney’s estimated opening date and comes just in time for the busiest season at the parks.
Typically,Disneywill briefly shutter an attraction to touch up paint and run tests on the technology for a couple of weeks to ensure that everything is in top condition and ready to handle thousands of guests daily. While these closures normally last anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks, the more advanced attractions can be down for whole seasons.
This was the case for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. After beginning renovations on May 27, 2025, the thrilling launch coaster was set to reopen in late July, according to the original announcement on the Walt Disney World website. Thankfully, on June 04, 2025, the ride was operationalnearly a month ahead of schedule.
The Rock n' Roller Coaster’s Re-Opening is Well-Timed
The early reopening precedes the busiest months at the Orlando parks,allowing guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studiosto enjoy more throughout their day. The Vekoma-manufactured coaster is one of its headline attractions, with a capacity of approximately 1,800 riders per hour. This makes a massive difference in crowd distribution, giving visitors another reason to spend time in the Sunset Boulevard area of the park.
Disney’s roller coasters are normally closed annually for track maintenance and computer work rather than re-theming. This is due to the millions of people riding these attractions annually, putting a strain on the ride systems and technology. Annual maintenance is required to ensure the best and safest experience for guests. The refurbishment also debunks the endless rumors regarding a potential retheming of the coaster. Extended closures have always been a source of scrutiny among theme park enthusiasts, butDisneyhas yet to announce a reimagining for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith faced lengthy downtime due in part to a lack of scheduled maintenance between the 2020 shutdown and 2023. In 2023, the beloved thrill ride got its first full refurbishment after three years, also taking approximately six months. It seems these long closures may be the new normal for the ride, as the 2024 refurbishments have been some of the longest in the history of the attraction. While nothing has technically changed about the ride system, behind-the-scenes work will keep the coaster running smoothly until its next scheduled closure.
