Disney Forces Radical Park Alterations As “Project New Magic” Shuts Down Classic Rides

This Disneyland park will soon gut its classic attractions to enhance the guest experience and refresh the old rides across the resort.

Guests need to prepare in advance, as Project “New Magic” is about to begin.

The End of the Classic Disneyland Paris?

Disneyland Paris is preparing to tear into one of its most recognizable attractions as part of a newly revealed effort to refresh aging experiences across the European resort. Disneyland Paris Space Mountain, currently operating as Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, will close at the end of 2027 for a months-long transformation, returning with a new interpretation of its original De la Terre à la Lune identity.

[News] A program called “New Magic” has been launched to improve Disneyland Paris! #DisneylandParishas officially introduced its “New Magic” initiative. Rather than only developing new projects, the program focuses on: Refreshing classic attractions Improving the guest experience The first projects of the program are already underway, including: New scenery along Rivers of the Far West, based on Marc Davis’ original designs. Castle Bridge refurbishment? The return of Space Mountain De la Terre à la Lune, which will be a major milestone for the program, combining extensive technical work, restored original elements, enhanced theming, new effects & improvements to the queue. #Disneyland Paris confirms that several other projects are already at different stages of development & will be revealed progressively! Could we hope for the return of the Pirate Galleon, the Floating bridge, the Legends of the Wild West, Railroad Stations, etc.? Driven by Walt Disney Imagineering Paris, the initiative could therefore mark a broader strategy to restore, modernize & enhance some of the resort’s classic experiences, with more projects still to come. With the arrival of a new president at #DLP, could a new strategy be taking shape?

– @DLPWorks on X

[News] ⚠️🚨 A program called “New Magic” has been launched to improve Disneyland Paris!

➡️ #DisneylandParis has officially introduced its “New Magic” initiative. Rather than only developing new projects, the program focuses on:
➖ Refreshing classic attractions
➖ Improving the… pic.twitter.com/P0ZsgMDdf4

— DLP Works (@DLPWorks) August 20, 2026

Disney has now placed that project under a broader initiative called “New Magic,” which focuses on improving the guest experience and refreshing classic attractions rather than concentrating exclusively on expansion. For guests, however, the strategy could mean something less magical in the short term: significant refurbishment projects and prolonged attraction downtime as Disneyland Paris works through its existing portfolio.

Disneyland Paris Space Mountain Is Heading for a Major Shutdown

Disneyland Paris officially announced the Space Mountain project on August 16, confirming that Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain will close at the end of 2027 for a refurbishment lasting several months.

The work goes considerably further than swapping Star Wars imagery for the attraction’s previous identity. Walt Disney Imagineering Paris is developing a refreshed interpretation of the 1995 experience, complete with extensive technical and maintenance work, redesigned indoor scenery and props, an enhanced queue, restored elements, and new effects.

Steve Bramson’s original score will also return in remastered form. Guests will once again be able to watch coaster trains from the redesigned queue, while Disney says more than three decades of technical improvements will remain incorporated into the attraction.

That makes the eventual end of Hyperspace Mountain a genuine overhaul rather than a simple rollback.

The project follows years of change at Disneyland Paris, including the transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park into Disney Adventure World earlier this year.

“New Magic” Expands the Refurbishment Strategy

Disney says the Space Mountain transformation will represent a major milestone for its recently launched “New Magic” initiative.

According to the resort, the program is designed to improve guest experiences while refreshing classic attractions for future generations. Walt Disney Imagineering Paris is driving the projects, and several additional initiatives are already at different stages of development, although Disney has not identified them.

One example is already visible in Frontierland. New scenery inspired by original designs from Disney Legend Marc Davis has been added along the Rivers of the Far West, a project Disney previously previewed among its 2026 additions.

What comes next remains unknown.

DLP Works, which highlighted the New Magic announcement on social media, raised possibilities including the Pirate Galleon, floating bridge, Legends of the Wild West, and railroad stations. Those suggestions have not been announced by Disneyland Paris and should be treated as speculation unless Disney identifies them as future New Magic projects.

Major Closures Are Already Hitting Disneyland Paris

Space Mountain isn’t the only major attraction facing lengthy downtime.

Disney has confirmed that Crush’s Coaster at Disney Adventure World will temporarily close beginning September 7, 2026, for its most extensive technical refurbishment since opening in 2007. The attraction is expected to remain unavailable until summer 2027.

The roughly 10-month project includes replacement of control systems, sensors, communication equipment, and selected track sections, followed by extensive testing. Scenic elements will also be cleaned, repainted, and repaired.

Inside the Magic previously covered the prolonged Crush’s Coaster closure, which removes a significant attraction from Disney Adventure World for much of the coming year.

Combined with the eventual Disneyland Paris Space Mountain shutdown, the resort is clearly willing to accept substantial periods of attraction unavailability to complete long-term modernization work.

Guests May Have to Navigate Construction Before Seeing the Payoff

That creates a complicated tradeoff for vacationers.

Disneyland Paris has just completed one of the most visible transformations in its history. Disney Adventure World officially debuted on March 29, alongside World of Frozen, Adventure Way, and Adventure Bay. Inside the Magic covered the opening of the reimagined second park before its debut and the enormous opening-day demand for World of Frozen.

Yet construction remains part of the Disneyland Paris experience.

Disney Adventure World still has additional development ahead, including a future Lion King-inspired area. Meanwhile, existing attractions are receiving unusually extensive technical attention.

For guests planning expensive international trips, attraction availability could therefore become an increasingly important part of choosing travel dates.

A New President Takes Over During Disneyland Paris’s Next Transformation

The timing is also notable because Disneyland Paris has new leadership.

Christophe Murphy officially became President of Disneyland Paris on July 6, succeeding Natacha Rafalski. Disney said Murphy previously oversaw operational strategy surrounding the inauguration of Disney Adventure World and World of Frozen. Inside the Magic previously examined the Disneyland Paris leadership transition.

His appointment does not establish that New Magic represents a change in strategy created by Murphy. Disney has made no such claim.

What is confirmed is that Murphy now leads the resort while Walt Disney Imagineering Paris advances another phase of development focused not only on building new experiences, but preserving and reworking existing ones.

Space Mountain provides the clearest example yet.

Disney has not announced exactly when Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain will close beyond the end of 2027, how many months the refurbishment will last, or which classic attraction will become the next New Magic project. Those unanswered questions will determine just how disruptive Disneyland Paris’s refurbishment era becomes before guests see its full payoff.