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Disneyland Will Close Much Of 'Frontierland' To Make Room For 'Star Wars Land'
You've only got a couple weeks left to pet some animals and jam out to some banjo at Disneyland before construction begins on the park's upcoming 'Star Wars Land.'
As we reported in September, Disneyland will start construction on a new 'Star Wars Land', which means that several of the park's attractions will be closed—some of them for good.
According to the L.A. Times, Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland, Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue, Big Thunder Ranch petting zoo and the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree will be closed for-ev-er starting Jan. 10. Don't worry—Big Thunder Railroad, the best roller coaster at Disneyland— will remain open.
The attractions closing temporarily are Fantasmic, the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Sailing Ship Columbia, the Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, the Disneyland Railroad and the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes. High school English teachers, you can breathe easy.
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The closed attractions make up 14% of the park's attractions, in an area that represents nearly a quarter of the park's 85 acres. Disney CEO Bob Iger said in August that the 14-acre expansion would be the largest Disneyland has ever seen. According to the Times, a completion date has yet to be announced, but experts estimate it could be over a year away. Until then, Tomorrowland has already turned into a temporary Star Wars-themed attraction called "Season of the Force," which includes several features related to Star Wars: The Force Awakens—Space Mountain is now "Hyperspace Mountain" and the Star Tours ride includes clips from the new movie.
The news comes shortly after Disneyland announced the price for their annual passes would increase to over $1,000. If you just bought or renewed passes, hopefully the accoutrements of Big Thunder Ranch weren't high up on your must-see list.
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