The End of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy

 

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened in 2019. Disney has announced that it will soon close. The final day will be Monday, October 7.

It’s always sad when an attraction closes, but let’s face it. Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy was never must-do for most guests. A lot of people had no idea that it was even there! There’s a decent animatronic and some cool picture opportunities outside, but missing Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy will not put a damper on someone’s Walt Disney World Vacation.

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy just didn’t catch on. I never had to wait to get in, and when I went there were plenty of empty seats in the theater. Granted, I don’t usually hit the attractions on the busiest days of the year, so your experience may have been different.

I think that part of the problem with Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is the location. It’s hidden back behind Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. If you aren’t looking for the attraction, you probably would not venture back that far. The recent Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster refurbishment didn’t help, I’m sure. Without the E-ticket attraction in operation, people just skipped that area.

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy will be replaced by a new live production, featuring some of your favorite villains. It sounds promising. The idea is to get people excited about the Villains Land that is planned for the Magic Kingdom. The new show will open next summer.

There are also two Cars attractions coming to Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom. (There have been mixed reactions to this announcement.) I guess that when the Cars attractions were revealed, Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy was already on the way out.

I’m sure that the new villains show will be spectacular. Disney goes all out when it comes to live performances. Until then, I’ll have to make a point of becoming a Junior Racer in Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy one more time. I’m strangely going to miss the experience, even though I didn’t visit it often.