Disney World suffered a mass outage throughout the resort, bringing vacations to a halt and leaving guests without anything to do. Here’s what went down.
Disney World Resort Suffers Power Outage: Guests Left Stranded
Rain at Disney World isn’t unusual. Guests expect the skies to open up and outdoor rides to close. What they don’t expect? Beloved indoor attractions suddenly going offline with little warning.
That’s exactly what unfolded on September 23 across Walt Disney World. As lightning lit up the skies and storms rolled through Central Florida, guests began noticing a bigger issue—headliners that usually power through bad weather were suddenly listed as unavailable.
This wasn’t just another rainy night at the parks. What unfolded appeared to be another resort-wide power surge, the kind of problem that can take entire sections of Disney offline in seconds. For thousands of visitors who had been lining up for some of the resort’s biggest rides, the experience quickly shifted from magical to frustrating.
Which Rides Went Down Tonight?
The issues began around 7:20 p.m. on September 23, 2025, and spread quickly.
Huge power outage at Hollywood Studios tonight. Lightning in the area effecting things big time. Only 3 rides currently operating. – @Dr_GrantSeeker on X
Huge power outage at Hollywood Studios tonight. Lightning in the area effecting things big time. Only 3 rides currently operating. pic.twitter.com/QGV1Ix9uAq
— Dr. Grant Seeker (@Dr_GrantSeeker) September 23, 2025
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, multiple major rides shut down almost back-to-back, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. These are attractions that normally continue running even in stormy conditions.
Magic Kingdom also saw trouble, with Space Mountain and TRON Lightcycle Run among the affected headliners. EPCOT fans were disappointed as both The Seas with Nemo & Friends and Journey into Imagination with Figment went offline.
There was definetly a power surge. Multiple screens were broken and ALL of the lights in the aquarium were off. Some of the work lights in SeaBase were on and Turtle Talk is down. – @ThatDisneyBoi on X
There was definetly a power surge. Multiple screens were broken and ALL of the lights in the aquarium were off. Some of the work lights in SeaBase were on and Turtle Talk is down. https://t.co/nV7jvCnzJ5 pic.twitter.com/uRz8ZgIoz2
— Ethan 💫 (@ThatDisneyBoi) September 23, 2025
Disney has not issued a formal explanation, but the situation mirrors the late August incident when a widespread power surge shut down more than 40 attractions across the property. Last night’s outages weren’t quite as severe, but they left a noticeable impact on guests.
What Guests Can Do When Disney Shuts Down
Ride closures at Disney can feel like a vacation-breaker, but there are smart ways to turn downtime into opportunity.
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Check the app constantly: The My Disney Experience app updates by the minute—rides sometimes reopen faster than expected.
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Pivot to entertainment: Stage shows, fireworks prep, character greetings, and shopping stay open even during big shutdowns.
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Understand Lightning Lane rules: If your Lightning Lane attraction closes, you’ll usually get an automatic pass that works at other rides.
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Stay flexible in line: Sometimes waiting pays off—being in line during a closure can earn you early access when the ride reopens.
Local Secrets for Handling Unexpected Closures
Frequent visitors know that storms and tech issues are part of Disney life—and they’ve got strategies to prove it.
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Scope out other parks: Animal Kingdom trails, EPCOT pavilions, or Hollywood Studios restaurants become crowd-friendly escapes.
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Use it as snack time: Seek out under-the-radar favorites like school bread in Norway or the pulled pork mac ‘n’ cheese at Flame Tree BBQ.
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Take photos while it’s quiet: When crowds thin out near closed rides, it’s the perfect time for rare shots without a sea of guests in the background.
Why Fans Are Paying Attention
For many Disney fans, reliability is part of the magic. You plan, you schedule, and you expect the attractions to run—even during Florida storms. Tonight’s closures rattled that expectation, with plenty of chatter spilling onto social media.
While this wasn’t the same large-scale meltdown seen in August, the repeat issue is sparking questions about infrastructure and how storms may be straining Disney’s power systems. For guests, it raises a bigger worry: could ride outages like this become more common in storm season?
Final Thoughts
Disney was able to get the outdoor attractions up and running once the storms passed, but indoor favorites took a little longer, depending on reset times and safety checks. The exact reopening timeline was unknown.
If you’re heading to Disney World in the coming weeks, build flexibility into your plans. Weather can always cause setbacks, but power surges add an extra layer of unpredictability. Download the app, have backups ready, and remember: sometimes the best Disney moments happen when your plans go off-script.
Because even if the rides pause, there’s still plenty of magic waiting around the corner.
