EPCOT Guests Walk Mile in Rain After Disney World Transportation Shutdown
A severe thunderstorm at Walt Disney World Resort on Sunday evening forced the closure of multiple transportation systems, leaving thousands of guests scrambling to find alternative routes back to their Disney Resort hotels.
Multiple Disney World Transportation Systems Down at Once
The storm’s impact rippled across Walt Disney World Resort, shutting down the Monorail system, Disney Skyliner gondolas, and watercraft transportation serving Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. With these primary transportation methods unavailable, every guest attempting to leave the parks was funneled toward the bus system, which is not designed to handle such concentrated demand.
Walt Disney World Resort does maintain reserve drivers for emergency situations, but the sheer volume of guests overwhelmed even these contingency measures. Bus lines stretched into the thousands at Magic Kingdom Park, while similar scenes unfolded at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT as the Disney Skyliner and boat services remained offline.
Walking a Mile at EPCOT
The situation proved particularly difficult for EPCOT guests, where the park’s layout created an additional obstacle. Transportation options at EPCOT are divided between two locations: the Disney Skyliner and boat services operate from International Gateway at the back of the park, while buses depart from the main entrance, located more than a mile away, via World Showcase and World Celebration.
Instagram user @magicwiththeabascals documented the frustrating experience of trying to reach Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort after standing in the downpour for over ninety minutes. In a video posted Sunday, the account criticized Walt Disney World Resort:
@waltdisneyworld @disneyparks you need to do better. We have been standing at Epcot for an hour waiting for a bus. Little kids waiting to get to the resort. We pay the money for your resorts and this is the treatment we are getting. #waltdisneyworld #disaster #nodisneymagic #transportation #disneytransportation #waiting #fyp
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When the Disney Skyliner closes due to weather, guests staying at resorts served by that system must trek the entire distance from International Gateway to the front entrance bus depot—a significant walk under normal circumstances, but particularly grueling in heavy rain with tired families.
Guest Reactions and Alternative Solutions
Social media comments revealed a divide among guests about how to handle the transportation crisis. Some suggested rideshare services as the obvious solution.
“Just take an uber lol,” @berolo8 commented. “Waiting endlessly in the rain.”
“This happened to us,” @heather.taylor.harper wrote. “We called an uber! 🙌 totally worth the $20.”
However, other commenters shared similar stories of extended waits for Walt Disney World Resort transportation.
“12/4 it took us an hour and a half to go from epcot back to pop century!” said @jaimiebean31. “It was insane, usually the skyliner is quick but not this time! Super hard at the end of the night and after 5 back to back days from open to close. My kids were literally crying just wanting to go lay down!”
@jen_in_real_life reported a similar experience:
“We went through the same thing yesterday. 2 buses. We waited 40 mins at around 430. Ridiculous.”
Resolution Timeline
The exact duration of the transportation disruption remains unconfirmed. However, multiple guests at Magic Kingdom Park reported that third-party charter buses eventually supplemented the regular Disney fleet to help clear the backlog of waiting passengers. Walt Disney World Resort has not issued a public statement regarding the transportation challenges on Sunday. As of the publication of this article, all transportation systems across the Central Florida vacation destination have returned to normal operations.
Has transportation ever been an issue during your Walt Disney World Resort vacation? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments!
