Guests visiting Disney’s Contemporary Resort expect many things—sleek architecture, monorails gliding overhead, and smooth transportation between parks. What they don’t expect is to feel trapped on an escalator with nowhere to go.
That’s exactly what happened on Sunday night, when an escalator leading to the resort’s monorail platform backed up while still in motion, forcing an emergency shutdown and leaving riders shaken.
A guest who was riding the escalator at the time said the stairs kept moving even though the area at the top was already jammed. The escalator “backed up pushing us into the guests on top,” they explained, describing a moment where about ten people were squeezed together with no clear exit.
Seconds of Panic, Minutes of Confusion
As pressure built, riders scrambled to stop the escalator. People tried pressing what they believed was the emergency shutoff, but nothing happened at first. According to the guest, the button was pressed multiple times before anyone realized it wasn’t the right one.
Only after someone reached the correct emergency stop—located on the opposite side—did the escalator finally come to a halt. Those moments felt long for the people caught in the backup, especially with little balance room and more guests behind them.
When a Cast Member arrived, they told the group that the working emergency stop was on the other side of the escalator. While the explanation was factual, the timing rubbed some guests the wrong way after the stress they’d just experienced.
Crowds, Closed Monorails, and No Warnings
The backup didn’t happen in a vacuum. That night, only buses were running, and monorail service was unavailable. As a result, large crowds were gathering near the escalator leading to the platform. Guests boarding the escalator couldn’t see the congestion waiting at the top.
“If we’d known the trains were not even running, we would’ve never gone up,” the guest shared. They also noted there were no Cast Members controlling the flow or stopping guests from stepping onto the escalator despite the clear crowding above.
Without intervention at the base, the escalator kept loading—until the situation reached a breaking point.
What Happens After an Emergency Stop
Several commenters pointed out that once an emergency stop is activated, Disney maintenance teams must fully inspect and test the escalator before reopening it. That safety protocol often keeps escalators out of service longer than guests expect, but it’s part of ensuring nothing goes wrong once it restarts.
Guests encouraged those involved to report the incident directly to Disney’s Safety Services so it could be formally reviewed.
A Moment Guests Won’t Forget
While no physical injuries were reported, the scare left an emotional mark. The guest admitted the incident quickly became their most memorable moment of the trip, joking that it would always be remembered as the night “we almost died on the escalator.”
Since then, they say they’ve become far more cautious around escalators at Disney, purposely leaving extra space just in case.
Disney has not made an official comment on the situation. But for guests who were there, the emergency shutdown was enough to turn a routine walk into a moment they’ll never forget.
