Chaos at Magic Kingdom: Multiple Rides Shut Down Simultaneously, Guests Stunned
Taking a trip to Walt Disney World Resort has never been more expensive. With theme park tickets starting at $119 per day, plus the added cost of the Lightning Lane Multi Pass, it’s no surprise that guests want to make the most out of every minute at the parks.
But even the slightest issue can throw a wrench in the plans of those hoping for a flawless Disney experience. Unfortunately, what happened at Magic Kingdom on February 10 was much more than a minor inconvenience.
Related: Ignoring Walt’s Vision: The Fatal Flaw With Disney’s Magic Kingdom Expansion
Massive Power Outage Causes Major Ride Closures
At around 6 p.m. on February 10, Magic Kingdom experienced a significant power outage, causing most of the rides and attractions to shut down. The outage impacted thousands of guests, leaving them with two options: either leave the park or wait in the hopes that the rides would come back online.
As a result of the outage, the following attractions temporarily closed:
- The Barnstormer
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- “it’s a small world”
- Mad Tea Party
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
Related: Classic Magic Kingdom Attraction Will Be Shutdown This Spring
Limited Attractions Still Open After the Outage
While the power outage caused chaos for many, there were a few attractions that remained unaffected. These rides continued to operate while the rest of the park grappled with the technical difficulties:
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Haunted Mansion
- Jungle Cruise
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- TRON Lightcycle Run
Related: Disney Fans Are Divided Over Age-Old Argument Inside of Magic Kingdom
Ride Wait Times Soar as Guests Struggle to Make the Most of Their Day
With so many rides down, the few that remained open saw wait times skyrocket. Since guests weren’t allowed to join new queues for the closed attractions, many who were already in line simply had to wait to see if the rides would reopen. As the night went on, frustration began to mount as the park prepared to close at 10 p.m.
At 8:30 p.m., several of the rides remained shut down, and guests who had hoped for a magical end to their day were left disappointed. But hope wasn’t entirely lost.
Thankfully, there was an After-Hours party scheduled at Magic Kingdom that night. For those who were able to stick around, the event began at 10 p.m. and ran until 1 a.m., giving guests another chance to experience the magic after the park’s official closure. Fortunately, by the time the After-Hours event kicked off, many of the rides that had been closed due to the outage were back up and operational.
Were Guests Compensated for the Outage?
As of now, it is unclear whether any refunds were issued for park tickets or Lightning Lane passes due to the outage. Disney has not released an official statement regarding compensation for guests impacted by the temporary closure of so many rides.
If you’ve visited a Disney park during a power outage, we’d love to hear about your experience! How long did the outage last? What was your experience like? Share your story in the comments below!
