Disney World Fans Fear Echo Lake Could Be Drained After Gertie Damage Spotted
If you’ve ever spent time around Echo Lake at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you already know Gertie the Dinosaur isn’t just some random statue Disney tossed in for decoration.
She’s one of those park icons that feels like it’s been there forever… because she basically has.
For decades, guests have used Gertie as a landmark. She’s a meeting spot, a photo backdrop, and honestly one of the last remaining pieces of Hollywood Studios that still feels like the old Disney-MGM Studios days. Even if you don’t buy ice cream from her stand, you still notice her the second you walk into that area.
But lately, fans have started spotting something that doesn’t look great.
According to recent reports, Gertie has developed a very noticeable crack near the base of her tail, and it’s not the kind of small cosmetic flaw you’d expect Disney to ignore for long.
The crack has been described as a deep V-shape, and what’s even more concerning is that it appears to extend under the waterline. That immediately raises the question: is this just surface damage… or is it something more serious?
It’s easy to forget that Gertie has been sitting in the Florida heat, humidity, and storms since 1989. That’s a long time for any outdoor structure to hold up without wear and tear showing up eventually.
What made this damage stand out even more is the fact that recent cold weather caused vegetation to be removed or die back, making the area around Gertie easier to see. In other words, the crack might not be brand new—it may just be more visible now than it’s been in the past.
The good news is that the ice cream stand still appears to be operating normally. So at least for now, guests can still walk up, grab a snack, and enjoy the Echo Lake area without any closures.
Still, it’s hard not to wonder what Disney’s next step will be.
If the damage is deep enough, fixing it might require more than a simple patch job. Some fans have already speculated that Disney may even need to drain Echo Lake to fully repair the structure if the crack continues below the water.
And considering how much construction and change is already happening around Walt Disney World, seeing another classic park icon showing signs of aging definitely hits Disney fans a little differently.
Because when you think about Hollywood Studios, Gertie isn’t just “a dinosaur.”
She’s part of the park’s identity.
