A normal trip to EPCOT became anything but normal for a group of Walt Disney World guests after severe weather reportedly caused a major problem with the Monorail System.
Guests were traveling toward EPCOT on September 8 when lightning reportedly knocked out power, bringing their monorail trip to an unexpected stop. What could have been a brief delay instead stretched to nearly two hours.
As passengers waited, the situation inside the train became uncomfortable enough that guests were instructed to remove windows to allow more air into the monorail.
TikTok user Tanya documented the experience in multiple videos, giving Disney fans a look at what happened both during and after the lengthy delay.
TikTok Shows Windows Being Removed From Disney Monorail
The first TikTok takes viewers directly inside the stranded monorail.
In the video, passengers can be seen dealing with one of the windows while text explains that they were taking windows out of a monorail that had become stuck while heading toward EPCOT.
The TikTok user also explained that lightning had knocked out power.
@soaringwithtanya 9/8/26 Lightning knocked out the power somewhere so here we are stuck on a monorail. Disney is full of adventures! Been coming here since a kid and this is a first! #disney #disneyworld #waltdisneyworld ♬ original sound – Tanya🦅❌🐝
It’s a sight most Walt Disney World guests will never encounter.
Riding the monorail is usually one of the easiest ways to travel between the Transportation and Ticket Center and EPCOT. Guests board expecting a relatively quick trip before arriving at the park.
This time, passengers found themselves unable to continue their journey.
As the delay continued, guests reportedly spent nearly two hours aboard the train. With the monorail unable to move normally, removing the windows became a way to provide additional ventilation while everyone waited.
For guests inside, the delay could have thrown an entire EPCOT day off schedule.
Dining reservations, Lightning Lane plans, and other scheduled experiences can make timing important during a Disney World vacation. Losing close to two hours before even reaching the park could force visitors to rethink those plans.
Guests Received $50 After Getting Off
A second TikTok shared another part of the story: what happened after passengers finally escaped their unexpected monorail delay.
According to the guest, Disney provided a $50 gift card after they were able to get off the train.
@coastinwdan Wow so much fun #monorail #disneyworld #waltdisneyworld #disney #florida ♬ Star Tunnel (From Disney’s Space Mountain) – C13
While $50 couldn’t return nearly two hours of lost vacation time, it provided some compensation after an extremely unusual experience.
The incident also shows just how quickly Central Florida weather can affect a Disney World vacation.
Lightning and thunderstorms can cause temporary closures and operational changes around the resort. Outdoor rides regularly stop operating when lightning gets too close, and transportation can also face weather-related interruptions.
Still, sitting inside a stranded monorail for close to two hours goes well beyond the kind of weather delay most guests expect.
The EPCOT monorail is normally part of the fun. Its route even gives passengers a view inside EPCOT before the train reaches the station.
For this group, however, the journey became an unexpected event of its own.
They boarded expecting transportation to EPCOT. Instead, they reportedly encountered a lightning-related power outage, an extended wait, and instructions to remove windows from the train.
By the time everyone finally got off and received the reported $50 gift card, a simple monorail ride had turned into a Disney World experience they probably never imagined having.
