A calm morning at Walt Disney World quickly took a surprising turn when Monorail Silver came to an abrupt stop near Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. What started as a routine run suddenly shifted into an emergency response as smoke began rising from between two of the monorail’s cabins. Guests nearby immediately noticed the sharp scent of burning electrical components, a sign that something within the system had overheated.
The train stalled on the beam just before 9:30 a.m., and first responders arrived quickly. Firefighters extinguished the issue within minutes, but the situation still required a full evacuation. Because of the train’s elevated position, the evacuation process had to be done slowly and carefully. Crews used specialized equipment, guiding guests down in small groups until the train was fully cleared. Reports show that emergency teams were removing people “a few at a time,” which is standard procedure for an overhead beam evacuation.
Evacuation of the monorail outside of GF, 9:40 AM on 11/23
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Even though the situation looked intense, early reports indicated that no guests were injured. Still, the impact on resort transportation was significant. Once the incident was contained, Disney shut down both the Resort Line and the Express Line so crews could inspect the track and train. The walking path between the Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom was also closed temporarily, contributing to longer-than-usual lines at boats, buses, and ferries.
While the cause appears to be an electrical malfunction, Disney has not yet issued an official statement. The monorail system will remain paused until inspections are complete. Moments like this highlight just how essential—and complex—the monorail network is to keeping guests moving around the resort efficiently.
For anyone visiting today, Disney recommends using alternate transportation to reach Magic Kingdom and EPCOT until the monorail system reopens. The resort is known for restoring service quickly, but safety remains the priority after an incident like this.
