Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park faced an unexpected crisis on Monday afternoon, as two of its iconic lands—Frontierland and portions of Liberty Square—were abruptly closed to guests. The closures left thousands of parkgoers stranded, leading to overcrowded pathways, long lines at other attractions, and general chaos throughout the original Central Florida Disney park.
Surprise Magic Kingdom Closures Trigger Guest Lockouts
Guests arriving at Frontierland were met with Disney cast members blocking access to the area, pointing to “technical difficulties” as the reason. However, the scene told a different story. A cleanup truck, similar to one used after a previous sewage issue, was spotted near the site. Custodial cast members wearing protective gear and wielding large mops further fueled speculation about what had gone wrong.
While unexpected ride breakdowns are common at Disney Parks, the closure of an entire land is a rarity, making Monday’s events particularly notable. Frontierland’s attractions, including Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, became inaccessible, leading to ripple effects across the park. Crowds surged into neighboring Adventureland and Fantasyland, creating bottlenecks and long wait times for attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Social Media Buzzes with Frustrated Guests
As news of the closures spread, frustrated Walt Disney World Resort guests took to social media to share their experiences. Redditor u/MoreBoobzPlz posted a photo of an overcrowded Adventureland, captioning it with the time and date to highlight the extent of the chaos:
Adventureland, WDW, 12/2/24, 1430.
Adventureland, WDW, 12/2/24, 1430.
byu/MoreBoobzPlz inDisneyWorld
The ripple effect didn’t stop with Frontierland. The shutdown extended partially into Liberty Square, with closures near Liberty Tree Tavern, though Haunted Mansion and The Hall of Presidents remained open. Additionally, the Festival of Fantasy Parade, which typically starts near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, was reportedly canceled due to the disruption.
On X (formerly Twitter), user @COWKID1 shared their photos from the incident, though they were reportedly discouraged from doing so by Walt Disney World Resort cast members:
Cast members asking guests to not take photo or video of the sewage leak that has closed Frontierland @WaltDisneyWorld. They have cancelled the parade, caused congestion and not offered any comps for all the troubles.
Cast members asking guests to not take photo or video of the sewage leak that has closed Frontierland @WaltDisneyWorld. They have cancelled the parade, caused congestion and not offered any comps for all the troubles. pic.twitter.com/uJpM261TxX
— Brad Connell (@COWKID1) December 2, 2024
What’s the busiest season you’ve experienced at Walt Disney World Resort? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!
The funniest part of this article is the first guest who went social media to comment on the issue… it was Reddit user “MoreBoobzPlz”