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Popular EPCOT Ride Suddenly Ceases Operations After Almost Four Years

Guests arriving at EPCOT on January 28 were met with unexpected disappointment when one of the park’s most popular attractions, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, never opened for the day. The sudden closure left many scrambling to adjust their plans, and Walt Disney World Resort issued an apology but offered little explanation for the ride’s extended downtime.

An Unwelcome Surprise for EPCOT Visitors

A large, spherical structure with a geodesic design, reminiscent of Spaceship Earth, stands prominently in the background, with several water fountains spraying upwards in the foreground. The image is set against a clear blue sky, and there are palm trees flanking the scene.
Credit: Disney

Since its opening in 2021, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure has been a must-visit attraction for EPCOT guests. The trackless dark ride, inspired by the Pixar classic Ratatouille (2007), regularly commands lengthy wait times and remains one of the most in-demand experiences in the World Showcase.

But on Tuesday, guests eager to start their day in the France Pavilion were met with an unfortunate surprise. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure was closed from park open to park close—with no prior warning. Cast Members stationed outside the attraction informed guests that technical issues had rendered the ride inoperable and that they could not provide an estimated reopening time.

Crowds Surge at Other EPCOT Attractions

The unexpected loss of a major ride caused a ripple effect across EPCOT, leading to surging wait times at other attractions. Soarin’ Around the World, Frozen Ever After, and other attractions saw increased demand as guests scrambled to fill the gap left by Remy’s closure.

The My Disney Experience mobile app screenshot displays Epcot attractions' wait times, including "Royal Sommerhus" (35 mins) and "Meet Beloved Disney Pals at Mickey & Friends" (40 mins). While "Frozen Ever After" is 60 mins, and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure is temporarily closed.
Credit: Screenshot via the My Disney Experience app

The situation was further complicated by the ongoing closure of Test Track, which is currently undergoing a lengthy refurbishment. With fewer high-capacity attractions available, EPCOT guests were left with limited options.

Some  Disney Park guests held out hope that the ride would reopen later in the day, lingering around the entrance in case operations resumed. But as the day progressed, it became clear that Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure would remain closed for the entire operating day.

Disney Issues a Formal Apology

By mid-afternoon, EPCOT Vice President Kartika S. Rodriguez issued a statement to Walt Disney World Resort guests through the My Disney Experience app, formally apologizing for the closure.

A mobile screen displays a notification from Disney World, apologizing for the temporary unavailability of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. The message was sent by Kartika S Rodriguez, Vice President of EPCOT.
Credit: Screenshot via the My Disney Experience app

“Pardon the Inconvenience,” the notification read.

“On behalf of the entire team at EPCOT, I’d like to apologize that Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is currently unavailable,” Rodriguez wrote. “Our Cast Members are working diligently to get the attraction up and running again, and we are sorry you are not able to experience this attraction at this time. I hope you will enjoy some of our other attractions during your experience in the park today.”

While attraction breakdowns are common at Walt Disney World Resort, a ride being out of service for an entire day—with a formal apology from park leadership—is unusual.

No Explanation for the Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Closure

A smartphone screen displays the Disney app, showing wait times for EPCOT rides such as Mission: SPACE (15 min) and Soarin' Around the World (35 min). Meanwhile, a message indicates that Remy's Ratatouille Adventure is temporarily closed.
Credit: Screenshot via the My Disney Experience app

By 7:30 p.m., wait times for other EPCOT attractions remained elevated, with many Walt Disney World Resort guests still feeling the effects of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure’s absence. The ride remained closed from 8:30 a.m. early entry until EPCOT’s 9:00 p.m. closing time, leaving families wondering what could have caused such an extended outage.

Despite the unexpected closure, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure quietly reopened the following morning on January 29. Walt Disney World Resort has not provided an official explanation for the sudden and prolonged downtime.

Have you missed out on a Walt Disney World Resort ride because of a breakdown? Let Disney Dining know in the comments. 

Jess Colopy

Jess Colopy is a Disney College Program alum and kid-at-heart. When she’s not furiously typing in a coffee shop, you can find her on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin.

2 Comments

  1. Been to Epcot twice both times Remy was shut down. Going in November thinking might try but have read bad reviews

  2. We were at Epcot on the 28th and did not have time to return to use our LL for Remy. It was our first visit so we were pretty bummed we didn’t get to ride Remy’s.

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