Want to Ride These Disney Attractions? Better Get Lucky.
It’s all fun and fireworks until you’ve waited 90 minutes for a ride, only to hear that dreaded “temporarily closed” announcement. Some Disney attractions are smooth sailing, but others? They tend to tap out more often than they should. Here’s a park-by-park breakdown of rides that just can’t seem to catch a break.
Magic Kingdom: The Breakdown of Nostalgia
PeopleMover – It’s a chill ride through Tomorrowland—until it stops. You might be stuck inside Space Mountain in the dark for five minutes. Or twenty. This one loves a good nap.
Haunted Mansion – We get it. The ghosts do most of the work. But even spirits need tech support. Mansion breakdowns often happen in the attic or graveyard, and resets can take ages.
EPCOT: Advanced Technology, Frequent Downtime
Cosmic Rewind – It’s thrilling, it’s smooth, it’s synced to music—and it’s picky. If anything is even slightly off, this ride comes to a grinding halt. The coaster cars rotate and fly through screens, but only when everything is just right.
Test Track – Outdoor coasters in Florida? Brave. Test Track shuts down for weather faster than you can say “incoming storm.” And even without rain, tech resets are common.
Frozen Ever After – Elsa’s magic isn’t foolproof. Animatronic glitches and boats going out of sync often force this chilly ride into a time-out.
Spaceship Earth – This dark ride is as iconic as it is unreliable. Whether it’s the moving vehicles or projection timing, you’re likely to stop mid-ride at least once, usually during the descent.
Hollywood Studios: Thrills That Can Short-Circuit
Rise of the Resistance – The gold standard in breakdowns. Rise is incredible when it works, but that’s a big if. Multi-phase tech and finicky vehicles mean shutdowns are part of the daily routine.
Tower of Terror – Still a top-tier thrill ride—but it has its “off” days. Elevator glitches and mechanical resets can leave guests waiting longer than expected to drop in.
Toy Story Mania! – The fun stops when screens freeze or scoring software malfunctions. It’s usually a short wait, but it happens enough to be on this list.
A Little Planning Saves a Lot of Frustration
These rides are still worth doing, but know what you’re getting into. If they’re on your list, try first thing in the morning or late at night. And always keep an eye on the app. Because nothing kills Disney magic like a surprise breakdown after a 90-minute wait.
