Why is a Disney ride temporarily closed?

Some rides tend to go down more than others, but you also have to consider ride closures associated with bad weather — basically, all outdoor rides are shut down in that case. Sometimes, rides just have technical issues that will result in a closure, but whatever the case, it can upend your plans for the day.



A Disney ride can be "temporarily closed" for three primary reasons: unscheduled maintenance, weather safety, or planned refurbishment. During the day, most closures are "downtimes" caused by a sensor being tripped—Disney's safety systems are incredibly sensitive, and something as small as a dropped hat on the track or a guest standing up too early can trigger a total system e-stop. These typically last 15 to 45 minutes. Outdoor rides like Big Thunder Mountain or Expedition Everest close immediately if lightning is detected within a certain radius of the park. Finally, longer-term "refurbishments" are scheduled months in advance for major overhauls; for example, in early 2026, Big Thunder Mountain at Magic Kingdom is undergoing a massive spring renovation. It is a peer-to-peer best practice to use the My Disney Experience or Disneyland app to check "Live" wait times; if a ride says "Temporarily Closed," it usually means a technical glitch, and it’s often worth staying in the area to be first in line when it reopens.

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In addition to scheduled attraction refurbs, unscheduled downtime can also occur during a visit. This usually only occurs for a few hours at a time, so if you find an attraction is closed during your visit to Disneyland Resort and it's not listed below, it's likely a temporary closure that will last a few hours.

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Guest Evacuation When a Ride Breaks Down In the rare case that a ride has to be evacuated, CMs will escort guests off the attraction to a safe exit. Sometimes these are exits that you might not even be aware of inside the attraction, and you'll see the attraction sometimes with full lighting and elements shut down.

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Some rides tend to go down more than others, but you also have to consider ride closures associated with bad weather — basically, all outdoor rides are shut down in that case. Sometimes, rides just have technical issues that will result in a closure, but whatever the case, it can upend your plans for the day.

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Do the rides shut down when it rains? Yes. They absolutely can. Attractions that are outdoors – like Slinky Dog Dash, Expedition Everest, Test Track, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, to name a few – will shut down, especially if there is nearby lightning.

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Regardless of the time the parks close, you will not be asked to leave any attraction as long as you are already in line. For example, if the park closes at 10pm, you will not be turned away from any queue as long as you are in line by 9:59pm.

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Disneyland's Splash Mountain has officially closed after more than 33 years at the California resort.

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When Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park closes and the evening party begins, discover plenty to see and do. Listen to live performances and celebrated curated tunes into the night. Ride select attractions throughout the night—usually with shorter wait times.

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Every Disney World Ride Closure in 2023
  • Mine Train!
  • Splash Mountain.
  • Merida meets at the Gazebo now.
  • Voyage of the Little Mermaid.
  • Blizzard Beach Water Park.


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You can't do everything at Disneyland in a single day, and you shouldn't feel pressure to. You can ride all the rides without much difficulty many days, but you'll miss out on some other attractions, entertainment, and characters. You'll want to know what your priorities are before you get to the park.

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Disney World rides are sometimes scheduled for closures that allow Disney's teams to go in and do some necessary refurbishment. Those are closures that are typically announced ahead of time which you can prepare for.

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If you have a Lightning Lane reserved for an attraction and notice it is closed during your redemption window and have not already scanned in at the queue entrance, you will receive a ?multi-experience pass.? A multi-experience pass is basically a free Lightning Lane reservation that can be redeemed on one of many ...

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The Walt Disney Company Reports Third Quarter and Nine Months Earnings for Fiscal 2023. BURBANK, Calif. —The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) today reported earnings for its third quarter and nine months ended July 1, 2023. Revenues for the quarter and nine months grew 4% and 8%, respectively.

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Disney World's crowds are getting smaller, signaling that the high entry costs to the theme park as well as competition from other destinations may be taking a toll on attendance, Wall Street Journal reporter Jacob Passy told CBS News.

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Walt Disney World has closed its famous Splash Mountain water ride, the Magic Kingdom attraction that for years had been criticized for having racist roots. But not everyone was happy to see the ride go.

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By far the oldest Disneyland opening day attraction you can still ride is the King Arthur Carrousel. This ride was built in 1922, long before Walt Disney was considering creating a theme park. The carrousel originally operated at Sunnyside Beach Park in Toronto, Ontario for many years.

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If all else fails, definitely ask the people behind you if they would mind if you stepped away from your place for just a few minutes. You can use your My Disney Experience app to find the restroom located nearest the attraction, and that will help cut down on the time you step away.

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We have high standards for cleaning and sanitation, with health and safety protocols such as: Training for Cast Members, with ongoing reinforcement on a regular basis. Defined cycles for frequent cleaning and disinfection of targeted areas. Easy access to handwashing facilities and hand sanitizer dispensers.

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