Credit: DisneyDisney World is advertised as the “most magical place on earth” – yet one Guest recently had a not-so-magical experience on one of its rides.
Despite all the pixie dust, Walt Disney World faces the same unexpected obstacles as any other theme park. Attractions can (and do) break down, which can cause long wait times or disappointment for those looking forward to experiencing a specific ride. These breakdowns are typically most common on complex or newer attractions, with Hollywood Studios’ Rise of the Resistance and EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind among the most affected.
Related: “Dangerous Safety Hazard,” Disney to Outlaw Popular Guest Activity
One Parkgoer experienced the latter’s unreliability got themselves on a recent visit to EPCOT with their family. However, in this case, their evacuation did not go smoothly – in fact, it left them fearing for their safety.
On their first visit to EPCOT on Saturday (July 1), Reddit user Wheelmaster7 decided to ride Cosmic Rewind near the Park’s closing time. Just as they were about to board the attraction, however, there was an emergency evacuation.
“I’m disabled, so we had to wait by the elevator because I couldn’t take the stairs,” they wrote. “This is when things escalated. There were about 10 other people in motorized wheelchairs and the elevator wasn’t going. Cast Members then directed us to go the opposite way everyone else was going, so we had to push through the crowd.”
They opted not to go into too much detail about what happened next. However, they wrote that the situation reached a point where they feared “there was a legitimate chance I would get hurt, or worse.”
Related: Disney Addresses Safety Concerns, Ruins Theming on Classic Ride
Unsurprisingly, the Guest was left shaken by their first experience at EPCOT and noted that Disney World has a “serious safety issue for those with disabilities.”
This isn’t the first incident of a disabled Guest feeling at risk at a Disney Park. A TikTok recently went viral of a blind Guest being mocked by a Cast Member at the entrance of Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, and in June a Guest complained of feeling “gaslit” by a Disneyland Paris Cast Member while trying to use the Park’s Disability Access Service (DAS) service. Meanwhile, multiple disgruntled Guests have complained that DAS is in serious need of some major upgrades to serve disabled Guests. When it comes to the safety of Guests at Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond – Disney, do better.
Have you ever had an issue with Disney’s Disability Access Service? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.