1
Credit: bioreconstructA Walt Disney World ride was damaged during a thunderstorm on Tuesday, according to Guest reports.
The Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks – Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom – are well-equipped for inclement weather. Most Disney Park buildings and attractions are built to withstand flooding and lightning strikes with only surface-level damage.
Related: Costly Space Mountain Lightning Lane Severely Backs Up Disney Wait Times
That appears to be what happened at EPCOT this afternoon when Reddit user u/magnusmccormick noticed dark marks on Spaceship Earth after lightning lit up the area:
Lightning hit spaceship earth today
Lightning hit spaceship earth today
by u/magusmccormick in WaltDisneyWorld
Though this lightning strike is not confirmed, it isn’t likely to cause permanent damage to the building or ride inside. Tall buildings are regularly struck by lightning in Central Florida and at the Disney Parks, protecting Guests on the ground.
Related: Disney Plans More Construction For Expedition Everest
u/Jungle_Skipper shared that the former Splash Mountain – soon to be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure – regularly got struck during thunderstorms at Magic Kingdom Park.
“Splash has so many electrical problems as a result,” they explained. “We did ‘Lunch with an Imagineer’ years ago and ended up talking quite a bit about lightning issues and mechanical problems with Splash in particular.”
More on This Walt Disney World Ride
Spaceship Earth takes Disney Resort Guests on a journey through human innovation, as narrated by Dame Judy Dench. “Travel through time and explore the remarkable history of human communication from the Stone Age to the computer age,” the official Disney ride description reads.
Related: Iconic Disney World Rides Now a “Living Hell,” Thanks to Disney Genie
“Witness the landmark moments of amazing innovation that made today’s spectacular communications technology possible. Travel back to the dawn of humanity, when early man painted on cave walls. Watch new ideas spread like wildfire with the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press. The wheels of time turn ever faster as we enter the modern age of media, from newspapers announcing the end of the Civil War to the televised broadcast of the moon landing—and beyond. All of these great moments are brought vividly to life using elaborate sets and advanced Audio-Animatronics figures during this inspirational, 16-minute, Omnimover-style attraction.”
Have you ever been to Walt Disney World Resort during a storm? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.