Credit: DisneyIf you are planning on visiting Disney World, it is important to always keep an eye on your My Disney Experience app, as an attraction can close at any time. When a ride closes, it will show that on your app, which can prevent you from walking across a Disney World Park, only to be told that you cannot ride the attraction at the moment.
When an attraction temporarily closes, the positive thing is that typically, the ride will reopen shortly. If the ride is not scheduled for a refurbishment, this means that the ride is not meant to be closed all day long, and Disney likely needs to perform some maintenance on the attraction without guests aboard.
Of course, bigger issues can occur and cause prolonged closures; however, this is not the norm for temporary closures.
Today, Walt Disney World is in operation even though Hurricane Idalia is currently moving through Florida, destroying sections of the state near Orlando at terrifying wind rates of 125 mph and catastrophic flooding.
CNN reported, “Residents had been urged to flee, and the National Guard prepped for rescues as “extremely dangerous” Idalia took aim with once-in-a-lifetime damaging winds and a life-threatening storm surge of up to 16 feet, the National Hurricane Center said.
“There is great potential for death and catastrophic devastation,” warned the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, in the Big Bend region southeast of Tallahassee.”
A tornado watch is also in place for nearly 12 million people across central and northern Florida and southeast Georgia until 3 p.m., Wednesday, as conditions continue to deteriorate, with coastal streets and lots flooding in places including Tampa, St. Petersburg and Fort Myers Beach as ocean water pushes ashore, rain pours down and winds whip.
The tragedy of this ongoing storm is being felt across the state, and those who are located in areas that are not receiving terrible weather are incredibly fortunate.
The Walt Disney World bubble remains safe, with stormy conditions out, but the theme parks seemingly are unaffected. We recently took a look at the theme park wait times to see how many guests went to the most magical place on earth today, and at the moment, the numbers are quite dismal with five-minute waits being the norm. That being said, if you are on vacation and you do not mind getting wet or dealing with winds, today is a great day to skip lines, and not feel like you have to cancel your theme park day.
That being said, we are seeing two major issues at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Both Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland are both closed and did not open with the park. These are both outdoor attractions, so we initially looked to see if weather was the culprit of the closure, but other outdoor attractions like Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Expedition Everest both remain open.
It has not been said what exactly caused these attractions to be inoperable to guests today, but there is a chance that the storm is at fault. Guests visiting Disney World today should continue to check their My Disney Experience app today, as both rides will hopefully become operable later today.
It should be noted, however, that Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon did close for the day, which is not surprising being that it is a water park with only outdoor attractions, and a hurricane is not the most appealing day to hop on Crush ‘n’ Gusher.
Have you ever experienced a broken attraction at Walt Disney World?
Are you looking to visit Magic Kingdom on your next Disney World vacation? There is no better feeling than riding the monorail after parking at the Ticket and Transportation Center (or riding it from a monorail Resort such as Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa) and walking down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. U.S.A. with Cinderella Castle greeting you in the distance! Indulging in churros and Mickey Premium Bars while waiting in line for attractions like Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is always a great way to enjoy the lines, and a midday break to watch Festival of Fantasy doesn’t hurt either. Nothing tops ending the night with their Happily Ever After fireworks spectacle. For more Disney information, information on Disney Genie+, and to look at booking a vacation, the Walt Disney World website is a perfect one-stop shop for all things Mickey Mouse. Plus, it has all the information you need on Disney Genie+, so you will be ready to go on your My Disney Experience app once you download it! Click here to check it out today.
Or, if you are planning on visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can get ready to enter the movies! Walk down Sunset Boulevard and see the looking Tower of Terror attraction with Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster Starring Aerosmith right next door. The Chinese Theater is now home to the new attraction, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. If you love shows, get ready to enjoy Beauty and Beast – Live on Stage, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular! and more. Head into the wild west with Toy Story Land. Ride Slinky Dog Dash, and dine at the newly added Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Then blast to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, where you can meet Rey, Stormtroopers, Chewbacca, Kylo Ren, and more. Ride Rise of the Resistance and make your own lightsaber! At night, enjoy Mickey’s dreams as you enter the world of Fantasmic!