Credit: Walt Disney World ResortMagic Kingdom Park is what started it all at Walt Disney World Resort. Comprised of Main Street, U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Liberty Square, Adventureland, and Frontierland, the Theme Park was inspired by Walt Disney’s vision for Disneyland Park. It all centers around Cinderella Castle, a symbol of childhood wonder and dreams come true.
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Despite its name, Magic Kingdom can be… a bit less than magical. Whether it’s a Guest jumping off of Splash Mountain or a fight over line-cutting at Space Mountain, negativity sometimes seeps into the original Central Florida Disney Park.
Former Disney Cast Member Helen (@helenjp1313 on TikTok) recently recalled a devastating flood at a Magic Kingdom gift shop and bakery. She was making cake pops at Big Top Souvenirs in the Storybook Circus section of New Fantasyland when a rainstorm changed everything:
@helenjp1313 Retelling the story of the Great Circus flood of 2013… #wdw #waltdisneyworldresort #waltdisneyworld #magickingdom #fantasyland #newfantasyland #storybookcircus #bigtopsouvenirs #disneycollegeprogram #dcp #internship #merchandise #formerdisneycastmember #formerdisneycm #storytime #rain #florida #greenscreen
In the middle of a regular shift, Helen suddenly heard gurgling from the drains on the kitchen floor.
“It is raining so hard; sewage is backing up into the kitchen,” she said. “When it starts raining at Disney World, everyone runs for cover, so there were a ton of people inside of Big Top Souvenirs, and they were not about to leave. They’re just watching us flip out.”
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“The managers also closed the kitchen at this point because it wouldn’t be safe to sell food with sewage water on the floor,” she added. “We ended up throwing out all the food that day.”
As the kitchen flooded, the sewage water leaked into the rest of the store. Managers instructed Disney Resort Cast Members to use anything they could find, including towels meant for Guests to purchase, to sop up the flood.
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“It was so bad, and the store was packed,” Helen recalled. “One of [the Guests] looked at it and was like, ‘Wow, that looks really bad.’ In my head, I’m just like, ‘Can you please go somewhere else?!’”
One Cast Member was so covered in sewage that they sent her to Costuming to change clothes. (“She was on her hands and knees in the sewage water,” Helen wrote.)
When the rain stopped, managers shut down Big Top Souvenirs. Custodial cleaned and sanitized the store.
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“We later reopened the store, but it smelled funny in there, and I personally didn’t think it was a good idea,” Helen said. “It starts raining again; water starts bubbling again… That’s when the manager finally said, ‘That’s it. We’re shutting everything down. We’re closed for the rest of the day.’”
What’s the worst weather you’ve encountered at Walt Disney World Resort? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks Cast Member experience. No two experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.