Disneyland Allegedly “Scaled Back” Ride Maintenance Before Recent Incident

This week, Disneyland Resort was accused of scaling down maintenance on its rides, causing increasing breakdowns and technical issues. The report concerned Disney Parks fans, who worried about whether riding Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park attractions was safe.

Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park are home to dozens of rides that entertain guests of all ages. From the calm “it’s a small world” and the Disneyland Railroad to the thrilling Space Mountain and Indiana Jones Adventure, there’s an attraction for every family.

Cast Member Rides Big Thunder Mountain in Tokyo Disneyland Alone — Credit: @rituka182769 on Twitter

Breakdowns are inevitable when Disney Parks rides cycle through tens of thousands of guests daily. Often, attractions shut down not because of technical issues but because of unruly guest behavior or lost items. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours to reset attractions after guests force an emergency stop, especially trackless ones like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

However, an insider alleges that Disneyland Resort has decreased regular maintenance on rides in recent years, causing increased downtime.

On Sunday, Redditor u/Alert-Cloud asked fellow Disney Parks fans why rides break down so frequently:

“I go to Disney multiple times a year. Recently went in March for a short turn around trip and spent a week last November. Is it just me and my lack of observation or are there more breakdowns reported during the summers? And if I am right, does anyone else think the breakdowns could be from the heat?”

A group of people wait in line under hanging lanterns at the entrance to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The ride's sign, featuring tattered black cloth with orange text, is prominently displayed above the queue. The architecture is themed with arches and wooden beams. — Credit: Inside the Magic

u/wizzard419 claimed that budget cuts were behind many of the maintenance issues but reassured fans that Disneyland Resort attractions are still safe to ride:

“They have scaled back everywhere, while it isn’t unsafe to ride (fingers crossed), they also are not maintaining things as much as they used to so things will fail and trigger e-stops. As the rides still need time to get back up, Rise taking 30 mins, a quick issue still can take a while.”

It’s unclear what the Disney Parks fan’s relation is, if any, to The Walt Disney Company’s operations.

A building at Avengers Campus at California Adventure — Credit: Jeremy Thompson, Flickr

Disneyland Resort hasn’t publicly admitted to cutting back attraction maintenance but experienced a cast member shortage in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Southern California Disney park reportedly struggled to rehire maintenance workers after the pandemic layoffs.

Do you feel safe on Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort rides? Share your experiences with Inside the Magic in the comments.

Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks experience. No two experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.