Credit: Inside the Magic Several Disney theme park locations closed over the weekend, leaving guests wondering what happened.
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Multiple Disneyland locations closed over the weekend due to an unspecified incident, though guests theorize the resort endured a gas leak. Both Space Mountain and Pizza Planet unexpectedly closed around 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 5.
While closures are pretty common not only for Disneyland but also for the park in general, a line of cast members barricaded the entrance to the roller coaster and quick-service restaurant, making this specific incident a little more interesting.
One guest managed to snap a photo of the incident while standing outside Space Mountain. The picture shows numerous cast members lined up along the entrance to the coaster, presumably to inform guests that the location had been temporarily closed.
1/5 @7PMish – Anyone know what’s going on at Space/Pizza Planet
byu/Obvious-Piece-449 inDisneyland
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“Anyone know what’s going on at Space/Pizza Planet,” asks Reddit user Obvious-Piece-449. Space Mountain and Pizza Planet are shut down. According to the guest, Disney police also responded to the scene, as did other cast members and park managers.
Other fans weighed in, saying a fire alarm might have gone off, either inside Pizza Planet or Space Mountain, as the two buildings are connected.
One guest claimed they were evacuated out of the Disney Vacation Club member lounge inside the Innoventions building earlier that same day. The guest said they heard chattering about an “unusual smell,” indicating the situation may have started due to a gas leak or chemical spill. According to the guest, multiple firefighters walked through the lounge.
Another fan agreed with this theory, saying, “A line that far away from the entrance can mean a couple of things. A fire alarm. Or a serious spill of a chemical inside. It’s possible there is a medical emergency, but I don’t see paramedics or a nurse.”
Taking things one step further, according to PulsePoint, a website designed to inform guests about 911 calls and other emergencies in their area, a Hazardous Materials Response was requested at 3:50 p.m.
Another guest responded further in the thread, saying the park’s nightly fireworks were canceled due to “unforeseen circumstances,” which would lead one to believe in the gas leak theory.
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It’s unknown what actually caused Disneyland’s Space Mountain roller coaster to close, but signs seem to point toward some type of gas leak or chemical incident. Regardless, the attraction, along with the Toy Story-themed quick-service eatery, were both able to reopen shortly after.
As stated above, temporary closures can be quite common, especially on some of Disney’s older and more “delicate” attractions. Due to the way Disneyland’s version of Space Mountain was built, sometimes guests may not make it back up a hill, resulting in their ride vehicle coming to a complete stop.
When this happens, the ride must be shut down, and cast members actually have to physically push the roller coaster car along the tracks. All guests are evacuated, the ride is tested, and then it reopens. This is a basic explanation of the procedure used at Disneyland, but guests can rest assured safety is a top priority, not just at the Anaheim theme park resort but at Disney’s various locations around the world.
Will you be visiting Disneyland this year? What is your favorite Disney attraction?