Disneyland Turns off Public Water Access for Theme Park Guests

Disneyland Resort guests recently noticed multiple public water features were missing from Disney California Adventure Park. One Disney Park guest shared a photo of one of the broken special effects on social media, sparking debate among fans.

Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park are full of meticulously crafted, immersive theming. At Disney California Adventure Park, the Grizzly Peak area invites guests into the heart of a 1950s Californian national park. Faux natural settings and attractions like Grizzly River Rapids and Soarin’ remind guests of the innate beauty of the Golden State.

Grizzly Peak in Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort — Credit: Disney

Unfortunately, recent maintenance issues have taken guests out of the once-immersive Grizzly Peak. A conversation began on Reddit when u/jonasmckee shared this photo of a broken waterfall, stating that it was one of multiple dysfunctional water features in the area:

At DCA, and noticed the big fountain is not running and also the large rapid waterfalls are not going either. Anybody you know why?

At DCA, and noticed the big fountain is not running and also the large rapid waterfalls are not going either. Anybody you know why?
byu/jonasmckee inDisneyland

Disney Parks fans were quick to explain that the missing water features resulted from the annual Grizzly River Run refurbishment. The water ride shut down on January 6, 2025, and will remain closed until March 13. It’s normal for Disneyland Resort to refurbish the water ride every year around this time, taking advantage of the colder months when it would draw far fewer guests.

However, a few Disney Parks fans argued that the scenic waterfalls should remain operational even when the ride is broken. As the guest’s photo shows, plenty of families still visit Grizzly Peak when Grizzly River Run is down for refurbishment.

“I wish they could leave that part running and while they work on Grizzly,” u/Traditional-Fan-5181 wrote.

Four children are seated in a row on a log ride at a Disney attraction, holding on tightly and smiling as water splashes around them. They appear to be enjoying the thrill and excitement of the ride. The background shows part of the rocky structure and water slide. — Credit: Disney

Some hoped Disneyland Resort would improve the waterfalls for the upcoming 70th anniversary celebration.

“In addition to the regular maintenance that everyone else is talking about, I’d also like to point out the the 70th anniversary is right around the corner,” said u/g0gues. “There’s little things around the parks that they seem to be working on to make sure the park is looking good for the big anniversary.”

Still, other Disney Parks fans said it was wrong for Disneyland Resort to run the water features at all while Southern California is in a drought and recovering from the tragic Los Angeles wildfires.

“There was speculation that they turned them all off because it was a bad look when there was water needed for the fires,” u/jonasmckee argued.

“[There’s a] drought,” u/coachjoshv replied.

These water effects should return when Grizzly River Run reopens on March 13, 2025.

Have you spotted any missing special effects at Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!