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Credit: Inside the MagicYou’ve waited 90 minutes… and just as you’re about to board, it breaks. Disney World might be the most magical place on Earth, but even magic can glitch out sometimes. If you’ve spent enough time in the parks, you’ve probably had at least one ride suddenly go “temporarily unavailable.” And while it happens here and there, a few attractions have earned a reputation for being a little… unreliable. Whether it’s because of weather, tech issues, or just age, these are ten of the biggest culprits.
Magic Kingdom: Where Classic Rides Keep Getting Stuck
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover: It’s slow, relaxing, and a great way to see Tomorrowland—until it stops. The PeopleMover tends to pause or break down more than guests expect. Sometimes it’s because someone took too long getting on. Other times, it’s just the ride being temperamental.
Haunted Mansion: The Doom Buggies often pause to help guests board, which is normal. But breakdowns also happen, usually in the attic or graveyard scenes. It can take a long time to get back up and running when it’s down.
EPCOT: The Future Is Glitchy
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: This is one of Disney’s newest rides, and it’s stunning. But even the latest tech can have issues. Between spinning cars, huge projection screens, and synced audio, a slight misstep can bring the whole thing to a halt.
Frozen Ever After: Another water ride with high-tech animatronics, Frozen is beautiful—but fragile. Elsa’s big “Let It Go” moment has been known to cause delays, and boats sometimes get stuck or out of sync with the show scenes.
Test Track: Florida weather is the main enemy here. Test Track goes outside, and if there’s lightning nearby, it shuts down instantly. It’s also prone to resetting due to sensor issues or guest slowdowns during loading.
Spaceship Earth: This ride has been around a while, and it shows. It’s known for stopping mid-ride or having technical issues, particularly in the descent scene. Disney’s been planning updates for a reason.
Hollywood Studios: Big Thrills, Bigger Breakdowns
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: This one is infamous for going down. Rise is an incredible ride, but it’s also ridiculously complex. With multiple pre-shows, trackless vehicles, elevators, and animatronics, it doesn’t take much for something to glitch and trigger a complete shutdown.
Tower of Terror: Tower is iconic, but it’s been around for a while and occasionally shows its age. It’s usually running fine, but breakdowns still happen—and when they do, it’s often related to the ride system or elevator mechanics.
Toy Story Mania!: This 3D shooting game is super fun, but its ride system isn’t flawless. Glitches with the screens, ride vehicles, or scoring system can cause periodic downtimes, especially during peak hours.
EPCOT: Where Innovation Meets Interruption
DINOSAUR: Located in DinoLand U.S.A., this dark ride has its fair share of hiccups. The ride system is jerky and effects-heavy, which means technical problems aren’t unusual. Audio and vehicle issues sometimes force a reset. Riding this 27-year-old attraction while it’s still open is still worth a shot.
Expedition Everest: This coaster is a guest favorite. However, it has a history of going down midday, especially when the track-switching system glitches or the Yeti animatronic triggers a reset. It’s not uncommon for Everest to close temporarily and then reopen later.
Plan for Fun, Prepare for Delays
Disney rides are amazing, but they’re also machines, and machines break. These ten might be a little higher risk, so if they’re on your must-do list, try riding early in the day or keep your eye on the app.