Credit: DisneyThe weather in Southern California has been causing some issues as of late. Weeks of fires devastated the Los Angeles area, killing 28 people, destroying over 17,000 structures, and leaving tens of thousands of people homeless.
However, after the fires destroyed the trees anchoring the earth, much of Los Angeles was vulnerable to landslides if even the slightest bit of rain came. On Monday, the rains came, causing land and debris to slide down some of the hills in the area.
Despite the ravages of fires and mudslides, Disneyland, an hour south of Los Angeles, escaped unscathed. Despite that, guests took to social media to point out that rain had virtually crippled part of the park.
The Anaheim area received less than half an inch of rain on Sunday, a small amount compared to the rest of the region. However, that minuscule amount was able to shut down Disneyland’s Madam Leota’s Somewhere Beyond gift shop.
Guests took to social media to show that the shop had shut down after parts of the floor had flooded due to the rain. One wrote:
Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond at Disneyland had to close this evening due to flooding from a very light rain. Not sure how this is gonna hold up in a storm when this required sandbags.
Madame Leota’s has been controversial since it first opened. Some critics said it looked like Disney had put a shed up to sell Haunted Mansion-related gifts.
Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond at Disneyland had to close this evening due to flooding from a very light rain. Not sure how this is gonna hold up in a storm when this required sandbags pic.twitter.com/1ceRURXELX
— Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) January 27, 2025
Former Imagineer Jim Shull said that this type of structure would not have existed if Imagineering was allowed to do its job without concern for costs.
The gift shop was also criticized for using AI-generated art to decorate rather than the traditional period pieces that Disney Imagineering was known for. Disney has since removed the AI-generated art and replaced it with original artwork.
Story is supported by the details and the Haunted Mansion has missing details. One is an era correct carriage house would have a stone foundation not concrete with exposed steel. #Disneyland #HauntedMansion #DisneyJouney pic.twitter.com/J28gPbgZXK
— Jim Shull (@JimShull) December 2, 2024
Other guests commented that large portions of the west side of Disneyland were also down due to an electrical issue caused by the rain.
So, despite the fact that Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond. is less than six months old, it is already experiencing huge issues due to half an inch of rain. It’s not a good sign for Disney Imagineering.