Credit: Video Screenshot, TikTok, @eltanke420Several Disneyland Resort guests recently spent 45 minutes trapped in the blazing Southern California sun after the Incredicoaster suddenly broke down. One of the guests, who was stuck on one of the roller coaster’s hills, filmed nearly the entire experience and shared it on TikTok.
The Incredicoaster officially opened on Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure Park on June 23, 2018, but its history actually goes back much further. The steel roller coaster, formerly known as California Screamin’, originally opened alongside the second California Disney park on February 8, 2001. It remains the only attraction at Disneyland Resort that goes upside down.
Like any complicated Disney Park attraction, the Incredicoaster occasionally experiences technical issues. Though Disney cast members can usually restart the ride with guests on board, evacuations are sometimes necessary for everyone’s safety. Earlier this month, TikTok user @eltanke420 shared an almost 25-minute video showing himself and other guests trapped uphill on the Disney California Adventure Park attraction:
@eltanke420 Stuck on the Incredicoaster🎢🙄#DCA #incredicoaster #disney #stuckonrollercoaster
“Well, we’re stuck,” the Disney Park guest began.
He filmed almost the entire ride stop from start to finish, showing what some riders called a “beautiful” view from nearly the top of one of the 100-foot hills.
After more than five minutes, several Disney cast members arrived. “We’re just going to wait for our maintenance team and hopefully get you guys out of here,” one of them said. “… They’re going to help release the restraints, and you guys are just going to exit down the stairs.”
A guest asked one of the Disney cast members why the Incredicoaster stopped moving.
“I don’t know the specifics on what exactly happened, but something broke, so it has to shut down,” he replied.
The Disney cast members kept guests company, sharing fun facts about the roller coaster and chatting until maintenance arrived about ten minutes later. The maintenance cast members wore carabiners to attach themselves to the railings and brought portable metal platforms to help guests step out of the uphill ride vehicle.
Maintenance cast members started at the back of the train and slowly worked their way to the front car, where the TikToker was sitting. The attraction cast members kept everyone waiting in a line on the stairwell until everyone exited the ride vehicle. They slowly descended the emergency exit stairs and returned to Disney California Adventure Park.
All in all, the TikToker said they spent about 45 minutes in the 90-degree California summer heat, in direct sunlight. It’s unclear whether they received Lightning Lane compensation, though Disney cast members typically offer it in situations like this one.
Disneyland Resort rarely publicizes the reasons for ride breakdowns, and this situation was no different. However, the Incredicoaster eventually reopened and was operating normally at the time of this article’s publication.
After this experience, would you ever ride the Incredicoaster again? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments!