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Credit: Inside the MagicGuests arriving at Magic Kingdom this morning were met with something that’s almost unheard of: every wait time sign across the park had gone dark.
Attractions are still operating as normal, but the posted wait times at the physical entrances are currently unavailable — and there are other outages, as well — due to a massive technical disruption tied to a global cloud outage.
While the physical signs may be blank, the My Disney Experience app remains somewhat operational. At the moment, guests can still check estimated wait times digitally. However, with the in-park signage down, many are relying entirely on their phones to plan their next move, and that’s not a great thing considering that other portions of the app are down.
This kind of situation can cause some confusion in high-traffic areas. Normally, guests can simply glance up at the posted time to decide whether to join a queue. Now, they either need to refresh the app constantly or make decisions blind, which can lead to unexpected crowd buildups at popular attractions.
Disney now has a message that comes up saying the following on the My Disney Experience app:
“We are currently experiencing intermittent technical issues that may affect some of our digital experiences. We’re actively working to resolve this issue. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
A Much Bigger Problem Than Disney
This isn’t just a Disney problem. The outage is linked to a major technical issue with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which powers everything from airline booking systems to theme park infrastructure. Earlier today, AWS confirmed it experienced significant connectivity failures in the US-EAST-1 region. That region supports thousands of services worldwide—including those that keep Disney’s wait time systems synced.
AWS said it had “fully mitigated” an earlier outage but later reported continued instability in some services. The company traced the issue back to problems with its EC2 network—a virtual server system that many major businesses rely on.
What Guests Are Seeing
Inside Magic Kingdom, the LED wait time displays are blank at every major attraction entrance. Park-wide announcements haven’t been made, but Cast Members are confirming to guests that the rides themselves are still operating. The outage hasn’t affected ride operations, only the digital signage system.
For many, this means a return to an old-school Disney experience: asking Cast Members for wait times or relying on personal judgment based on line length. Some guests on social media are joking that it feels like “a theme park time warp.”
Worldwide Disruptions
The ripple effects of the outage are being felt far beyond the park. Major airlines, mobile payment platforms, and apps like Snapchat and Fortnite also experienced issues earlier today. Experts estimate the global financial impact of the outage could reach into the billions due to widespread interruptions in digital services.
While Disney has managed to keep attractions running smoothly, the incident is a reminder of how connected its infrastructure is to outside systems.
No Timeline for Full Restoration Yet
AWS has said it’s seeing “connectivity and API recovery,” but some services remain temperamental. Disney has not provided an estimated time for when in-park signage will be restored. For now, guests should continue to rely on the My Disney Experience app and keep an eye on Cast Member updates throughout the day.
This strange morning glitch may not have shut the rides down, but it’s a rare example of just how dependent even a place built on magic is on the cloud.