News Summary
A sudden shutdown of multiple attractions at Walt Disney World caused chaos for visitors on a busy Labor Day weekend. A storm and a potential power surge were reported as possible causes for the disruptions, impacting popular rides across four theme parks. Eyewitnesses reported significant confusion as guests found their planned activities abruptly halted. As of now, Disney officials have yet to provide updates on the condition of the attractions or timelines for reopening, highlighting the challenges of maintaining operations during adverse weather conditions.
Orlando, Florida – A widespread attraction shutdown occurred at Walt Disney World on Friday evening, August 29, 2025, affecting multiple theme parks and causing confusion among visitors during the busy Labor Day weekend. Dozens of attractions went down unexpectedly shortly after 5 p.m., and by 6 p.m., the My Disney Experience mobile app indicated that various rides were “temporarily closed.”
According to reports, a large storm was moving southeast over the southern third of Walt Disney World property at the time of the shutdown. There are indications that a power surge may have contributed to the widespread downtime, with sources suggesting that both the storm and the surge raised concerns about the reliability of the attractions during inclement weather.
The affected attractions included popular rides at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In total, the shutdown impacted several key experiences that guests had planned to enjoy. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, rides that were reported down included:
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
At Epcot, the following attractions were affected:
- Mission: SPACE
- Test Track
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Living with the Land
- Frozen Ever After
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Turtle Talk with Crush
- Soarin’ Around the World
Magic Kingdom faced significant disruptions as well, with attractions such as:
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Space Mountain
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Peter Pan’s Flight
In Disney’s Animal Kingdom, only two attractions were affected:
- DINOSAUR
- Kali River Rapids
During the height of the shutdown, there was only one operational attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safaris. At Hollywood Studios, ride operations came to a standstill, with only the Tower of Terror functioning later in the evening. At Epcot, the Gran Fiesta Tour was the sole ride still in operation during the shutdown.
Eyewitnesses reported a dramatic change in the atmosphere at the parks as rides ceased operations, leading to visitor confusion and frustration. The timing of the outages during the busy Labor Day weekend added to the distress for many guests who had planned their visits around specific attractions.
Despite the widespread effects of the shutdown, Disney officials have not yet commented on the cause of the outages or provided any timeline for when attractions may reopen. Visitors continue to await updates from Disney regarding the condition of the rides and their potential reopening. The situation highlights the challenges faced by theme parks in managing operations during adverse weather conditions and the need for robust infrastructure to handle unexpected power fluctuations.
The incident serves as a reminder for both guests and park officials to remain vigilant and prepared for sudden weather changes that can significantly impact amusement park operations.
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Additional Resources
- Click Orlando: Attractions Closed Across Walt Disney World
- Wikipedia: Walt Disney World
- Blog Mickey: Power Surge Causes Attraction Closures
- Google Search: Walt Disney World attractions shutdown
- WDW Info: Massive Number of Attractions Closed
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Disneyland
- Disney Dining: Power Outage Causing Ride Shutdowns
- AOL: Disneyland Closure and New Attractions
- CNET: Guide to Disney Parks Attractions
Author: STAFF HERE ORLANDO WRITER
ORLANDO STAFF WRITER The ORLANDO STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREOrlando.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Orlando, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, Megacon Orlando, and Central Florida Fair. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Orlando Economic Partnership and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Metro Orlando, plus leading businesses in leisure and hospitality that power the local economy such as Walt Disney World Resort, AdventHealth, and Universal Orlando. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREJacksonville.com, HEREPetersburg.com, HERETallahassee.com, and HERETampa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Florida's dynamic landscape.
