Trouble at Disney
Please see the full unedited article in The Daily Mail. I have left it in full so no bias and people can make their own minds up. I am surprised these incidents have not already been discussed.
Inside the storm of incidents rocking Disney parks
Inside the Most Magical Place on Earth, the mesmerizing thrill of the Magic Kingdom is all-consuming.
From the exhilarating Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster and the dizzying Mad Tea Party teacups to meet-and-greets with characters and an abundance of Mouse-themed treats, the attractions and experiences within the Disney parks seemingly could not be beat.
That was, until lately.
A string of unfortunate mishaps and terrifying incidents have rocked both Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Disneyland in Anaheim, California, tarnishing the shiny veneer of the magical parks leaving devout Disney fans questioning whether it is indeed the Happiest Place on Earth.
Just last week, riders on the iconic It's a Small World attraction had quite the scare when a fire broke out on the indoor boat ride. Footage shared on TikTok showed guests evacuating the attraction as plumes of dark smoke rose around the vibrant cityscape backdrop. A Disney employee was also seen using a fire extinguisher to put out any flames that were said to be caused by a guest's portable phone charger.
According to reports, the ride was shut down but re-opened by mid-afternoon. There appeared to be no injuries.
The video went viral on TikTok, sparking concern among Disney fans.
Safety Fears Mount After String of Disney Incidents
'Ugh… what is going on at Walt Disney World?' one asked, while another chimed in: 'For real, the last two weeks have been crazy.'
'This is symbolic of the direction that Walt Disney World is headed these days. Sad,' someone else wrote on X.
The same day, it was reported that guests staying at Disney World's Wilderness Lodge had been evacuated from the hotel. No cause has been publicly confirmed, but guests told WDW News Today that they smelled something 'odd' in the lobby area. Multiple fire trucks and ambulances were seen on the property.
A few weeks prior, the same hotel was hit with air conditioning outages during one of the hottest weeks Florida has seen all year.
On June 19, as temperatures soared to over 100 degrees, horrified Disney attendees began taking to X, Reddit and Facebook to voice concerns after noticing that the resort had become extremely warm.
'We just checked in and it's hoooooootttttt. Room thermostat says 81 degrees,' one person wrote on Reddit.
'The whole area feels so stuffy. It's so miserable. This is horrible,' scathed another.
'[We've] talked about sleeping in the car,' said someone else. 'Room was up to 88. They did comp a day of our seven nights here without me asking.'
'They have fans but doesn't really help. Lobby is full of sweaty guests and cast members,' said a different guest.
'I just checked in and it's still miserably hot! And the line for front desk is insanely long,' read a fifth comment.
By June 23, a guest said the air conditioning still had not been fully restored and that there were 'portable AC machines' set up in the lobby, restaurants and gift shops.
One day later, Disney put up signs around the hotel stating that air conditioning service would be temporarily unavailable while maintenance teams worked on completing repairs. It appeared to be fixed after that.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Disney World for comment.
Then, on the opposite coast, a terrifying incident on a Disneyland ride sparked serious concerns about safety on the park's attractions. On June 21, a 13-year-old boy plunged down a 50-foot drop on Tiana's Bayou Adventure after he exited the ride vehicle in the middle of the attraction, just before the drop. Video footage published by TMZ appeared to show the boy falling down the track behind the log ride full of other people.
Thankfully, the boy did not suffer any critical injuries and was transferred to a hospital as a 'precaution.' He was evaluated and released. California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, inspected the attraction afterwards and approved it to open the following day.
The log flume does not have seatbelts or lap bars and after the incident, many people raised questions about the lack of restraints.
'I'm surprised they haven't installed lap bars/seatbelts to prevent such a thing from happening in the first place,' one person wrote online. 'Almost every other ride has a safety restraint in place.'
'When I loaded my four-year-old into the Tiana ride boat, I was panicked when it occurred to me that the boat didn't have restraints,' admitted another.
'It has always surprised me that lap bars have never been installed on this ride; especially, since it's a single-file ride and kids can't clutch their parents,' someone else added.
'An incident like this and reopening the next day like nothing happened just doesn't seem right to me,' read a fourth post.
A fifth said: 'Truly insane that someone could fall down the drop, remain alive, and the ride reopens the next day without investigation.'
'Rapids rides have [seatbelts], so why not flumes?' questioned a different user.
But come this week, there were reports that another child had allegedly exited the ride vehicle on the same attraction. Sources told TMZ that the incident occurred on Saturday night, and that a cast member monitoring security cameras saw the kid leave the ride vehicle and initiated an emergency stop on the attraction.
It was said that the employee's quick actions stopped the situation from 'escalating further.'
Closures and Glitches Fuel Backlash at Disney World
Ride glitches and closures, too, have been a particular pain point for visitors of the House of Mouse.
Last week during a severe thunderstorm, 25 attractions across Disney World were forced to shut down at the same time.
Seven of the 11 rides at EPCOT were down, 11 at Magic Kingdom, three at Hollywood Studios and four at Animal Kingdom.
In addition, it was reported by multiple Disney-focused outlets last month that one of the most coveted rides at the theme park - the brand new Rock 'n' Rollercoaster Starring the Muppets - was quietly shut down 'for more than a full day' with no explanation.
The ride reportedly stopped operating at around 4.30pm on June 22 and did not re-open again until 8.30pm on June 23.
One parkgoer aired their grievances about Disney World on Reddit earlier this year, writing that it was the 'first time' they found themselves 'disappointed in Disney,' claiming that multiple rides appeared to have broken animatronics.
Others chimed in, claiming that multiple rides were 'breaking down or closed,' while one person lamented that areas in the park are 'poorly maintained.'
'We have been passholders for years, flying down about once a quarter,' another wrote. 'We are taking 2026 off, everything is closed, there’s so much construction, and the price is the same. We’d rather come back in a couple years when there’s so many new things to experience.'
The ongoing problems come after Disney closed a slew of popular rides permanently to make way for new attractions.
Disney Fans Say the Magic Is Starting to Fade
Disney closed the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom in February and is set to replace it with a new Indiana Jones-themed attraction. The surrounding area, called DinoLand USA, was also shut down to make way for a new land called Tropical Americas, which is expected to open in the fall of 2027.
Over at Hollywood Studios, there's a new Monsters Inc-themed land being built but that meant the beloved Muppet*Vision 3D show was shut down last June.
And at Magic Kingdom, what was once the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island is currently being transformed into a land inspired by the Cars franchise.
While those new attractions will certainly be exciting when they open, in the interim, it leaves the park feeling somewhat bare, and the immense changes have left some of Disney's most loyal fans unhappy.
As one person definitively declared: 'The magic is gone or leaving.'
All this in addition to the viral, all-out brawls erupting in the parks - and the hiked prices for tickets, food and merchandise is just the cherry on top. For the first time in Disney history, the price of a one-day ticket to the Magic Kingdom will cost more than $200 during the peak dates in 2026.
To put things in comparison, ten years ago, a one-day adult ticket to Magic Kingdom ranged from $111 to $132, depending on timing.
And that's not including the prices of food, merchandise, hotels, flights, parking and other add-ons like the Lightning Lane - Disney's premium skip-the-line service - which have all also seen subtle price hikes in recent months. All the while, Disney has faced fury in recent years for eliminating certain perks that it used to offer to its guests ranging from free gifts to complimentary transportation.
Some avid Disney fans feel that the silent removal of the benefits, along with rising prices, is ruining the magic.
'It definitely doesn't feel great to be nickel and dimed during your trip,' Disney regular Shannon Albert, 50, from Fort Worth, Texas, previously scathed to the Daily Mail.
'So many things that used to be included are now separate charges,' added Albert, who has gone to Disney 'every other month' for the last 20 years.
But the top brass at Disney have insisted that the quality of their parks still remains the gold standard.
'The number one thing we hear from the millions of guests who visit our parks each year is how much a Disney vacation means to them,' Josh D'Amaro, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal in February 2025.
'We intentionally offer a wide variety of ticket, hotel, and dining options to welcome as many families as possible, whatever their budget.'
Replies (14)
Hence, why I printed the full article and not snippets so the TPIers could give some balance. I was amazed at the mention of "all-out brawls" too. Disneyland will have to address the H&S issue with the flume though.
Maybe al this stuff happening. . . maybe Disney is CURSED! oooOooOOOoooOooOOoo
For real, though, this is pretty funny. I don't know what this article is trying to say, that all of this is connected, but the only valid complaint might be the "nickel-and-diming" bit if it.
A lot of quotes in there too from random people on social media. . . As if they know which restraint systems are the best.
In my opinion, the story loses the narrative because it wants to sensationalize and tie together a string of unrelated incidents. Yes, any hotel can have AC/HVAC issues, particularly in the summer. But, to trivialize those (as TH does above), is unfair to the family that is going on a Disney vacation for the first, or maybe only time in their lives. Not everyone gets to go to Disney on the regular, and it would be miserable in a hotel room that is 88 degrees. But, to tie that to a kid getting out of a ride... THAT is poor journalism.
There is a story here, but it was missed. Disney has lost some of the magic, whether real or perceived, it doesn't matter because it has become part of the narrative. I've been going to the WDW Resort since 1981. I have probably 400-500 days spent in the parks, and things have changed. Is it still a cool and magical place? Yes. Is it less magical than at any other time I can remember, IMHO also yes. Those things don't have to be mutually exclusive.
For all of the reasons that this site, and this discussion board breathlessly debate, it is undeniable that Disney has never been less "magical," part of that is society and the need for increased security, social media showing every flaw, but Disney is not without blame. Whether real or just impressions, it sure seems like Disney has more maintenance issues that ever before. We rope dropped Hollywood Studios twice in a five day stretch, and nearly every ride was inoperable that morning. You'd think after decades, they have a better procedure for entrance into Fantasmic, but my kids dang near got trampled. We all complain that Animal Kingdom is a half day park charging full day prices. The never ending construction project that was EPCOT that basically did nothing. I could go on and on...but I won't.
A Disney "vacation" is like work. I go on vacation to escape screens (and get my kids off theirs), but being on a screen at Disney is almost required if you'll maximize your trip. I feel more stress at Disney than I do at work. Add in the fact that for kids like mine who are 10 and 13, the rides are tame in comparison to what they desire. They believe that Disney is for little kids, they prefer a week at CP and riding TT2 fifteen times.
We gave our kinds a choice this year (and the price was similar for a week at Disney in Nov or two weeks in Italy), they choose Italy. And nowhere in this, have I complained about the prices. If SF can get $20 for a crappy burger and fries, WDW is "underpriced" by comparison (for the food.) The price of things goes up, you either pay it or you don't. But, when you do pay it...you expect the Disney magic and not deferred maintenance, broken rides, paint chipping, etc.. Where I think people do have a gripe is the nickel and diming that Disney is doing with every add-on, upgrade, premium experience (that used to be included.)
OH MY LORD - MLB said something I agree with?
What is this April 1st - hahahahahaaaha
Yes Disney has raised prices over the years but so have other parks.
Disney has lost some magic - YES - But they are still popular and this won't stop anytime soon.
Their biggest mistake and they need to learn from it was building a great hotel Disney's Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser - And then charge $5,000 for three nights..
Just hope the New CEO learned a lesson. You can make more money from the many the from the few wealthy...
Italy is good if you go to Florence or Pisa's Cathedral Square
Stay away from Naples - it is the armpit of Europe.
We are doing Rome, Florence, Venice with two day trips sprinkled in...
Because our kids "have everything," we now do a trip as a big part of their Christmas presents. We'd rather spend time together that buying them junk they won't use. We did Ireland, Scotland, and England (so my son could be a mascot kid for his favorite EPL team) two years ago. Last year we stayed domestic.
I should also add - I agree with Brain's take above. Making some money from a large group is "better" or at least more sustainable than a ton of money from the "few"/very wealthy. Focusing on the very wealthy with adds and premiums works, for a while. It meets the need to juice a quarter, but that was never what Disney was about. My dad took me to WDW, and then I got to take my kids to WDW. It was about building brand loyalty through a magical experience you could only get at Disney and you want to replicate. For the very wealthy, how many times are they going to do that premium add-on? Once? MAYBE twice? They move on to other destinations because they have the finances to do so.
Look, I am a capitalist, make the money you can. But I am also a realist, and I know that also has a "cost," and that cost will be brand loyalty in the future as generations like my kids don't have it engrained that you go to Disney for your family trips (yes, trips...plural.) You won't see this in the balance sheets today or tomorrow, but there is a reckoning that is coming.
I will add (and be crucified but whatever), Disney has some of the most iconic IP, but it sure seems like they are killing that IP through poor choices and vast over-exposure. I love Star Wars, but the thing was...I had years to build up demand for the next project. Now, they are pumping out shows, movies, rides, cartoons... It is almost hard to keep up with it all. Same with Marvel. Spiderman will be huge, the next Avengers will as well, but all of the rest of the Marvel Universe (and really all superheroes) have struggled both creatively and now even at the box office. Yes, most still turn a tidy profit with ancillaries, but it's too much product. Does anyone really believe that the rides do this franchise/"universe" justice? Couldn't they take a little bit of time to ensure the ride meets some standards?
My own view on the article which is from The Daily Mail, a respectable British daily, is that they have collected a host of disparate negatives over a finite period of time to consolidate into a single negative article about Disney losing its magic. I also think it has been sensationalised and distorted to fit the narrative they wish to convey.
I gave up halfway through the part about the AC. That was one of the worst articles I've ever seen. Possibly AI click bait? If I wanted to write an article about something wrong at Disney I'd mention that Epic Universe is charging $180 to stay late on a couple nights later this year, meanwhile Disneyland in Anaheim is selling $50 tickets for nights all Summer long. That's something you could spin. This article though can't even muster that. If you're going to run operations as large as something like the Disney Parks you're going to have things occasionally break, or people occasionally do stupid things.
"My own view on the article which is from The Daily Mail, a respectable British daily,"
Citation needed on that last bit lmao.
>>A Disney employee was also seen using a fire extinguisher to put out any flames that were said to be caused by a guest's portable phone charger. According to reports, the ride was shut down but re-opened by mid-afternoon. There appeared to be no injuries.
If thats the leading event, they've got nothing.
>>The same day, it was reported that guests staying at Disney World's Wilderness Lodge had been evacuated from the hotel. No cause has been publicly confirmed, but guests told WDW News Today that they smelled something 'odd' in the lobby area. Multiple fire trucks and ambulances were seen on the property.
Thats even more of a nothing (I won't take any comments from people upset at the grammar).
>>A few weeks prior, the same hotel was hit with air conditioning outages during one of the hottest weeks Florida has seen all year.
Electrical system under strain hits a breaker or two. So what?
>>the brand new Rock 'n' Rollercoaster Starring the Muppets - was quietly shut down 'for more than a full day' with no explanation.
That would be normal for a "Brand new" ride. Unexpected stuff happens, changes are made.
>>The Daily Mail
Ah, I don't presume you Americans are familiar with the phrase "Is it true, or did I read it in the daily mail"?
A guide for non-Brits on the Britsh Newspaper market
>Don't tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers. The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country; The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country; The Times is read by the people who actually do run the country; the Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country; the Financial Times is read by people who own the country; the Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country, and the Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is.
- Rt Hon James Hacker
The Disney defender / apologist was the first to comment... shocker.
Chad, that has made me smile. Good analysis ha ha ha.
The problem in today's world is headlines and articles are all about sensation without the substance to back it up in most cases and The Daily Mail has descended to similar practices where it used to be fact based but with a degree of right of centre bias. I was disappointed with the article. To the lay person it will be seen as gospel, however, TPIers will see the anomalies immediately but we are the exceptions not the rule so it will get read and opinions made. Sad times we live in when it comes to news.
I'm not questioning the facts of this story, but I think we all need to understand that these incidents have been occurring for decades. However, so many incidents like these would go unreported either because people did not observe them or have a camera on hand to capture it, or because there wasn't the same agenda there is now regarding theme park news (and news in general). Virtually every single person entering a theme park today has a video camera, and even when they're strapped into a ride, they can easily pull it out of their pocket to document something unusual, and those videos become viral quickly when they get noticed by websites or fan groups that have a specific slant for/against a given company.
What seemingly happened maybe once a year is now happening once a week not because those incidents are happening more often, but because they're are being publicized and pushed by outlets that have an audience they need to feed.
I also see a lot of trends of incidents occurring and being publicized and then others trying to replicate them either as a badge of honor or trying to get that unique experience (see Disneyland's TBA). I think many of these behaviors are causing theme parks to overreact by changing or more rigorously enforcing existing rules (WDW resort hopping and parking at Disney Springs) because the second someone thinks they've found a "secret" work around, a park finds a way to close that loophole because morons flaunt it on the internet like they're the most clever person in the world.
Totally agree, Russell.
Very weak journalism.
A third of the article is devoted to an HVAC problem at the WDW Wildness Lodge and the incidents at Tiana's Bayou Adventure.
The first thing it made me wonder was how the air conditioning was performing at the 24 other Disney resorts? And in the park attractions? And the restaurants? Shops? Back-of-house areas?
Regarding the stuff at Tiana's (and specifically the June 21st incident), the article above reads "Video footage published by TMZ appeared to show the boy falling down the track behind the log ride full of other people".
Um ... "falling"? I don't think so.
The TMZ article actually reports "... a 13-year-old exited a log on Tiana's Bayou Adventure, falling down the 50-foot waterfall. We first obtained video of the incident, which resulted in the guest being taken to a hospital."
Yeah he fell -- after making the decision to try and climb out of the the ride vehicle. Customers doing stupid stuff is something every company in the world has to deal with. I don't see how Disney should be blamed (in print) for the actions of guests acting like morons.
And then the writer drops this into the mix with ZERO explanation or attribution: "All this in addition to the viral, all-out brawls erupting in the parks ..."
Are you kidding? Where are these "brawls" taking place? When? With what frequency?
This is a sensationalist hit piece -- written under a hyperbolic, bash Disney headline designed to generate clicks.