Some Disney World rides break down so often that it’s smart to plan around them. Here’s which ones to watch and how to make sure a breakdown doesn’t ruin your park day.
Walt Disney World is home to some of the most complex and immersive attractions in the world, so it’s not a surprise that they break down from time to time. But some rides are more notorious for temporary closures than others, and it’s helpful to know which ones they are. Once you know which rides are the biggest offenders, you can plan your day around them and save yourself a lot of frustration. Here are the attractions across all four Disney World parks that tend to experience the most downtime, along with what to do if you’re in the middle of your park day when they go down.
Magic Kingdom
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Even back in its Splash Mountain days, this attraction had a hard time staying operational for an entire day without at least some downtime. And, while the transition to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure brought in a completely new story with some of Disney’s most advanced animatronics, it didn’t necessarily solve the reliability issues. In fact, the added complexity of the animatronics might have actually worked against it slightly. On top of that, this is an outdoor water ride in Central Florida, so weather-related closures are common, especially during the summer months when afternoon storms roll through like clockwork.
Photo by Laurie Sapp
If you’re visiting in the summer, check the weather forecast for the day and try to ride when there’s no rain expected. This is also a great attraction to save for the evening when you’re already hot and don’t mind getting a little wet. Evenings tend to have fewer weather interruptions, and the ride is usually back up and running by then.
Other Magic Kingdom Rides to Watch
The PeopleMover, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Space Mountain, and Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid have all had their fair share of downtime in recent months. If any of these are on your must-do list, try to knock them out early in the day.
EPCOT
Test Track
Test Track got a brand new look recently with completely reimagined theming inside, but underneath all that fresh paint, it’s still one of the most breakdown-prone rides at Disney World.
Photo by Cliff Wang
The big challenge here is the outdoor portion of the track. You know that signature end to the ride where you speed outside and race around at 60+ mph? That section has to shut down during any kind of inclement weather. Combine that with the mechanical issues the ride already tends to have, and you’ve got a recipe for significant downtime, especially on summer afternoons.
To avoid any problems, make Test Track one of your first stops of the day. Morning hours give you the best shot at clear skies and a fully operational ride. If it does go down later, you’ll already have it checked off your list.
Other EPCOT Rides to Watch
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Spaceship Earth have both experienced intermittent issues throughout the years. The good news is that Remy’s recent update to 2D screens seems to have helped keep it open more often, and Spaceship Earth’s slowdowns are usually brief enough that you can still work it into your day.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Rise of the Resistance
Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of the most complex attractions Disney has ever built. However, that complexity has proven to be hard to maintain and it often experiences at least some downtime every day.
Interestingly, one of the most common times to find this attraction down is actually in the mornings when the park opens. It’s not uncommon for the ride to have a delayed opening at the start of the day while Disney works through technical issues. You might also find yourself being directed past one of the two pre-shows due to a malfunction. Instead of shutting down the entire ride, Disney will skip the broken pre-show and keep things moving. It’s a little disappointing if you were looking forward to the full experience, but at least you still get to ride without any added wait time.
If you do show up at rope drop and the ride is down, don’t stand around waiting! Head to another nearby attraction that has high wait times throughout the day (like Slinky Dog Dash or Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway), and circle back to Rise when it reopens. If you miss the rope drop window entirely, the last hour before park closing is often when wait times drop to their lowest.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
There was a period of time when Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster was down more than it was up on any given day. And, while things have improved, it’s still one of those rides where you can’t take a wait time with no delays for granted.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
However, it’s important to note that this could change soon! Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is closed for refurbishment from March through Summer 2026, as Disney rethemes it from Aerosmith to The Muppets. And while the new theme is the main reason for the closure, there’s a good chance Disney will also work to fix the mechanical issues that have plagued this ride for years.
For now, treat it like Rise of the Resistance and prioritize it early in your park day.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Photo by Courtney Reynolds
Kali River Rapids
Kali River Rapids goes through months-long maintenance closures every year (usually during the winter months when no one really wants to go on a water ride anyway). But, even outside of those scheduled closures, it can rack up some of the highest downtime in all of Animal Kingdom due to the ride technology and necessary closures for inclement weather.
The easiest way to avoid any extended wait times or complete closures is to ride it early in the day. If you’re visiting in the summer, you’re probably already sweating through your shirt by mid-morning, so an early soak isn’t the worst thing. The key is to hop on while it’s running, because you never know when it might go down for the rest of the day.
Other Animal Kingdom Rides to Watch
Also note that Expedition Everest often has sporadic downtime throughout the day. The backward track can sometimes cause functional difficulties, and it’s another outdoor attraction that has to close for inclement weather. Use the single rider line here to get through the line faster and avoid any technical or weather-related shutdowns.
Ultimately, ride breakdowns are just part of the Disney World experience. They’re frustrating, sure, but they don’t have to derail your day if you plan for them. If a ride is known for downtime, don’t save it for the end of the day. Get to it early, have a backup plan ready, and stay flexible!
