A Major Ride Has Unexpectedly CLOSED in Disney World

Unexpected problems can absolutely RUIN your Disney World trips.

Sometimes these problems come in the form of technical issues, transportation complications, or other things. But one of the most common problems you might face is…ride closures.

We’ve seen a number of popular rides unexpectedly CLOSE in Disney World over the past several months and March 8th was no exception. On the afternoon of March 8th, we saw that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was temporarily CLOSED in Magic Kingdom. “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” was also closed over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Update 1: A few minutes later, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (at Hollywood Studios) joined that list. Soon after, Thunder Mountain reopened, though as of 1:02PM the Tower of Terror remained closed. When we spoke to a Cast Member they indicated that they hoped the Tower of Terror would reopen today but they were not sure.

Tower of Terror is down and the gates are CLOSED. ⚡️ Looks like we can’t “drop” in for a visit to the Hollywood Tower Hotel any time soon ? pic.twitter.com/guE3jXt8c9

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) March 8, 2023

Update 2: Tower of Terror swiftly reopened, leaving just “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” temporarily closed as of 1:12PM.

Update 3: As of 2:45PM It’s Tough to be a Bug! had reopened, but several other closures hit Disney World! As of that time in the afternoon, DINOSAUR (Animal Kingdom), Frozen Ever After (EPCOT), and Spaceship Earth (EPCOT) were all listed as temporarily CLOSED in the My Disney Experience app.

With Splash Mountain already permanently closed in Magic Kingdom, a temporary closure at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad can sometimes leave that side of Frontierland looking a bit empty.

Sometimes temporary closures like this one at Thunder Mountain can last for just a few minutes. Other times, however, these types of sudden closures can last for hours, depending on the severity of the issue that caused the closure.

Thunder Mountain (Photo Taken Previously)

While these closures aren’t something you can really predict, you can prepare for them in a way! Here’s what to do if a ride suddenly closes during your trip:

Check the My Disney Experience app constantly for updates (if a wait time is displayed, you’ll know the ride has likely reopened)
Ask Cast Members outside of the attraction if they know what has happened and if they have a better idea about when the ride might reopen
Come up with a plan “B” in case one of your must-do rides unexpectedly closes
Mentally prepare little ones for potential closures by discussing the possibility at home
Use that closure time to knock other things off of your list, take a break, grab a snack, or otherwise utilize your time in the park!