Storm Forces Widespread Ride Closures and Flooding at Walt Disney World
New videos showing leaks inside EPCOT’s Living with the Land highlight concerns that the park’s aging drainage systems may be failing under stronger summer storms.
Overview
- The storm, which moved over the resort on Thursday, triggered Disney’s lightning and severe-weather protocols and halted many outdoor rides while staff ran safety checks before reopening.
- Major attractions across all four parks experienced temporary shutdowns including Test Track, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Slinky Dog Dash, Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safaris.
- Large amounts of standing water appeared along EPCOT’s World Showcase promenade with video showing the China Pavilion and nearby walkways heavily inundated and visitors seeking shelter inside shops and restaurants.
- Guest-shot footage also shows rain pouring through the ceiling into the indoor Living with the Land boat ride and follows an earlier Land Pavilion fire-alarm evacuation that sent visitors back into heavy rain with no reported injuries.
- The repeated flooding, interior leaks, crowded sheltering and limited public detail from Disney have prompted scrutiny of EPCOT’s decades-old pavilions and drainage as officials complete inspections and repairs.