Major Power Surge Forces Widespread Ride Closures at Walt Disney World; Destination D23 Kicks Off Today

Orlando, FL - On Friday, August 29, 2025, Walt Disney World suffered an unprecedented operational disruption when a power surge swept across the resort in the late afternoon, forcing the temporary closure of dozens of attractions across all four theme parks and Disney Springs.

At approximately 5:20 p.m., park guests discovered that nearly 45 attractions were marked “Temporarily Closed” on the My Disney Experience app. Indoor and outdoor rides alike-including headline attractions such as Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival-went offline simultaneously despite some normally operating during storms.

By 5 p.m., reports confirmed that 32 out of Walt Disney World’s 62 attractions remained unavailable, spanning Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs. Orlando-based blogger Kenny the Pirate described the event as “more than just a rain delay,” noting that the surge knocked out power to ride systems and caused transportation delays, including monorail service interruptions.

Disney cast members have yet to issue an official statement regarding the cause or expected duration of the outages, though technical teams are reportedly working to restore full operations. Guests affected by the closures were offered expedited re-entry to reopened attractions once systems came back online.

Despite the closures, Walt Disney World today welcomed the inaugural day of Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney, the official Disney fan club’s sold-out expo event at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Running through Sunday, August 31, the event features behind-the-scenes presentations, exclusive merchandise, special guests, and sneak peeks at upcoming Disney projects.

Additionally, Magic Kingdom celebrated the grand opening of The Beak and Barrel, a Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired lounge offering themed cocktails and small plates. The venue, previewed this week, officially began welcoming guests today as part of Labor Day weekend festivities.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party also returns tonight at Magic Kingdom, offering trick-or-treating, rare character meet-and-greets, and Halloween-themed entertainment for ticketed guests.

Guests are advised to monitor the My Disney Experience app for real-time ride status updates and to check official Disney Parks channels for further announcements.