What Happens When You Experience This Major Disney World Problem

There are LOTS of changes going on around Disney World these days!

What’s going on here?

The theme parks are expanding, new hotels are on the way, and Disney Springs is even getting new restaurants! It’s safe to say there’s been a lot of “new” over the last few years. That’s why we were seriously surprised when we saw something we had never seen before outside of the park!

While Disney World is the most magical place on earth, that doesn’t mean it’s without its issues. During our stop by Animal Kingdom the other day, we were over by the bus stop area waiting to head to our next park. The wait was a little longer than usual (which can happen and it’s why we tell you to budget extra time), but it was when the bus arrived that things got interesting!

The bus stop

As people on the bus started disembarking, we noticed several guest relations Cast Members waiting at the exit of the bus. At first, we weren’t really sure what was going on, so we put on our journalism boots and got to work. Our first hunch was that this incident was connected to the Disney Springs transportation changes, but that didn’t make a ton of sense to us.

The lines

After talking to Cast Members, we found out that these guests were getting a Lightning Lane Experience Redemption Pass. Typically, that’s one free skip-the-line pass for select attractions around the theme parks. While this sounds exciting, it was actually due to major bus delays around the resort! A Cast Member shared with us that there was an accident on the roads which caused a delay. While the Cast Member wasn’t 100% sure how long the delay was, he confirmed it had to have been a notable delay for Guest Relations to give those on the bus an experience redemption pass.

A Guest Relations Cast Member

The Cast Member confirmed this isn’t common practice for small delays, so don’t get your hopes up that a heavy traffic day will result in a free Lightning Lane. We have seen something similar in the past over at the Ticket and Transportation Center when the monorail broke down, keeping passengers stuck inside the transportation option without air conditioning. Disney deployed Guest Relations Cast Members then to also give those impacted by the unexpected stop an experience redemption Pass. We have never seen this happen with the buses, though!

The closed monorail

In Disney World, Cast Members do their best to help make up for almost any negative situation that might impact your park day, like this one. You might also get a Lightning Lane experience redemption pass when a ride you have paid for is closed during your return window. This will allow you to come back and ride that attraction later when it opens without a wait, or you can choose another ride to skip that line at. If you’re ever in a situation like this one, stuck on your way to the next stop for a seriously long time, be sure to talk with Guest Relations Cast Members once you arrive. If you’re on the verge of missing a dining reservation, you can always call the restaurant to let them know what the situation is. As always, be sure to keep following DFB for more Disney news, updates, and more.

10 Major Changes Coming to Disney World in August

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