A rare earthquake was felt across parts of Florida on Monday afternoon, with guests at Walt Disney World reporting noticeable tremors following a seismic event near Cuba.
According to preliminary data, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck approximately 65 miles west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba at roughly 2:00 p.m. Eastern. While earthquakes are not uncommon in parts of the Caribbean, it is unusual for tremors from those events to be felt as strongly as they reportedly were in Central Florida.
Guests and Cast Members at Walt Disney World began reporting shaking shortly after the earthquake occurred. The tremors were reportedly felt throughout portions of the state, including the Orlando area, about a minute after the initial seismic event.
A Rare Event for Walt Disney World
Florida is not generally considered an earthquake-prone state. While minor tremors from seismic activity in the Caribbean have occasionally been felt throughout the peninsula, most are either too weak or too distant to generate widespread attention.
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That made Monday’s event particularly noteworthy for visitors spending the day at Walt Disney World. Social media quickly filled with reports from guests who said they felt buildings shake or noticed unusual movement while inside attractions, restaurants, and resort hotels.
No injuries or significant damage have been reported.
Several Attractions Temporarily Went Down
Following the earthquake, several Magic Kingdom attractions were listed as temporarily unavailable, including:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- The Barnstormer
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
- Space Mountain
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Most of those attractions returned to operation later in the afternoon.
Space Mountain in Tomorrowland at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom – Photo Credit That Park Place
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At this time, it remains unclear whether the temporary closures were directly related to the earthquake or simply coincidental downtime. Some attractions were reportedly already unavailable before the tremors were felt.
Theme park attractions frequently undergo automated safety checks and temporary operational pauses throughout the day, making it difficult to determine whether the earthquake played any role in the closures.
Disney Has Not Reported Any Major Impacts
As of publication, Walt Disney World has not reported any significant operational disruptions resulting from the earthquake.
The resort continued normal operations throughout the afternoon, and there have been no reports of structural damage, guest injuries, or evacuations tied to the event.
The exterior of the Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: That Park Place
While earthquakes remain a rarity in Florida, Monday’s tremors served as a reminder that powerful seismic activity in the Caribbean can occasionally be felt hundreds of miles away across the Sunshine State.
For many Walt Disney World guests, it was likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience — though probably not one they expected to encounter during a day at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Did you experience the Disney World earthquake? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
