The Disneyland Resort has closed one of its most popular attractions indefinitely after what appeared to be smoke coming out of one of its cars.
Radiator Springs Racers, the centerpiece of the Disney California Adventure Park’s Cars Land, was closed late Tuesday for investigation after witnesses said they saw smoke coming out of one of the vehicles after it crossed the finish line.
A Disneyland spokesperson confirmed that there was an issue with a single vehicle, and the ride was closed all day Wednesday. It will remain closed indefinitely “out of an abundance of caution.”
The Disneyland spokesperson said that guests “might see visible testing over the weekend.”
WDW News Today posted this video taken by one of its readers of the group trying to get out of the car that was smoking.
Accidents and mechanical problems involving Disneyland or other theme parks are investigated by the state Amusement Ride and Tramway Unit of Cal-OSHA.
The MiceChat Disney fan blog reported Thursday that “many things could cause smoke or an electrical smell,” according to a former maintenance worker. Vehicles have circuit breakers that stop the ride if problems occur, the blog reported, adding that the cars are “real vehicles that get their power from an electrical bar under the track” and break down regularly.
“Tires and engines blow out on this attraction all the time according to the maintenance worker I spoke with,” said Todd Regan, who uses the pen name Dusty Sage when he writes for his MiceChat blog. “It’s just part of the operations of the ride.”
Although a different Disney blog was reporting that other rides in the Cars Land section of Disney California Adventure were also shut down, a Disney spokesperson said Thursday morning that the Maters Junkyard Jamboree ride was operating, and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters would be up momentarily.
The ride takes visitors through an imaginary world from the “Cars” movies, against a backdrop of Southwestern red rock country. It became an immediate hit when it opened in 2012.
Disneyland author David Koenig said he expected visitors would be “disappointed but accepting.”
“By now, guests are used to regular attraction closures,” Koenig said. “Radiator Springs Racers goes down its fair share, and with the addition of the more recent Marvel area, Disney is no longer promoting Cars Land as the No. 1 thing to see in DCA.”