7. Paused paws

Image: Disney

Attraction: Splash Mountain
Location: Disneyland

When Splash Mountain opened at Disneyland in 1989, almost all of its 103 Audio-Animatronics figures were already 15 years old. They'd simply been relocated from the closed "America Sings" show in Tomorrowland's Carousel Theater, dressed in new clothes, and reprogrammed to sing along to Song of the South tunes like "How Do You Do?", "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place," and of course, "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." And for being nearly 50 years old today, the figures work surprisingly well most of the time. 

However, it's probably true that the ride hasn't been functioning at 100% since... well... 1989. Part of that is allegedly be a side-effect of California's strict Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) limiting access to the ride's many figures and lighting rigs without adequate fall protection and access scaffolds, which can only be installed during extended annual downtime. While Splash Mountain may sparkle for a few weeks after those refurbishments, lights and Animatronics tend to begin to flicker out soon after. That's why Disneyland's ride in particular is often noted for how dark and cavernous it can feel.

Video Evidence: While some of the ride's more complex figures are infamous for their downtime (even disappearing for months at a time), on some occasions – like in the video above – the entire show comes to a screeching halt, creating... well... a pretty awkward experience for riders. Naturally, a full show stop like this would trigger the ride's closure until a system reset, but cycling the logs through the frozen ride is still the best way to get guests through.

6. John dabs

Image: Disney

Attraction: Carousel of Progress
Location: Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom's Modern Marvel: Carousel of Progress has always had a special place in the hearts of Disney World fans. Maybe it's because Walt proclaimed the attraction his personal favorite and said it should never stop operating. Maybe it's because Carousel of Progress is said to be the longest running stage show, with the most performances, in the history of American theater. That should be no surprise given that there are essentially four showings of the 21-minute presentation occurring simulanteously from morning to night from roughly 1964 to today. And given that, it's understandable that once in a while, the show would suffer from an mechanical mishap or two.

One common cause of many of the show's issues tends to be guests who decide – midway through – they'd like to step out. The only problem is that Carousel of Progress is technically a ride, so deciding to stand up and walk out halfway through to head for an exit is something like deciding to step off the Great Movie Ride during one of its show stops – obviously, a no-no. When sensors are tripped, the Carousel refuses to rotate, meaning guests must sit through the same scene again (and potentially again), causing even more guests to decide to leave, as frenzied Cast Members try to convince guests that they must remain seated for the duration of the show.

Video evidence: But when one of Carousel's animatronics does fail to perform, it can be an awkward moment for all involved. Especially when it's John – the father of the family and the narrator of each scene – who refuses to cooperate. In one particularly memorable malfunction from 2013, guests huddling inside the Carousel Theater for shelter from Tropical Storm Andrea were presented with a particularly muddled showing with malfunctioning audio, missed show cues, and John hilariously "inventing" the popular 2010s dance move the "Dab" way back in the 1920s. 

5. Ursula loses her head

Image: Disney

Attraction: Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Location: Magic Kingdom

Imagineering fans have plenty of opinions about the two Little Mermaid dark rides operating at Disney California Adventure and Magic Kingdom. Subject to numerous revisions since their respective openings in 2011 and 2012, the rides have been criticized for their style (initially lit by incandescent light, then refurbished to the more traditional blacklight style) and their substance ("book report" rides carrying guests through a 3-minute summary of the story they already know, and as mere "spectactors" rather than being part of the tale). But one of their chief criticisms must be the ride's awkward Audio-Animatronics. Particularly, Ariel – who Imagineers just can't seem to translate well to three dimensions without entering uncomfortable "Uncanny Valley" territory (i.e. don't zoom into this official Disney photo after dark).

The one unanimously celebrated element of the attraction has to be the Audio-Animatronics figure of Ursula, the Sea Witch. Over 7-feet tall and 12-feet wide, Ursula is one of the most imposing, surreal figures Disney's ever engineered. Capable of tremendous "squash" and "stretch," the figure can bounce, sing, and emote just like the octopode, blue-eyeshadowed diva. Until...

Video evidence: On Sunday, January 28 2018, Ursula proved we should never underestimate the importance of body language when her head... well... fell off. The peculiar circumstances surrounding the situation will probably never been entirely understood, but as her head hung from her torso (still singing and emoting, we should note), guests on the ride were understandably horrified. Naturally, the ride was quickly closed and reopened soon after with calmer heads prevailing. As if the situation weren't astounding enough, it happened the same day as another unexpected Animatronic beheading...

4. The Auctioneer's accident

Image: Julian (@HOPAJUL), Twitter

Attraction: Pirates of the Caribbean
Location: Disneyland Paris

Often cited as the most beautiful Disneyland-style park on Earth, Disneyland Paris is often described as somehow combining the charm, intimacy, and coziness of Disneyland with the scale and grandeur of Magic Kingdom. But one thing it's unfortunately not known for is its upkeep. From its disastrous 1992 opening that created a ripple effect of Disney cancelling and closing projects across the world to the opening of a parasitic second park – the Declassified Disaster: Walt Disney Studios – the French resort just can't seem to catch a break, and has been in a perpetual state of catch-up for nearly 30 years.

So it's not unusual for Paris' special effects to falter. What's highly unusual is that the very same day that Ursula lost her head, the Auctioneer figure in Paris' Pirates of the Caribbean suffered a surprisingly similar beheading. Like Ursula, the figure continued through its programming despite its head hanging from wires.