Something WEIRD happened in EPCOT today.

Strange and unexpected things can happen sometimes in the Disney parks — whether that’s sudden weather changes, surprising ride closures, or major delays. But today’s event relates to something truly near and dear to our hearts — FOOD.

When we stopped by around 11:46AM ET, a Cast Member at Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue (in the American Adventure pavilion) told us they were not open yet. The Regal Eagle operating hours were supposed to be 11:45AM-9PM on the day we visited (Tuesday, February 21st).

The Cast Member indicated that they could open soon (in just about 5 minutes) or it could be a few hours. They were, at that point, waiting for the “signal” to open.

Another Cast Member informed us that their grills went down and they were working to get them back up but they did not have an estimated opening time yet.

If you were hoping to grab lunch at Regal Eagle Smokehouse, you’ve got a problem! The grills are currently down, and cast members don’t have an estimated time for them to be running again! pic.twitter.com/XT5BdB2ma7

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) February 21, 2023

 

 

We checked the My Disney Experience app at 1:42PM ET and it was showing arrival windows soon after, but when we selected those, the app indicated that “this location is unable to process mobile orders at this time.” We looked at later arrival times and still got the same message.

While this is a strange occurrence, it still serves as a good reminder that ANYTHING can happen in Disney World. If you have a very strict plan where everything is timed down to the second, a disruption like this could seriously mess up your day.

So what can you do to plan for the unexpected? First, make a schedule that is flexible enough to accommodate sudden changes like this. Add in lots of wiggle room so you can make changes on the fly but still get your must-dos done.

Second, have backup options in place. Lunch at Regal Eagle isn’t going to work out? Okay, what’s our next go-to? Fish & chips in the UK pavilion? A few snacks scattered throughout the pavilions? Having a backup plan in place can help that adjustment not feel so harsh.

It’s not always easy to adjust to these sudden changes, particularly if you have your hopes set on trying a certain thing, but adding flexibility to your plan can help you make the most of your day. Our final tip is to keep checking for updates. Sometimes an incident like this will be resolved quickly, or it could take hours. Check on the My Disney Experience app for any updates and speak with Cast Members near the restaurant to see what they might know.

We’ll continue to look for updates like this and let you know what we find!

Click here to see our review of Regal Eagle’s eats!

Have you had something like this happen to you in EPCOT? Tell us in the comments.