Central Floridians compare notes after Cuba earthquake as Disney attractions temporarily close
When a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near Cuba on Monday afternoon, Central Floridians immediately did what Central Floridians do: they started texting each other and posting to social media.
“Did you feel that?”
For some, the answer was yes. Others had no idea an earthquake had even happened. Meanwhile, Walt Disney World temporarily closed some attractions while neighboring theme parks seem to continue operations as normal.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake near Cuba prompted reports of shaking across Florida on Monday afternoon. I live in Seminole County, north of Walt Disney World, and my husband was working in Volusia County when reports of shaking began spreading across Florida. Neither of us felt anything. Friends and colleagues on Disney property had mixed experiences as well, with some saying they noticed the movement and others saying they felt nothing at all.
Central Florida’s 2026 earthquake
The earthquake struck about 65 miles west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. While the quake was centered hundreds of miles from Central Florida, reports quickly surfaced from residents who said they felt swaying, vibrations, or movement throughout the region.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 2:00:28 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Monday, June 8, 2026.
Disney closed attractions
At roughly the same time, several Walt Disney World attractions across multiple parks were temporarily listed as closed in the My Disney Experience app.
Magic Kingdom
- The Barnstormer
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree
- Haunted Mansion
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
EPCOT
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Na’vi River Journey
Disney Springs
- Aerophile – The World Leader in Balloon Flight
Photo provided by Walt Disney World
That’s 10 attractions and experiences across four Walt Disney World destinations that appeared to be affected at the same time.
Disney has not indicated whether the temporary ride closures were related to the earthquake, but the timing is unlikely to be coincidental or part of routine operational procedures.
Universal Orlando responds with humor
Universal Orlando Resort attractions did not appear to experience similar widespread closures, nor did SeaWorld Orlando. However, in true social media fashion, Universal Orlando did take the time to share a humorous social media post referencing the Earthquake attraction.
That shake we felt at 2 p.m.? Biggest earthquake in Orlando since 2007. pic.twitter.com/cfPVpKOuxE
— Universal Orlando Resort (@UniversalORL) June 8, 2026
We’ve reached out to representatives at each of the theme parks for any official comment and will provide an update if any response is received.
Cruise ships
The varying experiences extended well beyond Central Florida. One X user, John Deen, responded to a post from meteorologist Eric Burris about the earthquake by noting that the cruise ship he was aboard was located near the quake’s epicenter.
“That’s also where the cruise ship I’m on is currently, literally that same dot. And no, we couldn’t feel a thing,” Deen wrote.
The National Tsunami Warning Center later confirmed there was no tsunami threat to the U.S. East Coast or Gulf Coast states as a result of the earthquake.
More Attractions Magazine stories:
Follow us:
