Alien Swirling Saucers Running One Side, Reports Say

Published September 23, 2026

One side of Alien Swirling Saucers at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was running closed during a Tuesday, September 22, 2026 visit, according to reports, leaving the Toy Story Land spinner operating at partial capacity. Rolling planters were reportedly positioned where one of the ride vehicles would normally sit.

As of Wednesday, September 23, 2026, that is the extent of what has been reported. Disney has not announced a closure, a refurbishment, or a timeline for the second side returning.

Alien Swirling Saucers runs two separate loading sides that operate in parallel. When only one is cycling, the attraction keeps running — it just moves guests through at roughly half the rate, which is what tends to push posted waits up even when the crowd level hasn’t changed.

The planters are the detail worth noting: rolling planters are a standard way to visually screen off an area rather than close it with hard walls, which typically signals something short-term or cosmetic rather than a full project.

What we know

• Alien Swirling Saucers (Toy Story Land, Disney’s Hollywood Studios) — one of its two sides was reportedly not operating on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
• The attraction itself was open and running on the remaining side.
• Rolling planters were reportedly placed where a ride vehicle would normally be.
• No reopening date for the closed side has been reported.

What’s not confirmed

Disney has not confirmed that one side is closed, has not said why, and has not given a date for it to return. There is no word on whether this is a single-day operational call, a longer partial closure, or work on a specific vehicle. The report comes from a single visit on one day, so it does not establish how long the condition has been in place or whether it continued afterward.

What it means for your trip

If Alien Swirling Saucers matters to your group, treat its posted wait as less predictable than usual until the second side is confirmed back. A half-capacity spinner can post 40-plus minutes on a day it would normally sit near 20.

Ride it early. Toy Story Land fills fast after rope drop, and Alien Swirling Saucers is the one attraction there where reduced capacity bites hardest — Slinky Dog Dash and Toy Story Mania both move far more people per hour.

If you’re buying Lightning Lane Multi Pass for Hollywood Studios, this is a reasonable week to spend one of your selections here rather than assuming you’ll walk on late in the day. SupaPark’s wait-drop alerts can ping you if it craters while you’re elsewhere in the park.

For small kids, have a backup in mind. Toy Story Mania and the Toy Story Land play areas absorb the wait if the saucers are posting long when you arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Alien Swirling Saucers closed?

No — the attraction was reportedly still operating, just on one side instead of two, during a September 22, 2026 visit.

When will the second side reopen?

No reopening date has been reported, and Disney has not announced one.

Keep planning: Is Rise of the Resistance Too Intense for Kids? How to Decide (and Prepare)

Go deeper — the full guides: Best Time to Ride Tower of Terror in September

SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.