Constant Loading Screen When Joining Games and Caves

Hi there - I'm getting the same! My friend with the PS5 made the server, I'm on PS4, had no problems until last week or two, now I just get stuck on endless loading screens while trying to join. We are both in the same geographical region (same city). Any help would be gratefully appreciated! 

Also, sorry, should have specified - we made the server about a year ago, and it includes both surface and caves.

Also all the friends had a hard time joining each other servers the past few days 

shows the on screen friends joined and then says friend left. While the friend says they are still in loading screen. 
 
all the ps4 friends had this problems on my world and my other friends worlds 

Hi there, some new data! If the host pauses the game once they launch our server, and I don't join until I see in the server list that it is paused, I have (touch wood) a 100% success rate of getting in. (Then once I'm in they just unpause and we play as usual)