The Walt Disney World Resort in nearby Orlando is among the most popular theme parks in the entire world. It’s often informally referred to as “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
For many visitors, it lives up to that reputation. However, it’s important to remember that hazards can be relatively abundant at amusement and theme parks. Disney World is no exception.
A brief review of incidents at Disney World over the years reveals accidents can and do occur on the property. The following are merely a few noteworthy examples The Orlando Sentinel has covered.
Accidents at Walt Disney World
It’s worth noting this may not be an exhaustive list. A major organization such as the Walt Disney Company can often leverage its resources to minimize the odds of stories about accidents on its properties gaining much traction in the media.
That said, some accidents which have occurred at Walt Disney World over the years include the following:
- 6, 1990: A piece of molding on the ceiling of the Haunted Mansion attraction fell and caused five guests to sustain relatively minor injuries.
- 8, 1990: A worker who was using a scaffold to perform work on an air conditioning duct in Disney’s Hollywood Studios fell 33 feet, resulting in their death.
- 8, 1990: On the same day as the accident described above, a computer detected a problem with one of the wheels of a car on the Space Mountain roller coaster at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. This caused three sets of cars to stop fairly abruptly. As a result, three individuals on the ride sustained injuries, although all survived.
- 31, 1999: Fireworks that were to be used for a New Year’s Eve display exploded, causing six individuals nearby to sustain burn injuries.
- April 11, 2006: Upon riding the Mission: Space ride, a 49-year-old woman began feeling unwell. She died the next day at a nearby hospital.
- 18, 2007: A 44-year-old man appeared to suffer a heart attack that claimed his life while riding the Expedition Everest roller coaster at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. It is worth noting that there were no defibrillators immediately available. It is theoretically possible the man would have survived had defibrillators been on hand.
- July 5, 2009: In the first major monorail accident ever to occur on the Walt Disney World Resort property, a track malfunction caused a train to crash into another monorail. This resulted in the death of the train’s 21-year-old driver.
- 6, 2009: During a performance of Captain Jack’s Pirate Tutorial show, a 47-year-old performer was injured and died as a result of his injuries several days later.
- July 9, 2010: An electrician working near an electrical transformer at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex was shocked and lost his life.
Contact a Florida Theme Park Injuries Attorney Today
None of this is meant to suggest that the Walt Disney Company is inherently negligent. It’s virtually impossible for a theme park to exist for decades without accidents occurring on the premises. However, when accidents do occur, particularly if they are the result of negligence, victims or the families of those who have lost their lives should know they may be able to recover compensation for their losses.
If you or a loved one has been injured at any theme park or amusement park, get in touch with a Florida theme park accident attorney at Colson Hicks Eidson to learn more about your legal options. Get started by contacting us online or calling us at 305-476-7400 to schedule your case evaluation.
