The Disney Parks are places of wonder and magic for all Guests from all around the world. No matter what culture or background Disney fans come from, we can all agree that the Disney magic transcends borders and differences. Whether through Parks like Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida and Disneyland Resort in Southern California or international Parks like Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney Resort, there’s much to enjoy at a Disney Theme Park.
But things do go awry at Disney Parks, sometimes even in unfortunately tragic ways, which has been a reality since Walt Disney first inaugurated Disneyland Park in 1955.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds in 1964
This accident is known as the first fatality at Disneyland; a young fifteen-year-old boy was riding this fan-favorite attraction. Paramount when on a Disney ride is maintaining the safety rules and keeping your arms and legs inside the ride at all times. The boy unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up as the ride was approaching its peak and ended up thrown from the ride.
The PeopleMover in 1967
The PeopleMover was once a Disney Park staple. It opened in 1967 and had a maximum speed of 2 miles per hour. It was retired in favor of the current Monorail system.
One of the earliest reported instances of tragedy striking at the Parks was in 1967 when a young seventeen-year-old Guest jumped in between two moving cars of the PeopleMover while it was entering a tunnel. The Guest did not survive the jump and passed away. In 1980, another Guest replicated this jump and met the same fate.
The Rivers of America in 1973
Rivers of America is the man-made river surrounding Tom Sawyer Island in the domestic Disney Parks. Found in Frontierland, its international counterparts do exist, albeit with different names: Rivers of the Far West, home to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disneyland Paris, and Rivers of Adventure in Hong Kong Disneyland, which has merged with the beloved Jungle Cruise attraction.
In June of 1973, Rivers of America’s two brothers—aged 18 and 10—in an attempt to make the most of their Disney experience, stayed past closing hours in Disneyland by hiding out on Tom Sawyer Island. After spending their time on the island, they wanted to leave but wanted to avoid detection. Unfortunately, as Guests know, there is no real way off Tom Sawyer Island without calling for help from staff in that situation, so the boys decided to try to swim across the river. The younger of the two didn’t know how to swim, and the older one decided to swim across with his brother on his back—a move that proved fatal to the older boy.
Frontierland in 2001
Frontierland is one of the most popular themed lands at the Disney Parks; Guests can “Blaze new trails and find tons of pioneering fun,” while enjoying the attractions on offer.
In 2001, a 20-foot oak tree fell without warning, injuring 27 Guests and two Cast Members in the process. In accordance with safety and rescue operations, Frontierland remained closed for the day while a rescue time arrived on site to help those who were either pinned by the tree; additionally, crews used chainsaws to chop up and remove the fallen tree.
Thankfully, those affected by this escaped with minor injuries.
The Disney Parks are undoubtedly places of wonder and magic, but as with all places they are not infallible, and while accidents are unavoidable, it’s important to be cognizant of the safety rules and regulations to ensure that a Disney Park visit goes as smoothly as possible for all involved.
