Woman Sues Disney for “Permanent Injury” After Monorail Mishap

In 1959, Walt Disney introduced a modern marvel to the world. America’s first single-rail transportation system delighted Disney fans when it chugged into Disneyland, and the innovative train moved into Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971.

With three lines and six stations at Walt Disney World, the monorail is necessary for navigating the 27,520-acre property. With stops at the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), the monorail is a fan-favorite way to get around the Walt Disney World Resort.

The Disney emblem is a must-do attraction in its own right, with kiddos taking every opportunity to board it and adults trademarking a monorail bar crawl. But recently, one Guest’s experience with the beloved monorail took an unimaginable turn.

A Ride Gone Wrong

Any mechanically-engineered mode of transportation has its hiccups now and then. The Walt Disney World monorail’s older sibling is undergoing an almost two-month refurbishment to work out kinks after 60+ years of operation.

Still, a mishap in March just became a lawsuit on Wednesday from a woman who claims to suffer “permanent injuries” from an incident. According to Click Orlando, a Disney Guest is suing Disney for injuries incurred when the monorail doors “slammed shut” on her at Bay Lake. During her visit to EPCOT on March 24, 2023, an alleged malfunction caused the monorail doors to close on the woman as she tried to exit the train.

Based on Court records, the woman’s body was held between the monorail doors for a few minutes in “excruciating pain” while five male Guests were able to pry her out. Another shocking detail pertains to the Cast Members—allegedly, no Disney employees stepped in to assist the woman stuck in the monorail doors.

The Shocking Aftermath

In what was allegedly an alarming scene, die-hard Disney Guests would imagine the monorail driver would intervene. However, the lawsuit claims the monorail Captain announced the system needed to be shut down and restarted after a “malfunction.”

As reported by the article, the woman alleges the mishap left her with “permanent injuries.” Ultimately, the suit contends Disney failed to “both maintain safe operating conditions aboard the monorail and properly correct the issue once it happened.” The Disney Guest is seeking over $50,000 in damages for personal injury caused by the incident.

Disney Fanatic will continue to follow the lawsuit and share updates as they come.