Anthony Yates
Disneyland, California, staff reportedly found a rider unresponsive on The Haunted Mansion ride. Emergency services rushed her to the hospital, where authorities later pronounced her deceased.
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What happened: According to a report by the Orange County Register, the incident occurred on October 6. Anaheim Fire and Rescue responded to reports of an unresponsive woman in her 60s at around 6:30 PM.
- Authorities have not identified the woman, but staff reportedly found her unresponsive on the Haunted Mansion as it returned to the station at the end of the ride.
- X user @DisneyScoopGuy tweeted about the incident. “Sadly, a guest had a heart attack on Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland last night. She was unresponsive when it was her turn to unload and declared DOA once she reached the hospital,” they said. However, the Orange County Register notes that the coroner will determine the cause of death, and the heart attack is unconfirmed.
- Per the LA Times, Disneyland Security performed CPR until the paramedics arrived.
Authorities Say There Is No Evidence Of A Ride Malfunction At The Disneyland Attraction
A medical episode: The LA Times cites an email from Anaheim Police Sergeant Matt Sutter. He reportedly explained that the ride reopened shortly after the incident and that there was no indication of any operating issues with the ride.
- “This appears to be an unfortunate medical episode,” he reportedly said. “Our thoughts go out to the family.”
Another theme park fatality: Epic Universal made headlines last month after reports that its Stardust Racers ride shook a passenger to death.
- Stardust Racers is a dual-track racing coaster that reaches speeds of up to 60 MPH. 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala reportedly rode the coaster and returned to the station with everyone else. The park released a statement explaining that a guest “became unresponsive” after riding the coaster.
- Emergency services transported Zavala to the hospital, where he later died. It remains unclear how he was injured on the ride, but an autopsy revealed his cause of death was multiple impact injuries.
Despite recent incidents, theme park deaths and serious injuries are extremely rare. In fact, per the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions (IAAPA), the chance of being seriously injured on a US theme park ride is 1 in 15.5 million rides taken.
