Tragic Death After Riding Disney’s PeopleMover Revealed in Theme Park Injury Report

The state of Florida releases a theme park injury report largely focused on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and other Orlando-area Parks throughout the year, and sadly the latest report notes the death of an 83-year-old man following a ride on a Magic Kingdom attraction.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services report, the Guest who sadly passed visited the Magic Kingdom on September 25, 2022, where he suffered a cardiac event due to a pre-existing condition while riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. The man’s death is included in the state’s recent report of theme park injuries, and the Orlando Sentinel notes that it is the first death involving a slow-moving attraction at a major Park since a similar incident in 2021 involving another Guest with a pre-existing condition on Spaceship Earth.

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Most of the injuries at both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando included in the latest report were due to pre-existing conditions, and specific incidents included Guests passing out and feeling different forms of body pain and discomfort. In one incident in the report, a woman went into labor after leaving the Tomorrowland Speedway.

While all of Florida’s theme parks would be included in the report if applicable, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens Tampa, and Legoland Florida did not report any injuries to the state from their parks during the most recent quarter. The public report is released quarterly, however, Florida theme parks self-report injuries that take place on property to the state as they occur for each incident that leads to at least 24 hours of hospitalization.

Walt Disney World reported additional injuries this quarter, including an elderly Guest who was unresponsive after riding Avatar: Flight of Passage in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and another who became unconscious while riding Mission: SPACE on the green side of the attraction. (The green side is the stationary side of the attraction; The orange side spins to create G-forces.)

The report also included an incident involving a Guest who injured her toes at Alien Swirling Saucers and another who experienced a seizure after riding Slinky Dog Dash, both in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The incident involving the Guest who had a seizure was the only report that did not include a Guest with a known pre-existing condition.

Of the 12 injuries included in this quarter’s report, seven were reported at Walt Disney World, including the cardiac event that led to a Guest’s death, while five incidents took place at Universal Orlando. We will continue to monitor updates out of Central Florida theme parks and will report back as additional developments are made.

We at Disney Tips are keeping the family of the Guest who tragically passed last month in our thoughts.