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This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at Disneyland Paris in France. The term incidents refer to major accidents, injuries, deaths
Disneyland opened its doors during the summer of 1955 and quickly became known as “the happiest place on Earth.” For some, Disneyland is hardly a happy place at all. Thousands of people have been injured at Disneyland and a couple of handfuls have lost their lives. Freak accidents do happen, but chances are that the only damage you’ll suffer while at Disneyland will be to your pocketbook. Over 650 million people have visited the park since it opened. Here is our list of some the most shocking freak accidents that have happened at Disneyland in its 60-year history.
A Disabled Man Is Subjected to 40 Minutes of “It’s a Small World”
On November 27, 2009, a computer glitch on “It’s a Small World” left a quadriplegic man, Jose Martinez, stranded on the ride for 40 minutes. Disney was able to immediately evacuate all of the passengers except for Martinez and his wife. Martinez sued Disney for not having proper procedures in place to evacuate people with disabilities. He also claimed that the blaring music exasperated his medical condition.
Listening to “It’s a Small World” for 40 minutes would likely drive anyone mad. After leaving the ride, Disney employees pushed his wheelchair to a first aid tent where he was subjected to a personal performance of “It’s a Small World” by Mickey Mouse. Martinez told reporters that “It was like an insult to injury.” On March 26, 2013, a jury awarded Martinez $8000 for enduring the torturous experience.
When a Tree Falls at Disneyland
A 20-foot oak tree fell without warning on May 6, 2001, and injured 27 guests and two cast members in the process. The incident occurred at Frontierland near a loading dock for one of the Rivers of America rides. When the park rescue team arrived at the scene, four minutes after the accident, five injured guests were still pinned down by the heavy oak.
It took ten ambulances to transport the 15 injured guests to nearby hospitals. Three children, ages 2, 3 and 4, were among those requiring medical attention. Investigators think that the 40-year-old tree had been compromised by strong winds in the days preceding the fall. Frontierland remained closed for the day while crews used chainsaws to chop up and remove the fallen tree. Remarkably, all those hurt during the incident suffered only minor injuries.
An 8-Year-Old Girl Gets Hit By a Stray Bullet at Disneyland
Disneyland is apparently surrounded by several neighborhoods where locals enjoy firing their guns into the air. These stray bullets can travel as far as a mile before gravity returns them to the ground. On February 12, 1990, one of these stray bullets managed to hit an 8-year-old girl, Nayeli Diana Placentia, while she was riding the Disneyland Railroad.
Surgeons were able to remove the medium caliber bullet from Nayeli’s lower back and she was able to make a full recovery. Disney offered to help pay the girl’s medical bills despite the fact that the bullet began its journey from outside of the park. While this was an unfortunate freak accident, a few inches in the wrong direction and it could have been a fatal one.
Walt Disney Net Worth
Walt Disney
| Net Worth: | $1 Billion |
| Date of Birth: | Dec 5, 1901 – Dec 15, 1966 (65 years old) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Profession: | Film Producer, Screenwriter, Animator, Film director, Entrepreneur, Voice Actor, Entertainer, Businessperson, Television producer, Film Editor |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
| Last Updated: | 2021 |
