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Accidents Involving Injury at Disney's California Adventure
Official U.S. federal and state data on theme park accidents is almost nonexistent. That's why Theme Park Insider users are creating this visitor-maintained database of theme park accidents--to give public at least some information about attraction safety records.
Do you know of, or have been part of, an accident involving injury at Disney's California Adventure? Report it to Theme Park Insider.
Verified Incidents
(Even though these incidents have been verified, individual reports might contain the opinion of the persons submitting them.)
7/29/2005 - California Screamin' - Submitted by Name Withheld on 7/29/2005
Two trains collided on Disneyland California Adventure's California Screamin' near the loading platform. 48 people were on the ride at the time, with as many as 15 transported by Anaheim EMS to local hospitals.
For more information about this incident, visit http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=2300
Click here if you have additional information.
Follow-up:
I was Their When The Trains Collided. It was Scary And Horible. I want to make clear that this was not an ride operators mistake, like the previos person suggested. I waro At Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Operate The Attraction ,THE RIDLERS REVENGE. All rollercoasters are moniterred by a computer with a check and balances procedure. Meaning if theirs an error of serios concequences,Like trains Crashing, the computer will administer the emergency breaks and stop the ride,(train) at its block breaks Section. I just think is unfair people pointing fingers while not knowing the Truth. -- Submitted by 6flagswork on 8/17/2005
I was there! I saw the trains collide and some children started crying. It was very unfortunate. -- Submitted by MaryTalbut on 8/25/2005
Heya... just to second the earlier comment. In these days, rides are NOT controlled by operators. Ride operators often have accsess to only one or two controls, one of which being the emergency stop. When you go through training, you are told to ONLY press that switch in two occasions. An earthquake, and if there is a guest or employee ON THE TRACKS.
Ironic as it may sound, pressing the emergency stop, on some rides, can actually cause more harm than a collision of two trains.
I am 19 years old, and im an EMT. My first job was at six flags magic mountain, working on the ride called "Freefall." ... If you were to press the Emergency Stop button at the wrong time, you could theoretically kill, maim, or paralyze the passengers of that ride. The force would be equivalent to driving a Geo into a a solid brick wall at 55mph. -- Submitted by 5150Mike on 8/25/2005
attractions like california screamin' accident have very little to with operator errors because like the other person wrote, they have limited access to the real functions of a ride like that. Even if people think that someone could have stopped the accident from happening they are wrong because its like a car accident Fido, even when you slam on the brakes it takes time to actually get something in motion to sctually stop, it is easy to point a finger when you ignore physics. -- Submitted by CM4life on 9/21/2005
Agian, Many, if not all park guests are unaware of a ride opperators skill. Unfourtuantly Kevin was injured on the CA rollercoaster. But like the two other Ride Ops allready mentioned... This accidented WAS NOT RIDE OPS FAULT.
I train ride ops at a local themepark and am well aware of the procedures of launching vehicles. The attraction control is simaler to that of air trafic control. There are monitors, buttons and alarms. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to launch the two veichles at the same time. Translation: Until train A cleared the launch and the drop and passed the second brake pad, train B couldnt be dispatched. the computer would not allow it, its like trying to start the car without turning the key. It was clearly brake failure and was inevitable. Estopping trainB before it collided with train A would injure the riders just as much as the actuall colicsion did, and it would injure the other riders as well. Besides the fact, all guests take the risk of injury or even death when the purchase their ticket, read the print. IF you have not trust for Ride Ops, you have no business being in the park. Ride Ops are virguerosuly trained to operate the ride in all conditions, we are people too. -- Submitted by KeikoA on 9/30/2005
Disney has since issued a staement that the accident was casued by an air leak in the break line. the ride reopened Friday October 14. -- Submitted by Danny_Bernard on 10/15/2005
My name is Kevin Bromagen, 38, my daughter Taylor, 6 and I where in the car that got hit by the oncoming car, this is verified with my reporting to The Orange County Register and The LA Times. I am suffering from a nagging headache and stiff neck and my daughter has had nightmares since the incident about not being able to get off the ride, This is not a brake failure, in my view this was an operator error, they had ample time to react and avert this crash. [For more information about this incident, visit http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/07/30/sections/news/focus_in_depth/article_616976.php] -- Submitted by kbromagen on 7/31/2005
4/22/2003 - Aladdin - Submitted by Name Withheld on 4/22/2003
I was told about an accident that occurred at about 8 a.m. this morning in DCA.
An electrician fell from the catwalk of the Hyperion Theatre. All I have been told is the person was a male, age 36. He did have his safety harness on, but it was not attached to the catwalk as it was supposed to be. The cast member fell about 42 feet.
Cal OSHA was brought in and the Hyperion Theater was closed, and all Aladdin shows cancelled, while safety inspections were carried out. The announcement said the shows were cancelled due to technical problems.
No information as to the person's condition has been released yet.
Click here if you have additional information.
Follow-up:
A California Adventure stage technician who fell while testing the special effects for the show "Aladdin" died Sunday, the Orange County Coroner's Office reported.
Christopher Bowman, 36, of Temple City fell on April 22, suffering severe head injuries. He had been unconscious at UCI Medical Center ever since, said Supervising Deputy Joseph Luckey at the coroner's office.
The coroner is scheduled to perform an autopsy today, Luckey said. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health began an investigation immediately after the accident and is expected to release its findings soon.
"Disney's Aladdin, A Musical Spectacular'' has played to mostly packed audiences since opening Jan. 16.
The accident happened at the Hyperion Theater in California Adventure. Bowman was in a safety harness at about 6 a.m., testing special effects for the magic carpet portion of the show. [For more information about this incident, visit http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/ocr/article.do?id=39815§ion=LOCAL&subsection=LOCAL&year=2003&month=5&day=19] -- Submitted by Name Withheld on 5/19/2003
Disney was fined $18,530 for an April accident in which a 36-year-old worker died after falling 42 feet. [For more information about this incident, visit http://www.knx1070.com/knxframe/knxframenodis.html?url=http://www.kcal.com/] -- Submitted by HAPIMS on 10/15/2003
10/20/2001 - California Screamin' - Submitted by Name Withheld on 10/21/2001
I was on the initial launch and half way up the first tube it slammed on the brakes. My head went forward and then slammed into the headrest (if you can call it that!). The ride broke down which I understand is a regular occurrance. I am very sore all over and had a *monster* headache all day yesterday.
Click here if you have additional information.
Follow-up:
During 2 seperate visit's to California Adventure, I've seen California Screamin come to a complete stop after intial launch, 5 times.. It must be also noted that California Screamin comes to a sudden stop right before the final helix which completes the attraction, the train the valley's before entering the station with some irrate park patrons... As for slamming heads against the head rest I've seen it cause a bloody nose and also cause a patron to black out. This all due to a rough and violent sudden stop.... -- Submitted by HAPIMS on 10/31/2001
We were there for ABC's preveiw of the stars with RCC's marching band. A bunch of us got on the DCA roller coaster and the thing slammed to a halt out in the sun for 10 minutes with no explaination as to why. -- Submitted by Name Withheld on 2/18/2004
Ok...from my understanding, when it hits the brakes it is a saftey messure. If it wouldn't have hit the brakes, then you would have run into a train infront of you. For some reason, (either a train was going too fast, or a train had stopped) and then your train was stopped at the closest set of brakes. It could also happen at the helixes if the cast members/guests, take too long to load, and trains pile up behind the station. Being that there are no more brakes before the pile up at the station, the ride would automatically activate the next set of brakes for when a train comes. And if that happens, then the next set of brakes will automatically be activated should another train come...and so on. So I would be glad that you were stopped abruptly, or else you could have collided into another train and died. -- Submitted by FturDctor on 12/1/2003
Wasn't the same year...but yes, this does happen to the ride. My brothers and I were walking around paradise pier. We look over to california screamin at a complete stop, car's all over the tracks. We also saw people being unloaded from the top of the drops. -- Submitted by Name Withheld on 7/5/2004
2/4/2001 - Mulholland Madness - Submitted by Name Withheld on 5/30/2001
At least four people suffered injuries on this ride in February. A 53-year-old woman broke a rib on Feb. 4. A woman suffered a head injury on Feb. 11. And a woman suffered a broken nose and child companion suffered a cut face on Feb. 16. The state of California ordered the ride closed on Feb. 16 and Disney then made improvements to the brakes and safety system.
Click here if you have additional information.
Follow-up:
The incidents were initially confirmed by sources in the park, then by State of California reports. -- Submitted by robert on 8/22/2001
No Date Reported - California Screamin' - Submitted by Name Withheld on 1/9/2002
In June when I went to DCA I was in line to ride Screamin' when all the sudden a young boy opened is restraints and jumped out before they went on the little drop before the brakes. I do not not if he broke any bones but I'm sure of what I saw he got lots of bruises.
Click here if you have additional information.
Follow-up:
I don't think so. -- Submitted by Name Withheld on 5/2/2002
I'm not understanding this accident....will someone please explain it more clearly? How did the kid raise his harness during the ride? This makes no sense!! -- Submitted by Disneyland_USA on 9/11/2003
Disneyland USA, there are ways to cheat harnesses. I know of many, but know how...none. The operator may have pushed the button that unlocks the harnesses. You never know. -- Submitted by thenemesis97 on 2/8/2004
I was there when that happened...The little boy barely got a scratch! bruises? yea right! I'm sure its not a safe thing to do, but he didn't get hurt. -- Submitted by Name Withheld on 7/21/2003
Unverified Reports
12/24/2002 - Golden Zephyr - Submitted by Brithunder on 7/16/2003
When I was done riding it, i was trying to get the seat belt open. when i did, the ride suddenly jolted and i bumped my head very hard on the METAL unpadded seat in front of me. i had a head ache for the rest of the day.
This incident has not been confirmed. Click here if you can verify it, or have additional information.
3/1/2001 - California Screamin' - Submitted by Name Withheld on 4/27/2004
Someone in the front car had a metal, yeas i said metal hat on and it fell off and came rushing back and hit me in the eye. The injury went away a week later.
This incident has not been confirmed. Click here if you can verify it, or have additional information.
No Date Reported - It's Tough to Be a Bug - Submitted by smcginn on 9/5/2003
May 2002. My 15 yr old niece complained that something hit her hard in the back during the show. There is some kind of jet in the back of the seat that shoots air at you to make you feel that a bug stings you. After the show she pulled up the back of her shirt and had a huge welt on her back - she still has the scar a year later. We went to customer relations and was told "the ride is supposed to do that". After visiting first aid at the park we were told they stopped the ride to investigate but found nothing wrong. I believe that the jet in my niece's seat was plugged and whatever plugged it up became dislodged and hit her or the air in that jet was on too hard.
This incident has not been confirmed. Click here if you can verify it, or have additional information.
If you have additional information that can confirm, clarify or refute any of these reports, please e-mail the editor! (Please don't forget to include the attraction's name in your message.)
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