WDW Cast Member Dies

[Imaginationeer]

Disney worker injured on ride platform

November 29, 2007

BAY LAKE - A Walt Disney World employee remained hospitalized Wednesday after falling from a ride platform Saturday at Animal Kingdom.

The female employee was hit by a moving car on Primeval Whirl, a roller-coaster-like ride, and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, said Jacquee Polak, Disney spokeswoman.

Polak did not release the worker's name or age.

The woman was working as a ride attendant and moved into an area on the ride platform that is prohibited while the ride is moving, Polak said. She fell and hit her head after being hit by the moving ride.

The victim's family contacted Disney officials Wednesday and said the woman's condition had worsened, Polak said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating and the Orange County Sheriff's Office was notified of the incident, Polak said. A sheriff's spokesman said he could not find a report of the incident Wednesday night.

News provided by WDW News Today at www.wdwnewstoday.com.

[Dustysage]

Yikes. I hope she recovers.

Did OSHA shut the ride down pending an investigation or is it still open?

[Imaginationeer]

The ride is still open according to someone I spoke to this morning.

[RumRunner31]

Wow, that's upsetting. DLR Castmembers are sending their prayers!

[nbodyhome]

The ride is open, the news so far (after the sheriffs office said she was dead) is that she's in grave condition. It's very sad.

[ALIASd]

Disney Worker In Grave Condition After Fall

OSHA Officials Investigating Incident


POSTED: 4:48 pm EST November 29, 2007
UPDATED: 5:32 pm EST November 29, 2007

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A 63-year-old woman, who was working on a Disney ride Saturday at Animal Kingdom when she fell several feet and hit her head, is listed in grave condition on Thursday at Orlando Regional Medical Center, according to officials.

The woman was injured while working on the Primeval Whirl ride. Officials said she was standing in an area off the ride that is off-limits when she approached the moving ride and was struck, causing her to fall several feet and hit her head.

The woman was transported to the hospital after the incident and was breathing and conscious but has since taken a turn for the worse, according to officials.

"Right now because of the rapid decline of her condition, we are on standby to investigate that incident. But there was no wrongdoing. Disney was under no obligation to call us. It was just an accident -- no criminal activity or criminal intent," Jim Solomons of the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials informed the media earlier on Thursday that the woman had died but later retracted the statement.

OSHA officials are now investigating the incident.

Disney officials told Local 6 News that the ride was inspected and everything is working properly.

http://www.local6.com/news/14730022/detail.html

[ALIASd]

Disney Worker Dies After Fall From Ride


POSTED: 11:55 am EST November 29, 2007
UPDATED: 7:38 pm EST November 29, 2007

A Walt Disney World employee died on Thursday after falling from a ride platform at Animal Kingdom.

Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said the accident happened on Saturday when the woman was hit by a moving car on the Primeval Whirl, a spinning roller coaster ride that features two identical tracks and takes guests back to the prehistoric era.

"We learned this evening that our Cast Member has passed away. On behalf of our entire Walt Disney World family, our sympathies are with the family. We have offered our support through this very difficult time," Polak said.

The woman was a ride attendant and moved into a prohibited area on the ride platform, Polak said. She fell from the platform and hit her head after being hit by the moving ride, officials said.

The ride has not been shut down because it is functioning properly, officials said.

http://www.wesh.com/news/14726804/de...s=orl&psp=news

[RocketTom]

How tragic. My prayers go out to her family.

[DisneyDreamer500]

Im still confused, so she got hit by it and fell and hit her head and died? Or she fell in a restricted are?

[Baloo]

no she walked into a restricted area because of this she got hit by a moving vehicle and fell. At the time that she fell she hit her head.


It must have been a frightening thing for whomever was on that vehicle.

[pixie chick]

How terrible. Very sad.

[Rex Dopey24]

oh no that is sad. rip.

[Queentitania19]

That is awful. I hope her family is ok. Not to mention how shaken up anyone on the ride must have been.

[chadb14]

Condolences to family and friends.

[doombuggy driver]

How sad.

Her family is in our prayers.