Credit: ITMDisney World is denying an injury.
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Because of the sheer size of the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, guests are given many different options when it comes to transportation. Whether guests are traveling to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios or making their way back to one of the dozens of hotels on the Walt Disney World property, guests always have multiple ways of navigating “The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Firstly, there’s the bus system, which is probably the most used mode of transportation in Walt Disney World. These buses can take guests to every single park, including Disney World’s two water parks as well as Disney Springs. These are an easy and usually quick way to get to and from your destination, though there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to sit down while on the bus.
One of the more fun ways to get around Walt Disney World is various water taxis. These take guests to and from places like EPCOT and Hollywood Studios using manmade water channels. While slightly slower, these allow guests to get some great views of Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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However, there’s one method of transportation that you think of when you think of Disney World, and it’s, of course, the iconic Monorail. These “futuristic” trains take guests all across Walt Disney World, with stops at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom as well as Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. The Walt Disney World Monorail has been in service for decades and is a beloved piece of the resort in general.
Monorails can be found at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland as well, but neither travel to as many places as Walt Disney World’s version does. Unfortunately, a guest was reportedly injured as a result of riding the Monorail at Walt Disney World, claiming Disney failed to maintain safe operating conditions. The guest filed a lawsuit against Disney and seeks $50,000.
However, that is not the end of the story.
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The guest stated that the incident occurred while she was visiting EPCOT back in March of 2023. The guest claims that the Monorail doors closed on her as she was entering the cabin. The guest claims that she suffered a severe injury, and no cast members came to her assistance during the accident. The guest was reportedly entering the Monorail at Disney’s Bay Lake Resort.
Walt Disney World Resort is denying the allegations, and according to documents, the plaintiff has yet to provide any evidence or proof supporting these claims. The lawsuit was originally filed in July and is still pending.
In an affidavit filed in Orange Circuit Court by the guest’s boyfriend, John Ruffin, the following statements were made:
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“As we were getting on the monorail, the monorail doors slammed shut on Rebecca. Guests on the outside and myself and others on the inside were trying to pry Rebecca loose from the doors. Eventually, we got her out. Rebecca was badly injured.”
John Ruffin’s statement continued. “The monorail speaker came on while she was trapped in the doors, and it said there was something malfunctioning and resetting with the monorail. There was a uniformed Disney employee there that did nothing to help us get Rebecca out.” Vanturini’s attorney filed a notice claiming he is ready for trial. At the time of publishing this article, this is where the story ends for now.
The Walt Disney World Resort was recently sued for another accident, this time involving a small child. The lawsuit claims the child was hurt while riding Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom.
Fans of Disney will already know that the company is embroiled in multiple lawsuits centering around Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, all of which are a direct result of Disney losing its Reedy Creek Improvement District. This special ruling allowed Disney World to mostly operate of its own accord, employing its own park employees as well as public service workers and first responders.
Disney filed a lawsuit against both Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis after losing control of this district earlier in 2023. The Walt Disney Company also faced a lawsuit over its Magic Key annual pass system in Califonia, with guests claiming Disney misled consumers.
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