Disney World parkgoers said they evacuated themselves from a sinkingSplash Mountain boat on Monday.Disney visitor Skyelar Ingersoll captured a clip of the moment and shared it on Twitter. Ingersoll said a Disney cast member told her and the Splash Mountain riders that they should have stayed seated on the boat.- Speaking to Insider, Ingersoll said that while she and others on the ride originally felt their safety "didn't come first," she later spoke with "very apologetic" cast members and now feels confident in riding Splash Mountain again.
- Disney confirmed to Insider that five parkgoers were on the boat, and that all got out safely. A Disney representative said employees worked with each affected visitor "so that they could enjoy the rest of the day in the park," and later reopened the ride.
One Disney fan's recent trip to the Orlando, Florida,
On Monday, California resident Skyelar Ingersoll visited Disney World for the first time and took a ride on the famous log-flume attraction Splash Mountain. But she said that when her fellow passengers noticed that their boat was taking on water at the end of the ride, they evacuated themselves and waited for assistance.
Ingersoll began filming the incident after she was safely out of the boat, and later shared a clip of the sunken ride vehicle to Twitter.
—sky (@skyelaringrsoll) August 3, 2020
Speaking to Insider, Disney fan Skyelar Ingersoll said 'everything was fine' while riding Splash Mountain until 'after the final drop'
That's when she and others on the ride noticed that their boat had become stuck and started to fill with a small amount of water, she said. However, the vehicle eventually began moving again, according to Ingersoll.
"Then we got stuck again for longer towards the end of the ride, and a lot of water started rushing in," Ingersoll said.
She added that the water reached her friend's knees and waist at that point of the ride.
As the vehicle started to tip backwards, Ingersoll said she and others on the ride decided to exit. Around that time, they also heard a "powering off" announcement over the ride's intercom, according to Ingersoll.
Ingersoll said a Disney employee told riders to stay seated in the sinking boat
In her video, a woman can be heard saying that parkgoers should not have exited the boat. Ingersoll said the woman was a Disney cast member. When riders responded to the woman by pointing to the sunken boat, she replied: "I understand that, but this is a safety hazard."
"That specific cast member was unprofessional, and we felt as though our safety didn't come first," Ingersoll told Insider. "She told us it was a safety hazard to not be inside of the boat, but clearly it wasn't safe to be inside the boat either."
However, the Disney fan noted that other employees she talked to after the incident were "very apologetic and understanding." She also said she'd feel comfortable riding Splash Mountain and other Disney rides again.
A Disney representative confirmed to Insider that five parkgoers were on the boat when it began to sink, and that all got out safely. The representative also said employees worked with each affected visitor "so that they could enjoy the rest of the day in the park," and that the ride was later reopened.
Representatives for Disney did not immediately respond to Insider's request for further comment regarding how long the ride was closed, and the woman who Ingersoll said was a cast member in her video.
Splash Mountain will soon be transformed into a 'Princess and the Frog'-themed attraction
Disney announced the renovations on the Disney Parks Blog at the end of June. Though the company hasn't yet revealed when the ride will be changed, the makeover will be implemented at both Disney World and Disneyland.
Concept art of the ride's new theme shows a classic Splash Mountain log flume coursing through the Louisiana bayou alongside Princess Tiana and the jazz-loving alligator Louis. In addition to these characters and music from the film, illustration suggests the ride will replace Splash Mountain's mountains and thorns with giant trees and sparkling lights.
The change was announced shortly after an online petition was created with the goal of encouraging Disney to ditch the ride's music and characters from "Song of the South," which has long been criticized for its racist imagery.
- Read more:
- Disney World and Disneyland are turning Splash Mountain into a 'Princess and the Frog'-themed attraction
- 25 Disney theme-park dishes you can make at home
- People are asking Disney to replace 'Song of the South' characters in Splash Mountain with those from 'The Princess and the Frog'
- 12 Disneyland and Disney World attractions that have changed since you were a kid