The roller coaster remains closed after the man climbed out of the ride on his own force while it was moving.
- Feb 1, 2019
AceShowbiz - A visitor jumped out of Disneyland's Space Mountain roller coaster while it was moving on Tuesday afternoon, January 29. While it was initially reported that the man had fallen out of the ride, it turned out that he climbed out of the ride on his own force.
Disneyland officials said the ride vehicle's lap bar restraint remained engaged and the man "used force to maneuver his way out of the vehicle." The Anaheim police Sgt. Daron Wyatt confirmed, "He didn't fall out. He had to maneuver himself around the safety mechanism."
The Southern California man, who is described as in his 20s, climbed out of the moving train in the dark during a slower portion of the ride as the coaster was making its initial climb, said Wyatt. The ride operators stopped the coaster once they realized the man was not on the ride and located him.
The man, who has cognitive disabilities, walked under his own power to the Disneyland first aid station and was later taken to the hospital for a precautionary examination. He's luckily uninjured in the incident.
Disneyland immediately called the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health to inspect the ride following the incident. Cal/OSHA spokesman Luke Brown says that Disneyland is fully cooperating with the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration during investigation of the Space Mountain incident. The ride has remained close during the investigation.
Jim Seay, past chairman of the ASTM International Amusement Ride Safety Standards Committee, said incidents where riders climb off of moving roller coasters are dangerous and "extremely rare." Seay, who is also president of Maryland-based amusement ride manufacturer Premier Rides, reminded that riders are responsible for their safety and had to follow the rules while any attraction is in motion.
"Everybody is a contributor to the safety of the ride," he told the Register in a phone interview. "The actions of the individual are an important part of the ride safety experience."
