Woman passes away after experiencing a 56-year-old 'slow-moving' ride at Disneyland

A cherished Disneyland attraction has become the center of a tragic event after a guest's visit took an unforeseen turn

Disneyland visitors were left in shock this week when a routine evening at the park ended in tragedy.

The incident occurred on Monday evening (October 6), when a woman in her sixties experienced a medical emergency while on one of the park's most beloved attractions.

After she left the ride, staff quickly noticed she was unresponsive and contacted emergency services around 6:30pm local time.

The tragedy took place on the Haunted Mansion ride, a long-time favorite among fans of Disney’s spooky themes. It has been operating for over fifty years and is known for its gentle pace, eerie ambiance, and family-friendly design.

Riders glide through dimly lit rooms featuring ghostly projections and theatrical effects, making it one of the park’s most iconic experiences. It’s also one of the few rides that has remained largely unchanged since Disneyland first opened its doors in the 1960s.

Though the Haunted Mansion is more about creating an eerie atmosphere than delivering thrills, its dim corridors and slowly moving 'doom buggies' conceal a haunting history.

The attraction, established in 1969, experienced a tragedy in 1974 when a teenage boy fell onto the walkway and suffered a broken neck. This incident, which police later confirmed was not due to the ride itself, remains one of the park's earliest fatalities.

Now, over 50 years later, tragedy has struck once more.

On Monday, Disneyland security performed CPR at the scene until paramedics arrived, according to the Anaheim Police Department. The visitor was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

APD spokesperson Matt Sutter stated: “This appears to be an unfortunate medical episode, and our thoughts go out to the family.”

As reported by the LA Times, the woman's official cause of death has yet to be determined. Police later clarified that there were no mechanical issues with the attraction and that it reopened shortly after the incident.

Disneyland has not yet made an official statement about the woman's death.

Currently themed as The Nightmare Before Christmas for the Halloween and festive season, the Haunted Mansion is still described on Disneyland’s website as a 'slow-moving' ride suitable for children. The park’s site mentions that 'the ride itself is gentle, but young children may be frightened by the special effects'.

The woman's death occurs just weeks after another fatal incident at Universal’s Epic Universe theme park in Florida, where a man was found unconscious on a roller coaster less than four months after the park’s grand opening.