Four people struck by Disneyland float

CujoSR · Post by **CujoSR** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:39 pm

From: MercuryNews.com

ANAHEIM, Calif. - A float in a Disneyland parade struck four people, including a woman who was taken to a hospital, park officials said Monday.

"A Christmas Fantasy Parade" was near the end of its route, near "It's a Small World" attraction when it hit four spectators at about 8:15 p.m., park spokesman Rob Doughty said.

Anaheim fire Capt. Jamie Hirsch said the people were hit by the simulated carpet on the Aladdin float.

"Instead of going straight, (the float) kind of turned to the side and hit the four people," Hirsch said. "The float has a piece of carpet that comes off the back. The piece of carpet struck the guests."

Two adults and a child were treated at the scene for minor injuries, Doughty said.

One woman, identified by her sister as Mayra Perez, 34, was knocked unconscious and taken to a hospital.

"(The float) hit her and knocked her out cold," the sister told The Orange County Register while waiting at the emergency room. "Her face is bruised up pretty bad."

Light rain may have contributed to the accident, which is under investigation by the Anaheim Police Department.

"The inclement weather and the fact that the ground may have been wet could have contributed to what happened," police Sgt. Rick Martinez said.

The last accident at Disneyland occurred in July, when two trains on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster collided, causing minor injuries to five people.

BirdMom · Post by **BirdMom** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 4:43 am

What - no mitigating circumstances besides the rain - no idiots in the crowd with a flood-light equipped video camera that blinded the float driver? It wasn't someone running out of the crowd to pose with the dang float? It was actually the driver's fault? This is new...

kimpossible33 · Post by **kimpossible33** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 4:15 pm

The float is driven pretty recklessly so if the driver were to suddenly put on the brakes when the ground was wet, the back of the float could have slid towards the side (and it has that trailing magic carpet thing if I'm not mistaken).

CBeilby · Post by **CBeilby** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:07 pm

kimpossible33 wrote:The float is driven pretty recklessly so if the driver were to suddenly put on the brakes when the ground was wet, the back of the float could have slid towards the side (and it has that trailing magic carpet thing if I'm not mistaken).

I'd believe that. The wife and I were watching the parade about two years ago when we were visiting (I still was in Virginia at the time) and noticed that the girl who was doing Jasmine in parades that particular day was looking JUST a little nervous while riding in that particular float...

Main Streeter · Post by **Main Streeter** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:35 am

CM driving the float must have been in his dept. all night writing his statement. Hope he was thorough! Really feel sorry for this CM.

Stduck · Post by **Stduck** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:42 am

Part of the issue besides erratic driving is that the Genie is driving the float. I don't know how good the Genie's visablity is so if he can't see very well...

Also we were talking about how Aladdin and Jasimine always look like they are frightened when riding in that float.

lovethefuzzies · Post by **lovethefuzzies** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:21 pm

BirdMom wrote:What - no mitigating circumstances besides the rain - no idiots in the crowd with a flood-light equipped video camera that blinded the float driver? It wasn't someone running out of the crowd to pose with the dang float?...

If Karma serves us correctly it will be the people who screamed, cried, and then socked Mickey and Pluto in the head when it was time for them to leave.

hulkcoaster · Post by **hulkcoaster** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 8:39 pm

^^I still can't beleive someone would let a rubberhead drive a float, let alone a fast one that makes sudden stops.

Stduck · Post by **Stduck** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:17 am

hulkcoaster wrote:^^I still can't beleive someone would let a rubberhead drive a float, let alone a fast one that makes sudden stops.

It's a float driver in the Genie costume.

GMC · Post by **GMC** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:31 am

the genie's entire face is a screen, I honestly think it's just a dangerous part of the float, I was doing parade crossing the other day, before the incident, and the genie came tearing around the corner right at me... i just about shat my pants then ran and hid behind the monrail pillar. I was on the monorail with Wazowski just before the incident, and i looked down as we were passing the matterhorn, and there was the genie, and there he was, way closer to guests than any of the msv drivers would ever come to guests and certainly closer than any attraction vehicle would ever be allowed to come to any guest without a stations stop. If you ask me the float was an accident waiting to happen. Mainstreet parade "kids" have had to dodge him with working crossovers, and those of us in the walkways cringe when we see him come right up to the guests sitting on the curb.