Death on Expedition Everest

[Johnie]

Saw this on CNN while we were out to dinner tonight.

[BUTTERHEAD1]

Below is a link to the Orlando Sentinel about this man dying on Everest.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/orl-bk-disneyaccident12182007,0,7179266.story?coll=orl_ta b01_layout

[OKWTink]

There has also been a sexual assault on a woman. I didn't hear all the details, but apparently a woman was attacked by a man who pushed her down. She may have been raped. She told her husband who then called the authorities.

Not such good news coming out of Disney right now. :(

According to the nightly newscast, the man who died did so within the last 50 seconds of the ride. He is caught on camera smiling and enjoying himself just 50 seconds before the end of the ride.

[Johnie]

:( terrible things can happen anywhere, even the Happiest Place on Earth.

[BUTTERHEAD1]

Tink I didnt hear about a woman being attacked in WDW, when and where did that happen? I googled it but can't find it.

[OKWTink]

Not sure where, but maybe yesterday? It was on tonight's news and I didn't catch it all. If I hear more, I'll let you know the additional details.

It was newscast on the early news (six or so) then again tonight on the ten o' clock news.

[OKWTink]

Just copied this from the Fox news (Channel 35 in the Orlando area). Although the dateline is tonight, it happened last week! And it is much more clear than what I heard earlier. Apparently, she escaped without sexual assault. Thank heaven!
*************************************************

A guest escaped an attempted assault at a Disney resort last week.

According to a report from the Orange County Sheriffs office, this past Friday night just before 6PM the unidentified woman was pulled into some bushes at the Pop Century resort.

The woman was pulled onto the ground and a man fell down beside her and pulled her room card from her pocket. Details of how the woman escaped from the attacker weren’t made available but the report did say that the woman was able to escape and return to her room. She was unable to enter the room because her room card was bent. The victim pounded on the door until she woke her husband.

The husband called 911 then had a Disney employee stay with his wife while he headed to scene of the attack to search for a suspect. The Sheriffs department responded but was unable to find any trace of a subject.

The victim described the suspect as a light skinned black male, tall, approximately 40-50 year old with brown eyes and short black hair.

[BUTTERHEAD1]

Wow that is scary, Of course these things can happen anywhere I just dont expect these things to happen in Disney,especially at the resorts. When we stay at Disney my son(11)would run to the ice/vending machines on his own. I think it is time for Disney to pick it up with more security at the resorts.

[OKWTink]

Or at least real security and not just costumed CMs.

The attack on the woman really bothers me a lot. She was at a resort and that makes me feel pretty vulnerable.

Yes, the attacks surely can happen anywhere, and clearly do, but Disney does have a responsibility to be hyper alert to keeping the guests safe, I believe.

The info is still sketchy and leaves many unanswered questions (like why is this information always so late in being announced to the public).

My heart goes out to the family of the man who died. I can't imagine coming to Disney for Christmas and then having to deal with something like that. :(

[BUTTERHEAD1]

I really dont dont mean to pick on Disney but after trying to find info on the woman being attacked I found the below article on the New York Times website.The article is from april of this year.It is very scary.Again I dont want to pick on WDW but I think if people read this they will be more conscious of their surroundings when on vacation.


Three employees of Disney World were among 28 men arrested and charged with soliciting sex from a child in a four-day sting operation outside Orlando. Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County said most of the men were arrested after arriving at a house where officers were waiting. The men had communicated online, and in some cases by phone, with undercover officers posing as girls as young as 13. The Disney employees were identified as Thierry Ferron, 44, an electronics technician; Julio Segundo, 21, an intern in research and development; and Richard Gaugh, 55, a regional coordinator for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. A Disney spokeswoman said the three had been placed on unpaid leave.

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[Johnie]

I'm a firm believer that if one is meant to die, it's going to happen anywhere one happens to be. It's horrible that it happened so close to Christmas though :(

Disney does have a responsibility to keep guests safe. But, I think guests need to remain alert to their surroundings, just as they would at home. People get lulled into a false sense of security b/c it IS Disney World IMO.

[BUTTERHEAD1]

Johnie I am definitely guilty of letting my guard down when I am at Disney. I am definitely on guard while we are at the parks but for some reason I feel safer at the resorts. I will try and remember these incidents next time i am down there.

[OKWTink]

I'd forgotten about the sting operation. That was pretty unsettling too.

WDW had a reputation for excellent security. That is one of the reasons why guests feel exceptionally safe there. When incidents happen, it upsets the comfort zone. It also calls into question the quality of the security.

[Johnie]

Considering how many guests come onto Disney property every day, I think they are doing a good job.

[Rosie0610]

Considering how many guests come onto Disney property every day, I think they are doing a good job.

Yes I agree Johnie. If I look at my local paper we have all the same stories, if not worse stories. Considering how big WDW and the Orlando resort area is I don't find this too alarming :shrug: . I would agree that maybe more identifiable security is needed. I mean I've never seen any real security except for the bag checkers as you enter a park.

Be safe everyone!

[OKWTink]

That is part of their good work, Rosie. They have many security people in the park, but unless you look very closely you'll not spot them. They are "plain clothes."

It is a monumental task, to be sure.

[DisneyFreak]

There was also a report of a 63 year old woman not being allowed in Animal Kingdom at the gate since she was carrying a hand gun and a knife in her purse.

Also there were three Pop Warner football teams kicked out of some tournament because a couple of the boys got into a fight in the parks. Disney policy for team events are if even one player gets into trouble the whole team is dismissed.

[OKWTink]

Yep. Those were all fairly recent events.

[uscwest]

The man's death has been attributed to Natural Causes: Orlando Sentinel (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-everest2007dec20,0,6367643.story?coll=orl_tab01_la yout)

[katie]

It's good that Disney are going to train more people in the use of defibrillators and to have more of them available. I did think that if Disney has 500 defibrillators, that it was a bit odd that only 3 were available in the AK.

Katie :)

[TimonAndPumba]

Thoughts and prayers go out to this man's family :( It is so tragic when things like this happen, especally in the holiday season...