Tourist, 54, dies on iconic Disney World ride after suffering heart attack

NewsWorld News A 54-YEAR-OLD tourist died after suffering a heart attack while riding an iconic Disney World ride. The man suffered a cardiac emergency on the theme park’s It’s a Small World ride in Orlando, Florida on April 2. A 54-year-old man has died after suffering a cardiac emergency at Disney World Credit: Getty The tourist suffered a heart attack while on the park’s It’s A Small World ride Credit: PA But the tragedy has only just come to light in a recent injury report. The Magic Kingdom parkgoer was transported to a local hospital and later died. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! According to Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, the man had a pre-existing heart condition. The 10-minute boat ride attraction at Walt Disney World has been one of the park’s most popular since it opened. It comes just weeks after the ride was struck by another emergency when a horror fire broke out. A portable phone charger reportedly ignited and sparked a blaze that left plumes of smoke filling a room packed with bystanders. Terrifying footage showed frantic cast members racing around the attraction trying to respond to the fire. One dressed up employee was seen using a fire extinguisher to battle a growing inferno over ride boats inside the “Magic Kingdom”. Most read in The Sun Four people died at Disney World in a one-month span late last year Credit: Getty The 54-year-old is the second parkgoer to die on It’s a Small World Credit: Alamy A TikTok user who said their family was in the room at the time of the blaze alleged that a child had placed a bag containing a new magnetic portable charger between their legs before it set alight. Someone who identified themselves as a Disney cast member backed up the account. They claimed the ride itself was not damaged, and wrote: “This is correct. SW CM here! Everyone is okay, including the ride itself.” Disney has not publicly confirmed the cause of the reported fire. The 54-year-old is the second parkgoer to die on It’s a Small World, after a 22-year-old woman lost consciousness on the ride in 2014. According to the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services report, the woman had a pre-existing health condition and later died. Four people died at Disney World in a one-month span late last year, according to TMZ. None of the deaths appeared to be related to medical emergencies on rides at the park. In October a Disneyland guest suffered a possible heart attack while riding Haunted Mansion. She later died in a local hospital, the outlet reported. The Florida theme park has recorded around 70 deaths since opening in 1971 – mostly linked to pre-existing conditions and natural causes, according to media reports. The Sun has approached Disney for comment. 1 comment1