When you work at a place like Walt Disney World Resort, there tend to be a lot of wild and wacky things that happen on a day-to-day basis. Whether it is ridiculous Guests or rambunctious children, it can be expected that Cast Members will see something out of the ordinary nearly every day.
However, every once in a while, something truly horrifying and out of the ordinary happens at Walt Disney World Resort. That’s precisely what happened to one Cast Member when a seemingly normal day took a turn for the worst!
It’s easy to get so swept up in the fun of Walt Disney World rides and attractions that we often forget about how dangerous these rides can truly be. Over its 50 years in service, Walt Disney World has seen its fair share of injuries. With all of the rides and attractions the Parks have to offer, accidents happen more often than Cast Members would like.
Once a Guest is injured on a ride, they are immediately attended to by paramedics as soon as possible. The side Guests don’t usually see is the horrifying and sometimes disgusting tasks that Cast Members have to do to help out. For some Cast Member’s working at Magic Kingdom Park, that meant searching for a ride for a Guests detached finger.
On the Reddit group r/WaltDisneyWorld, one Disney fan asked a simple question, “Who has interesting or wild/crazy stories from WDW?” The answer they received was something truly shocking.
Reddit user @travelingtheworld-1 began his story by explaining that it all went down 25 years ago during Walt Disney World’s 25th Anniversary. The Cast Member was working at Space Mountain when a Guests finger was “ripped off by the wedding band in the light tube launch.” After the incident occurred, the Cast Member’s working on Space Mountain were instructed to search the ride for the severed finger.
According to the Cast Member, the finger was found, put on ice, and reattached to the victim at a nearby hospital. If there’s one thing to take away from this horrifying story, it is to make sure to listen to safety demonstrations at the begging of a ride. The poster reminds Guests, “when they say keep your arms inside, just listen.”
No standby queue will be available. Guests can join the Virtual Queue at 7:00 am and 1:00 pm using the My Disney Experience app. No pricing has been released for the cost of the Individual Lightning Lane option.
Here are the full details on the Virtual Queue from the Walt Disney World website:
TRON Lightcycle / Run – Soft Opening
Between March 20 and April 2, 2023, Guests may have an early opportunity to launch into the Grid on TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise.
Guests will need to use the My Disney Experience app to enter this attraction. A standby queue will not be available. Each Guest can request to enter the virtual queue no more than once per day throughout regular park hours during the soft opening.
Guests must have valid admission and a theme park reservation to join the virtual queue. There will be two daily opportunities to request to join the virtual queue for TRON Lightcycle / Run:
7:00 AM (Guests do not need to be in the park when they join, but must have a theme park reservation for Magic Kingdom park)
1:00 PM (Guests must be in Magic Kingdom park to join the virtual queue)
Please be aware that a virtual queue will still be in place when TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise opens on April 4, 2023.
Disney is taking steps to move forward with the addition of a brand-new, long-awaited themed land inside Magic Kingdom.
For years, Disney World Guests have daydreamed about being part of Ursula’s world, taking on the monsters of the deep and playing silent apprentice to her evil underwater schemes. For some, the prospect of following Gaston around town as he guzzles beer and makes fun of people for reading and thinking has a certain draw to it. Other Parks Guests have wondered what it might be like to sneak into Maleficent’s domain–the Forbidden Mountain–as it “thunders with her wrath and frustration” about Sleeping Beauty having seemingly vanished off the face of the earth.
And just to clarify–no one has dreamed fondly of repelling down Rapunzel’s tower with Mother Gothel in tow, being in the palace when Jafar morphs into a King cobra, or helping the Evil Queen mix up a cocktail that will turn her into a 200-year-old beggar woman. Too evil. Just too much.
But according to at least one member of the Walt Disney Imagineering team, such daydreams and ponderings may soon give way to reality, as fans have made their wishes and wants known, and Disney is reportedly listening intently.
During the 2022 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, Guests were treated to every imaginable piece of Disney news available at the time. During the three-day event at the Anaheim Convention Center, Guests of the Expo also had the opportunity to learn more about The Walt Disney Company and its upcoming projects, and they were even among the first to have the opportunity to purchase limited-edition merchandise. Walt Disney’s newly-restored plane was even on display for fans to see.
The third and final day of the Expo, Sunday, September 11, 2022, marked the part of the Expo that was the most exciting, the most informative, and the most forward-looking for Disney Parks around the globe. During the Disney Parks panel that day, Chairman Josh D’Amaro welcomed excited fans to get an inside “ear” on plans for the parks–from Disney World and Disneyland to Shanghai Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland.
During D’Amaro’s presentation, members of the Walt Disney Imagineering team took to the stage to unveil some beautiful concept art that served to represent potential future developments in the parks, including a piece that depicted exciting additions at the Walt Disney World Resort to include new themed lands at Magic Kingdom inspired by Disney’s Encanto and Disney’s Moana, both of which received the massive audience’s approval. But the most thunderous applause was heard–and felt–when Imagineers teased the potential for a brand-new themed land, inspired by none other than Disney’s most evil villains.
Imagineer Chris Beatty revealed in an interview this week that the thunderous applause and excited response from the audience were noted by those onstage. Beatty says that the response really piqued the interest of those who were presenting the concept art during the D23 Expo Parks Panel.
“[The Villains Land concept] got pretty good applause,” Beatty said. “We took note of how loud the applause was when we announced that.” Beatty says that the intention of that segment of the Parks Panel was to show fans that creativity is still at the heart of all that’s done at Disney and inside Walt Disney Imagineering.
“We’re dreaming every day about what could be next at Walt Disney World,” Beatty explained. “We just wanted to give you a peek at some of the amazing things that could be coming. It’s changing every day. It’s exciting. I think Josh [D’Amaro] was really trying to get across that [the] spirit of creativity, of what could be next, of innovation, of the possibility of what could be is still alive and well at Disney and Imagineering.”
Beatty says that the presentation at the Expo was a stab at “dreaming about what could be” at Disney Parks, not an attempt to promise concrete plans for the parks–not yet, anyway.
But fans are hopeful that the development of preliminary plans and the creation of concept art for a land inspired by the evil villains in Disney’s most beloved films are signs of such a place becoming a reality in the very near future at Disney World. Why else would they “take note” of the audience’s response? Exactly.
In 2023, Walt Disney World Resort is the place to embrace thrills of all kinds. Exciting new experiences set to debut this year include one of the fastest coasters at any Disney theme park, a new restaurant to savor, the continued transformation of EPCOT, returning nighttime spectaculars filling night skies throughout the resort and so much more.
1 – Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Continues Through March 31
It’s your last chance to experience a party fifty years in the making as the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration will conclude March 31, 2023. Make plans to visit now to see Mickey Mouse and his pals in their EARidescent finery one last time and enjoy all the special sights, tastes and merchandise that mark this momentous event.
2 – New and Returning Character Greetings – All Year
New and returning character experiences are sure to thrill guests of all ages. Beginning April 22, Moana will greet fellow voyagers on Discovery Island at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park – just in time for the park’s 25th anniversary. Fans of Figment will get the chance to hug the long-time EPCOT icon at the Imagination! pavilion beginning late summer. Mickey Mouse and friends will also have a new home at Communicore Hall opening later this year as part of the EPCOT transformation. And, at Magic Kingdom Park this fall, Mirabel from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ hit film “Encanto” will greet guests in Fairytale Garden surrounded by whimsical décor inspired by La Familia Madrigal. These new experiences follow the return of several Magic Kingdom character experiences including Pete’s Silly Sideshow, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Ariel in her underwater grotto and the return of character dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
3 – Roundup Rodeo BBQ Comes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios – March 23
Yee-haw! Andy’s backyard is preparing to welcome more toys at Roundup Rodeo BBQ opening March 23 in Toy Story Land. Serving barbecue-inspired comfort foods, this one-of-a-kind dining experience is the first “Toy Story” table-service restaurant in the world. A collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney World Food & Beverage, Roundup Rodeo BBQ will bring more toy-sized, tasty fun to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
4 – Nighttime Spectaculars Brighten Skies and Warm Hearts at Magic Kingdom Park and EPCOT – April 3
Fan-favorite nighttime spectacular “Happily Ever After” Presented by Pandora Jewelry returns to light up the night sky over Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park beginning April 3. New this year, the nightly fireworks show will fully immerse guests in heartfelt Disney stories as brand-new projections extend down Main Street U.S.A., adding even more magic to this unforgettable spectacle.
“EPCOT Forever” returns to World Showcase Lagoon starting April 3. Featuring stirring renditions of memorable EPCOT music, the show sparks fond memories from the park’s rich history.
5 – The Grid Awaits on TRON Lightcycle / Run Presented by Enterprise – April 4
Beginning April 4, guests can climb aboard Lightcycles for a thrilling race on TRON Lightcycle / Run Presented by Enterprise. Located in Magic Kingdom Park, it is the fastest coaster attraction in a Disney theme park, alongside its sister coaster at Shanghai Disneyland. The attraction masterfully blends coaster thrills with speed, visual effects, music and a one-of-a-kind ride system to create an experience like no other. A virtual queue will be in place when TRON Lightcycle / Run opens and guests will also have the option to purchase individual Lightning Lane entry for the attraction via the My Disney Experience app on the day of their visit. For details, visit DisneyWorld.com.
6 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park 25th Anniversary – April 22
2023 marks a special milestone as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park celebrates its 25th anniversary. With the return of entertainment such as “Festival of the Lion King” and ”Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond!,” there has never been a better time to explore this one-of-a-kind park. It is the place to encounter wild animals, take in high-speed thrills and even journey to a world beyond belief, Pandora – The World of Avatar. Make plans now to visit this special place that celebrates the magic of nature.
7 – EPCOT Transformation Continues – Late 2023
This fall will bring even more exciting experiences as part of the multi-year transformation of EPCOT. Guests will be able to explore the wonders of water when Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana opens. This fun interactive outdoor trail offers a chance to play and interact with water as it travels from the sky to the oceans and back again. Along the way, guests learn about the importance of water and discover its playful personality – just as Moana did on her heroic voyage.
Fall will also see completion of the new World Celebration neighborhood. As the hub of the park, it will feature different gardens that change with the seasons. It will also be home to the new Communicore Plaza and the new Communicore Hall, the latter offering a place to meet Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. World Celebration will also anchor the park’s renowned festivals. It is also where guests will discover Dreamers Point, an inspiring overlook showcasing a statue of Walt Disney called “Walt the Dreamer.”
Guests will be treated to the debut of an all-new EPCOT nighttime spectacular later this year. A dazzling display of music, pyrotechnics, lasers and lighting, the show will feature an original composition and evocative selections from the Disney songbook – all woven together to remind us that we are more alike than different.
8 – Disney100 Celebration – Late 2023
Later this year, Walt Disney World Resort will join the global celebration of The Walt Disney Company’s 100th Anniversary – 10 decades of creativity and innovation. Look for more details to come, as EPCOT prepares to host this unforgettable celebration at Walt Disney World.
9 – More Disney Dining Options – Throughout the Year
On April 1, 2023, Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will welcome guests to an exciting new dining experience. This signature-dining restaurant – renowned for its panoramic views of Seven Seas Lagoon – will introduce a new interior along with a refreshed menu offering a perfect balance of updated classics and new culinary delights. Guests can look forward to the return of house specialties such as lobster bisque and new dishes like Blackened Redfish and tasty plant-based options.
Later this year, more dining delights will debut, including Summer House on the Lake at Disney Springs and The Cake Bake Shop at Disney’s BoardWalk.
10 -Experiencing Walt Disney World Theme Parks
To experience all that Walt Disney World theme parks have to offer, guests need both valid park admission and a park reservation on the same date. Guests can visit DisneyWorld.com for more information about planning their visit.
We have exciting news! Construction on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure continues to take shape, and later this summer, a tiara-topped water tower emblazoned with the Tiana’s Foods logo will make its way to Magic Kingdom.
Disney Parks guests will get to experience Princess Tiana’s story like never before following the attraction’s debut at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort in 2024, and what a party it will be! The story will pick up where the film left off as guests join Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis on an adventure down the bayou as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind celebration during Mardi Gras season where everyone is welcome. Along the way, guests will encounter familiar faces, make new friends and travel through the bayou to original music inspired by songs from the film.
Our team of Imagineers recently traveled to New Orleans to capture the true essence of the Mardi Gras celebration, the energy, the colors, the rhythms of the music, all that and more to infuse into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to create lots of memorable fun for guests! Check the link below to see!
