DISNEYLAND Park
Walt Disney Theme Parks (Abbreviation: DL)
Park News - (10/8/03) The details of the Big Thunder Mountain accident have been revealed in the latest police report. Ride Ops heard a strange “clacking noise” coming from the wheels of Train #2 as it was dispatched. The noise was noted and they were going to pull the train from service as soon as it returned to the station, but Train #2 never returned. The lead decorative Locomotive car on the train lost a “bogie” (wheel assembly) from the rear set of wheels. The stress caused a separation of locomotive from the rest of the train as the train entered “Safety Tunnel One”. The car lifted off the tracks and struck the roof of the tunnel, and the lead passenger car ran underneath the airborne locomotive car, which struck the head and chest of the rider in that first row, which was the only fatality. The state’s investigation is still ongoing however. You can read more about the accident at OCRegister.
(9/24/03) While the investigation of the Big Thunder Mountain accident still goes on, it was revealed last week that the one death appears to have been from Blunt Force Trauma to the head and chest and not from cardiac arrest as previously reported. There has been no set timetable as to when Big Thunder will reopen, but it has been mentioned that it could take up to two years, though I’m sure that is a worst case scenario. In the meantime, we’ve been sent a link to a whole batch of photos showing off all of the various walled off attractions in Disneyland currently.
(9/15/03) On top of everything else closed at the park (see below), Splash Mountain is also closed for it’s annual rehab (Westcoaster Photos) as well.
(9/9/03) Hardly any new information regarding the Sept. 5th accident on Big Thunder Mountain has been released at this time. The report from Disneyland confirmed that there was one death, possibly due to cardiac arrest, and ten injuries. There has been talk of a train “derailment”, but there has also been talk about the front “engine” car of a train becoming separated from the rest of a train near the top of a hill, allowing the rest of the train to slide back down the hill. Most reports have confirmed that the accident took place inside one of the ride’s many tunnels... possibly in the last lift hill tunnel. It seems unlikely that any more details will be released until the investigation has been completed. Disneyland official have said that Big Thunder could remain closed anywhere from 6-12 months. Keep in mind that Space Mountain is already closed until late 2005 and typically Matterhorn is usually closed down for 3-4 months for it’s annual rehab starting in the fall as well. In other news, we’ve heard that the Monorail is expected to drop down to a one-train operation in the near future, and that it may become an exclusive perk only for Disney Resort guests.
(8/25/03) In an update to the Innoventions closing rumor, it seems this rumor is attached to the 50th Anniversary and a History of Disneyland display they will likely need a very large space to set up. They would need more space than the NASA Display or the Disney Gallery could provide, but if put into the Innoventions building, they would most likely only need one floor.
