Credit: @professional_arm794/Reddit
Boy, 13, Falls 50 Foot From Disneyland Ride After Exiting Midway Through
Questions are being raised over how a teenage boy was able to climb out of a Disneyland ride halfway through, causing him to fall 50 feet.
The 13-year-old boy, who miraculously survived the fall with just minor injuries, had been riding on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, when the terrifying incident occurred on June 21.
The ride is a log flume-style attraction based on Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, first opening to the public in November 2024 when it replaced the iconic Splash Mountain.
Questions over the ride’s safety measures
Disneyland has confirmed that the boy exited the ride before he was supposed to and that there were no malfunctions with the ride itself.
However, questions are being raised as to why there are no seatbelts or lap bars to keep visitors in place when riding the attraction.
“I’m surprised they haven’t installed lap bars/seatbelts to prevent such a thing from happening in the first place. Almost every other ride has a safety restraint in place,” one person said, as per the Mirror.
Another added: “It has always surprised me that lap bars have never been installed on this ride; especially, since it’s a single-file ride and kids can’t clutch their parents.”
A third agreed: “When I loaded my four-year-old into the Tiana ride boat, I was panicked when it occurred to me that the boat didn’t have restraints.”
Meanwhile, a fourth questioned why rapid rides tend to have seatbelts, but flumes like this one don’t.
One Disney expert, who has run the ‘world’s largest website for fans of Disney World, Disneyland, Marvel, and Star Wars’ since 2005, has raised major concerns over the ‘serious’ incident.
Kurt Schmidt wrote on his site Inside the Magic: “This is serious. It raises immediate questions about how a guest ended up outside a ride vehicle at one of the most dangerous points on an attraction.”
Typically log flumes tend not to have seatbelts or bars as this could present a huge drowning risk in the incredibly unlikely event that a boat capsizes.
These kind of rides rely on a low center of gravity, as well as the shape of the flume, to keep people in their seats.
Not the first time someone has climbed out
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this incident is the fact that it has actually happened before.
Just months earlier, footage was doing the rounds on social media, appearing to show a man and his soon ‘jumping out of the log,’ after the ride had seemingly broken down.
Eyewitnesses said the pair had become increasingly frustrated and attempted to find an exit, however he was unable to find one and refused to get back into the boat.
Eventually, the man and his son, along with the rest of his family were ‘escorted out’ of the park, according to witnesses.
Disneyland officials also confirmed the guest exited the ride vehicle near the top of the main hill.
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) June 23, 2026
Also – I’ve seen reports on social media that include additional details, but I’m only sharing what I’ve been able to confirm. I’ll provide updates if I learn more. 👍 pic.twitter.com/kk1vzKyIo3
Teen fell around 50 feet
It’s currently unknown what caused the 13-year-old boy to try and exit the ride prematurely, however disturbing footage obtained by TMZ reveals the moment he lost his footing and fell around 50 feet down the waterfall.
In the video, someone inside the boat appeared to reach out and grab the boy, attempting to pull him back into the ride.
The park confirmed the boy was evacuated to a local medical facility where he was evaluated and subsequently released.
Disneyland reporter Scott Gustin wrote on X: “Disneyland officials say a 13-year-old guest exited a ride vehicle on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure on Sunday before the attraction ended.
“The ride was immediately stopped, and the guest was evaluated at a hospital and later released. The attraction reopened and is operating today.”
He added: “Disneyland officials also confirmed the guest exited the ride vehicle near the top of the main hill,” writing that he is only sharing what has been confirmed by the park.
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