The moment a group of riders appear to exit the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland after it shut down mid-ride has astonished critics online.
The TikTok video posted by user batmans.goldfish and filmed by someone waiting in line, captures several children and adult chaperones standing up from their boats, stepping over the water-filled moat and climbing over a gate to leave the attraction.
‘Best to leave!’
The ride boats are stopped as the group clears the barrier and walks away from the ride path.
In the comments, a man who identified himself as one of the riders offered an explanation: “I’m the man in the white fedora! We waited for a long time and decided it would be best to leave!
“If you’re curious, we went on with our day and management nor security told us anything.”
The man did not specify how long the group was stuck before deciding to exit.
The brief clip sparked debate among half a million TikTok viewers, many of whom slammed the decision to leave the ride without directions from Disneyland staff.
“Is it really so d*** hard to wait. Why risk getting banned,” one critic remarked among almost 1,000 comments since January 21.
‘SO unsafe!’
Another focused on the safety concerns, commenting, “Regardless of getting banned, this is SO unsafe!”
Some pundits defended the group, pointing out that being stuck with children on a ride for an extended period could be stressful.
“I mean I get it. You spend all this money to be at Disney, I don’t want to spend it stuck on a ride for an hour,” one person pointed out.
Still, the dominant reaction centered on the potential consequences and risks of walking through restricted ride areas.
While Disney theme parks are known for accommodating guests during ride delays, leaving an attraction without authorization can be considered a serious safety violation.
According to Disney park policies outlined by AllEars.net, guests can be removed or even banned from the parks for actions that endanger themselves or others, including entering restricted areas or ignoring cast member instructions.
Enforcement can range from a warning to a temporary or permanent ban, depending on the severity of the incident.
Cases like this also stand out because of how tightly managed Disneyland operations typically are. Disneyland sees tens of thousands of visitors daily and rides like Pirates of the Caribbean are designed with strict safety protocols.
Strong Safety Record
Data compiled by Mickey Visit shows Disneyland remains one of the most visited theme parks in the world, handling massive crowds while maintaining a strong safety record.
Ride breakdowns do occur, but guests are generally instructed to remain seated until escorted by cast members.
Newsweek has reached out to batmans.goldfish for comment via TikTok, as well as Disneyland for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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