We have some exclusive news for you. A friend of the blog is at the Magic Kingdom today and spotted some unusual guest behavior on Splash Mountain when guests jumped out of the log. Here’s the photos and details.
Splash Mountain is a fan favorite ride at the Magic Kingdom. But, one little girl apparently decided it wasn’t for her.
Splash Mountain Woes
Splash Mountain often experiences down time. This results in lengthier wait times for guests.
Further, last year Disney imagineering announced that the ride would receive a Princess and the Frog themed update in coming years. Disney also removed the song from their opening music.
Following the announcement about the theme change, Splash Mountain merchandise became scarce as resellers and collectors alike clamored for items in the original theme.
Misadventures Today
Well, today on Splash Mountain one young girl seems to have panicked at the prospect of the final drop. While waiting at the base of the ramp, the little girl and her mother bailed from the boat, according to a friend of the blog.
This friend of the blog also shared some pictures. We have assured privacy by obscuring the photo slightly. The girl and her mother voluntarily left the boat, or “hopped off” as it was put to me:
They crouched behind a cavern and the little girl could be heard crying.
A Disney Cast Member came to escort them from the ride:
How to Avoid this Situation
Most of us been with kids who got scared on rides!
I (Rebecca) remarked to my friend that I was surprised because you can see the drop clearly from outside the ride. I would recommend doing so (along with your child) with all rides that can be inspected from outside the attraction.
If you have a nervous child (or Adult!) at home, viewing videos of the attractions ahead of time and gauging their response to the attraction can help.
I solemnly swear to pick back up where I left off on social stories for those with Autism and Anxiety. “A social story” tells the reader exactly what to expect and helps a person with anxiety decide it if it sounds right for them.
Finally, I leave you with Pumba and Timon’s safety rule from the Disney Parks:
I hope the little girl is feeling better after a Mickey bar! Please don’t leave a ride vehicle, it’s not safe! What would you do in this parent’s shoes? Let us know in the comments on Facebook.
-Rebecca W Davis
Fact of the matter is we were not there. The mother had a scared child, what she should have done was exactly what she did. She’s the little girl’s mother and she had to act for her child. All kid’s are different, just like all circumstances are different. No we shouldn’t jump off a ride if it’s obvious we will be hurt, but maybe she was smart enough to see she could handle the problem.
Oh man, I know this feeling well. You have a point of no return, and for us that’s when you get in the ride vehicle. worst case its over in a minute or two. Thanks for reading!
Ill be honest I dont know if not bailing from a ride vehicle is a rule that’s posted anywhere. I feel like its one of those things that goes without saying? maybe they need a sign. Thanks for reading
I won’t board the skyliner without my xanax, a bottle of water, an empty bladder and a fully charged phone so I feel you there! thanks for reading
I agree with that. Thank you for reading!
That really bothers me. I pay for vacation so I can have fun. Dragging a child on a ride is not fun for anyone. Thank you for reading
Hi! I have an 11 year old autistic son. The strategies I mention at the bottom are ones we have used to relieve his anxiety about trying new things in the park. But exiting a ride vehicle is too dangerous.
I love that policy! Thank you for reading!
I agree, it was a dangerous move. Thanks for reading.
I cringe when I see anyone forcing a child onto a ride. My kid won’t even let me live down us trying very hard to convince him to try rockin’ rollercoaster. And he didn’t even ride it! Ha! Thanks for reading
I’m with you on that.. a little grace here for this parent. However my friend did clarify that she actually helped the daughter off the ride before exiting herself. She likely didn’t realize how dangerous that could be even with the boat stopped. Thanks for reading!
I have an 11 year old autistic son. I still wouldn’t let him jump out of a ride vehicle and the things I mention at the bottom are actual strategies I have implemented with my own child to help him enjoy the parks more. Thanks for reading!
Thanks Melissa! I’m so glad they have helped you. What one would you like to see next? I’ve done Frozen Ever After and Space Mountain. I try to do ones you can’t see well or at all from outside, as those are the ones I find the kids have no idea what to expect the most. Thanks for reading! and thanks for your kind words.
I feel that’s true 99% of the time. I don’t want to say there is never a situation where leaving the (stopped) vehicle is the answer, but obviously it’s very dangerous to do so and doing it could get you banned from the park, so unless there is imminent danger, stay put. Thanks for reading!
Hi Eve. It certainly wasn’t my intention to call anyone out or suggest they be banned from the parks. My friend did clarify that the mom helped the little girl out of the boat and then got out herself.
I put those suggestions at the bottom of things that might help prevent the kids from freaking out during the ride, not to shame anyone. things happen, and with an autistic child who has anxiety, things happen to us too. Thanks for reading.
As a parent of an unpredictable child, even the highest amount of planning and forethought could still have disastrous results. We don’t know this family’s situation and I for one will extend grace, forgiveness and understanding until I hear from the mom what happened. Placing blame does little in this situation but make people feel shame and offers no resolution. I see no benefit in calling mom or child out like this.
Well, when we spoke to witnesses we learned that the Mom actually helped the child escape the vehicle. They were both in serious danger by leaving the vehicle.
Well, 15 feet, depending on which row.
At a certain point, autism, fear, whatever be damned, you have to physically control your child and keep them on that ride vehicle no matter the fuss or right they make. It’s a matter of life and death and 5 minutes of dealing with that beats having a dead kid.
I live in florida and have been a passholder for 6 years. There IS a lap bar on this ride!
My daughter has Autism and we road this ride she enjoyed it. But she got to a point where she was afraid of outside stairs and ramps. While we were at Disney they allowed us to get on rides via elevator and the handicap entrance. Once she got on the rides she put her hands in the air while me holding on for dear life lol. A dad said it’s her meds. So recently we got those switched so well see. Yes you can explain a head of time and stay positive and happy and for us to not show anxiety. Good article. These folks got two shows in one❗
Doesn’t matter how much you prepare a child with watching videos and seeing the ride there in person before they get on. It’s different for them when they experience it. They can say yes I want to ride its not scary but they still get scared.
It not about having children it about being smart
i don’t think you fully understand that the action of getting off the boat could have costed both of their lives.
What did you want her to do, leave the child behind while she finished riding the ride ?? Guarantee you, if my son somehow hoped out of a ride, I would be running after him so fast
to make sure he stayed safe (then discipline of
course).
I agree!
Clearly you don’t have to be rude. She’s obviously writing a story which is their job to do. And you took time out of your day to read her story . Well I agree with her don’t waste people’s time with rides if your kids do t want to do it. I have 2 kids and had more common sense than to let my child on something they would be scared of.
I do the problem with these kids is they do have to deal with anything. We cater to there every want and need so when something doesn’t go there way they do what they want. I was terrified of these rides as a kid but you stick it out. You don’t just get off the ride. The consequences could of been worse then just doing the drop.
Not at DISNEYLAND!!!!!
Paris doesn’t have Splash Mountain. So you are right they don’t have a lap bar.
Long before we ever started riding at any amusement parks, the family rule was ” if you’re big enough to ride, we ride together”. We are a Disney family often making a trip annually. It taught my kids that in life, we sometimes do things afraid. (This rule was applied to TONS of situations, not just amusement park rides)
Guess what, public speaking was a breeze for them, interviews too.
They are grown now, and would say that this rule encouraged them to face fears, knowing mom and dad were always there to cheer them on.
BTW… they have said their families will use the same family rule.
Leaving the ride in motion can be dangerous. Her and her kid should have stayed on it. The kid would have calmed down after it was over. After the drop the kid. likely would have been begging to do it again.lol
As of May 19th 2021 there was NO lapbar on splash mountain in Disneyland California location
Disneyland in CA has no lap bar on Splash Mountain. Luckily the Mother and daughter got off safely and not injured. It’s stupid to climb out of a moving ride. My daughter is 16 and I’ve never put her on a ride I know she would be scared on.
I think she missed an opportunity here to teach her daughter about facing her fears. She should have also explained everything about the ride to her child. In the end, you know your child’s best. So you should really go by maturity, not age, and if she new her daughter might have an anxiety attack, she simply should have waited until she is a little older.
I have kids and I will say this. You know your child better than your child knows themself. As a parent it’s up to you to put your foot down and say no we’re not going on it. They’ll throw a temper tantrum but will get over it as they do.
Havent been to wdw for awhile…but i do understand they have lap bars there as people sit next to each other. At Disneyland people sit front and back so they have no lap bars.
I agree & I don’t get why this turned into an argument over where there are lap bars & where there are not, totally not the point people!
Anyway, I am not a parent but was a FT live in Nanny for the same kids for about a decade and taught preschool for almost five prior to that. I also suffer from severe anxiety disorder. I feel like I can give a couple of perspectives here.
Kids are most certainly unpredictable whether they are anxious or not. And no amount of watching videos of it or watching the ride will prepare you or them from what could happen. That’s a crazy idea.
For example, after swim practice when I was little we’d sometimes get to jump off the highest platform the divers had. Idk how high it was but the pool was 16 FT deep. I’d jump off it say 10 times the week before but then the following week I’d freak out & have to climb back down. Even I couldn’t predict what I would feel/do once I got up there! It was totally unpredictable. And I could tell you a ton of stories just like that. Not only ones that happened to me but the kids I cares for, my nephew, my friends kids’ tons!
While it was obviously unsafe to get off the ride where they did if they’d waited any longer and the girl tried to jump out at the last second – it would have been a lot worse. No mom could know what their kid is going to do. They may even be happy up until that point and if others reading this also have anxiety then you know (while at least in my case it’s always there) – it can strike or get worse anytime and often for no real reason at all & if there is one it certainly isn’t rational or logical and I’m an adult. Kids w/o anxiety can be just as unpredictable. So while it sucks that this happened it was nobody’s fault not even Disneyland’s whether there are lap bars or not. And if the kid gets out and the mother didn’t can you imagine how terrifying that would be for both of them? Not to mention dangerous for the child.
As the adult what do you do? You have to make a decision quick. Idk what would have happened if I’d been the mom or the kid but no one’s at fault here. Things just happen.
**Oh & a tip for anyone who doesn’t want to wait in long lines for Splash Mountain….start to head over there about 30 minutes before the park closes … you can walk right on & go on at least 3-5 times straight without waiting. Then you are also not wet in the middle of your day, no wait & you can just go back to your hotel shower & go to bed or go out! Works out great everytime!**
I thought that was was cool
As a frequent guest if both parks unless they have changes something in the last few months, Florida has one bar that fits over two people as the logs are completely different. You sit side by side. In California you sit one in front of the other as they are skinny logs and those do Not have lap bars. You can view pictures online as well. California’s design would make it very difficult to have lap bars.
Correct. Getting off the ride is a huge safety issue. Normally the attractions have sensors to detect this (I don’t know if specifically an older attraction like Splash Mountain has them or not, but newer ones like Rise of the resistance have them all over the place) and the attraction is automatically and immediately shut down. This sort of behavior on the part of guests can get them “baned for life” from Disney world.
There is 1 lap bar not 2 and only WDW has the bar not DL.
My wife jumped out at Disneyland. When a person panicked there is no logic. Sorry but true. She almost fell in the water. There is nothing we could do.
I mean why would you take your child on that kind of ride before you know they are ready??? Poor parenting! And before you complain to me, yes, I have a child with developmental needs. I understand the difficulties, but I would never put anyone in a situation I don’t fully belive they are ready to handle. I fully support Disney and the efforts they go through to assure the safety and comfort of all their guests.
I was in the ca park very recently and they did not have lap bars
Yet not necessarily incorrect.
My correction… Maybe they updated this ride. By these pictures, it looks like they have. I have photos of this ride, and my family are one in front of the other. This now looks different. So I’d like to correct my previous comment.
There are no lap bars at Disneyland in CA
Disney is a shameless company. With no ethic’s. Close it down. Walt would be disappointed
Amen..as parents we educate, explain, but fear and anxiety can be unpredictible especially in a child. Life happens and I am sure Disney is prepared for the few incidents where this may happen outside the norm.
Looking forward to Rebecca resuming the social stories! As a mother of a child with developmental delays, I find them very helpful. Even though I have ridden most of the rides, I did most of them before my son was born so I don’t always remember the things that might scare him. Thanks Rebecca!
Yes absolutely! And they should be banned from every Disney park everywhere., As well as being banned from every state or country that these Disney parks appear in. In fact I think they should be banned from leaving their house , to be honest
Clearly, you don’t have children.
There may be now but the last time we went my 9 year old tried to get out and I had to grab her back in and sit her in front of me. If there had been s lap bar she would not havebeen able to do that. If I remember correctly there were hand bars on each side to hold on to.
There is a lapbar.
That’s a bit excessive. Leaving a child unattended within the belly of a ride is far more hazardous than mom hopping out behind her young child. Mom should have better prepared the child and kept her from exiting the boat but banning them is extreme and typically reserved for those who intentionally seek out chaos and mischief on Disney property. Mom definitely could have done things differently here. However, as the parent of a young child with anxiety, I can relate and have sympathy for both parties involved.
Yup. They added them in 2011.
They added lap bars in 2011. I’m not sure they have the lap bars in Disneyland, though. Definitely Disneyworld.
I believe both statements are true, Disneyland’s ride has no bar, Magic Kingdom’s does.
Never force a child to go on a ride that frightens them. Because then you end up in a situation like this little girl and her Mom did. Your children will love you more in their heart for not forci ng them to ride a ride they didn’t want too. Disney is meant to be for everyone to have fun. Some children should just go on the slow rides like Its A Small World and see The Country Bears. Let the family members that want to ride the scarier rides do them. Meet up after and eat something together. Talk about their ride experiences together. I and myn2 child that are in their 20s now we want all tourists that come to Orlando and go to the the parks and have a great time. So when they go home from their vacation they will leave with a happynheart and lots of memories to take with them. So they want to come again and someday when they have children they can have a wonderful time in Orlando and at Disney and have a great time with their children like they did with their parents when they were little.
Disney LAND does not have lap bars on Splash Mountain. Disney WORLD does have a lap bar on Splash Mountain.
Is it possible that folks are confusing the ride between Disneyland and Disney world? Disneyland had no lap bar when I was last there but I’m not sure about Disneyland… Could be the source of the bickering in the comments…?
Perhaps, I’m not sure. I do know that this ride does have it :)
I think this parent was very irresponsible. You can’t just jump off these rides especially with a child because of safety. And Splash Mountain absolutely does too have lap bars and you just can’t get out if you want. I was once with my two boys and stuck in that very spot for an hour with that music playing over and over and the staff had to let us off the ride manually because there was no way for us to push the lap bars up to jump out, they then led us out the exit to the back of the ride building.
There are Lap Bars on Splash Mountain but only at two different parks Tokyo Disneyland and Magic Kingdom Orlando. So depends on which park you were at and when you were there. Disneyland California does not have lap bars, nor does Paris, Hong Kong, or Shanghai.
There are too lap bars
There’s ONE lap bar that covers two people.
What an irresponsible parent! You don’t just jump off these rides! There are too lap bars on Splash Mountain because I was stuck in the same spot with my two sons once for an hour and the workers had to let us off and exit out the back of the ride, we couldn’t just get out.
There’s one lap bar that covers both people. There are not single lap bars on Splash Mountain.
Splash Mountain at Disneyland, CA had no bars as of the last time I was there in 2019. Perhaps that is what the original poster was saying. Did they perhaps upgrade Disneyland splash mountain to have bars?
Disney World Splash Mountain has had lap bars for as long as I have been going there (ten+ years).
Are we maybe confusing Disneyland with Disney World? Because as a WDW CM, I can tell you that Splash Mountain definitely has a lap bar. That being said, there is a reason why on my attraction we don’t launch with a screaming crying child on the ride. A panicky child can slip out of almost any harness.
No lap bar at Disneyland. Lap bar at Disney World.
You are correct they do have lap bars now since the refurbishment
Hopefully they never get on Soarin and freak. It is about 15 stories down when you take off that lap belt!
I think the confusion is that here in CA at Disneyland the Splash Mountain does not have front lap bars as opposed to Florida’s Disney World that does have the lap bars.
You clearly don’t have children. They are unpredictable for sure. Maybe they watched the ride before going on and begged mom to go on. Maybe she had been on other similar and mom thought this would be no different. I’m sure mom was probably mortified to have to get off the boat like that
Splash Mountain in Disney World Orlando has a lap bar and seats two passengers side by side in several rows on one log. Splash Mountain Disney Land California has one single person per row on the log. You two are talking about two different versions of the ride here.
Maybe there are discrepancies here because one is at Disney World and the other is at Disney Land?? They’re the same ride, but slightly different between Orlando and California locations…
I agree with you. Why do parents do that to the poor child.
When did they add lap bars, I know SPACE MOUNTAIN had lap bars. When I was a cast member in the 80s splash mountain never had a lap bar.
Lap bar at WDW, no lap bar at DL.
So some know, those that haven’t been to WDW in a while, lap bars were installed at the MK version of Splash Mtn in 2011. Before then, there were no lap bars. As well, they don’t exist at the Disneyland version. :-)
I went on splash mountain with my daughter 10 at the time and she was sacred it. And i told her it was fun you think it will be scary but you just get wet. A another 13 year old girl and her mother were riding behind us and the girl told my daughter now to be scared , its all fun and you get wet and it cools you down on at hot California day. That she had been on the ride over 15 times. My daughter wepered and screamed on the way down as we were in the front that is the best place to ride. And she loved it by the end. It was great .it’s not scary and both me and my daughter suffer from anxiety. And we push through to have fun ps we were not allowed to bail at this point by the people running the ride.
Walt Disney World’s Splash Mountain reopens today after a month-long refurbishment with a new feature: lap bars. The restraints have been installed in each of the 18-year-old flume ride’s 64 log-shaped boats.Jan 31, 2011
There isn’t, I think there’s confusion with space mountain.
That’s not correct. Splash does have a lap bar.
No there isn’t, I held onto my daughter during the drop bc of that. There’s side bars along the log
There’s a single lap bar that covers both guests.
While it is smart to show your kids the rides, there are some parents who have a “I paid lots of money for this trip so you’re going on EVERYTHING” attitude – forcing their child on rides they know they are scared of. I was on the Pooh ride once and as we got to the end of the ride the little girl started screaming. I asked the mom if she was okay and she replied, “Yeah, she knows we have a Fastpass for Space Mountain next and she’s scared to go on.” I wish people would stop putting their children through that.
There is no lap bar on splash mountain. Don’t take your cold on rides they can’t handle. Videos on YouTube are great for showing you what to expect. I would have pulled her down back into the seat.
There is a lap bar on Splash Mountain
While agree it was dangerous your going overboard. Would you leave your kid there alone if they jumped out? Yes is was dangerous and I honestly think just like height requirements some rides should have age requirements for just that reason. The ones that are scarier.
I agree that it was dangerous for everyone and she should have thought about it more carefully, however your suggestion is going over board. Ban them from that ride okay but not the park.
I’m absolutely against people jumping from a ride but I have compassion for the obviously terrified child and her mother. I don’t think they jumped out for fun so sure a stern warning but banned is a little extreme in this case.
Hi Robert, I know your concern about the backpack. They wanted you back in your original seat, so the boat would stay balanced as when it was launched. The cast members seat people in such a way that the boat won’t dip down or tip up. As for your backpack, a cast member would go retrieve it. It would probably be seen on a camera. When I am on rides, as needed, I some how wrap my purse, backpack around my wrist, arm.
Finally a neutral non judgemental human being. Thank you!
It depends on the ride I believe that at least when I went about 15 years ago to Orlando their was not a bar. A lot of the now too have Velcro belts since all those people died at six flags.
There is a pull down bar, but it covers both riders at once, so the adult would have made the bar higher on the child
Complaining about the youth being so much worse than the youth from your generation makes you sound old.
We have 4 kids, and we always had “the talk” about what they had to do in the parks to be safe before we left home. Three of them were adventurous and loved even the scary rides, but I sat out a lot of fun rides with the more timid one. Since they knew going into it that they weren’t allowed to quit in the middle, they never tried. They also knew it was okay if they didn’t want to do something, no shame.
Great story ! Good idea yo check out the rides before taking children
I know about panic attacks. When l was 5 l got spooked on Thunder Mountain when the boulders look like it was calling down on me. My dad stopped me from sliding underneath the bar. I didn’t intend on jumping out though. No that would be me at age 38 freaking out at the end of Pirates of Carriebeean where a lamp overhang was mechanically slanting downward. I was at the end of the boat a hair length away the dry land n and it took all my self control to stay put. And I practically grew up with yearly Disneyland trips. Good thing I brought my xanax!
Sorry, but as badly as I feel for the child, the mother should have thought better about being on the ride in the first place. Not only could they have been injured, but they also put others around them in danger. Rules are there for a reason and should be respected by all.
They should be banned from the ride.
I was once alone inside a log and my backpack suddenly slipped to the far back. During a moment of non movement in the log i got up and went back to get it.
I immediately sat back down in the rear but they told me over Intercom to resit back in the seat I originally started. So I had to do so.
But my main concern was going down that drop with my backpack loose in the rear.
I think the mother and girl should be banned from the park, maybe all of Disney. The mother should have NEVER climbed out, she should know the ramifications and know they were perfectly safe.
Those pads you see shut the ride down. They’re there for this specific reason.
Ugh! This same scenerio happened to my daughter and I when she was 8 while at Disneyland. She started to really panic and stand up in hopes of avoiding the drop. We were sitting side by side in the last seat of the log (the logs are different at the 2 parks). I grabbed her and told her to hold on and shut her eyes if she wanted but it was EXTREMELY dangerous for her to stand up! The drop is over in seconds. All of this happened so quickly and a voice came over the speaker telling her to sit down. Getting out could have caused harm both in my situation and this one. What was she thinking getting out of a moving ride? My daughter put her arm around my neck and yanked down which didn’t feel good for the rest of our visit but I knew we’d be safe. If she’d made her way off the ride at that point so much tragedy could have possibly ensued. I’m glad everyone in both experiences found safety!
These logs have lapbars. How to people get out of them?
The lap bar is intended to prevent your from accidentally getting out, but you could escape (and risk injury) on many rides.
I’ve been in that situation, my daughter begged to go on splash mountain even though I told her about and showed her the drop. She panicked right before but I did not jump out of the boat which could be dangerous. I held her tight told her it was ok and within a minute it was done. I’d never make my child go on a ride they did not want to but once were on you can not just bail. I feel for the kid but I hope there was some consequence for this and that they didn’t pamper the child or they will just think it’s ok to bail when you don’t like something.