Top 10 Saddest Theme Park Events
Theme parks are supposed to be places of joy, excitement, and lifelong memories, but not every day at the park goes as planned. Some moments in theme park history are remembered not for the thrill of the rides or the magic of the atmosphere, but for the tragedies and unfortunate events that took place. From devastating fires to shocking accidents, these incidents remind us that even in places built for fun, things can take a heartbreaking turn.This list focuses on the saddest events that happened inside permanent theme parks. That means no incidents from parking lots, hotels, or transportation systems connected to the parks. Waterparks that are part of larger theme parks are allowed, but standalone waterparks are not. And because fairs and temporary amusement setups operate under different conditions, they won't be included here either.
On June 9, 1991, three separate incidents at Kings Island resulted in the deaths of three park visitors, including electrocutions in a fountain and a fatal fall from a ride. The day became known as "Black Sunday" due to the tragic nature of the events.
On 2006, a terminally ill cancer patient died after riding Space Mountain at Walt Disney World, leading to discussions about ride safety for guests with medical conditions.Those eight victims' ages ranged from 15 to 19. A would-be ninth victim had almost made it to the exit before passing out. She was carried out the rest of the way by an actor who had already broken character to make his own way out.
At least nobody died in the Universal Studios and Lagoon fires. This one, on the other hand, had eight casualties.
Go to number 4 and you'll see why I'm so angry that this even happened in the first place.
A fire engulfed the Ghost Train ride at Luna Park Sydney on June 9, 1979, killing six children and one adult who were inside the attraction. The cause of the fire remains disputed, with theories ranging from electrical faults to arson. I don't know how on Earth no one has added this yet! Seven people died, and six of them were children, for crying out loud! Worse yet, everyone aboard the ride could have died because the fire was that out of control. One woman lost her entire family, and her life was only spared since she was craving ice cream.
On July 8, 1974, an 18-year-old Disneyland cast member was crushed to death between rotating walls inside the America Sings attraction. The ride, which had recently opened, continued operating with added safety precautions after the incident.
On June 29, 2021, the El Toro wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure partially derailed when a train lost contact with the track. Multiple riders sustained minor injuries, prompting an investigation and temporary closure of the ride.Those poor kids and paramedics. I can't imagine witnessing what they went through.
During the opening ride of Apollo's Chariot on March 27, 1999, a goose struck rider Fabio Lanzoni in the face at high speed. The bizarre incident left him bloodied but otherwise unharmed, creating one of the most infamous roller coaster mishaps.
On June 2, 2015, The Smiler roller coaster at Alton Towers experienced a collision between two trains, injuring 16 riders, including two who required leg amputations.The Newcomers
In 2008, a fire broke out during the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot tour, destroying several iconic film sets and attractions.Considering there was a premature baby sideshow there, though apparently, by all accounts, all the infants were evacuated and survived. Before anyone says anything, there was no such thing as an NICU at the time. Becoming carnival attractions were those babies' best chance at life.
Granted, not quite as sad as the Triangle Factory fire that happened just days earlier in the same city, but sad and scary all the same.
Even sadder: seeing it surrounded by construction walls advertising Avery Salt Mine, where many slaves died. Disney just slapped up "Tiana Foods" signs over the offending logo but didn't announce that they had seen the error of their ways and decided to go with a different theme. Ideally, they would have decided to keep Splash Mountain, but that would have been asking too much.
They announced an official opening date for "Tiana Sends You Into the Avery Island Salt Dome Because BLM" (summer 2024) and are showing off the creepy robo-Tiana.
And now Disneyland's put up a statue of Louis the Gator (to go with Tiana's Brionna Taylor Memorial, of course). Hope the surviving Graves family sues for emotional trauma!
Disney must have realized this before they actually started destroying Splash Mountain. They decided not to make it about finding Louis's lost trumpet in time for Mardi Gras in favor of riding through the Avery Salt Mine to get some salt for Tiana's Palace.
And Disney "cancelled" all alligators and crocodiles, including references to them, for about a year. Now they are retheming Splash Mountain to some nonsense centered around the gator from "The Princess and the Frog."
Well, I have to say, amusement parks had some... interesting things before the invention of drop towers, steel coasters, and 200+ foot coasters. Gotta fill that void somehow.
On June 14, 1986, the Mindbender roller coaster at Galaxyland derailed, resulting in the deaths of three passengers and injuring a fourth.
On June 4, 2021, a guest was found unconscious after riding The Voyage at Holiday World. Despite immediate medical attention, the guest was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.Fourteen-year-old Tyre Sampson fell from the FreeFall attraction at Icon Park, the tallest drop tower on Earth (430 feet). This tragedy caused widespread concern and heightened fears about similar incidents occurring.
Tyre's parents filed a lawsuit against the company, citing safety concerns. Reports indicated that Tyre's weight exceeded the maximum weight requirement of 250 pounds. He reportedly weighed 340 pounds. R.I.P. Tyre Sampson (2008-2022).
The NBA Experience itself only lasted a few years. Currently, there's just a big empty building there.
In 2022, California's Great America announced plans to permanently close the park within the next decade, following the sale of the land to a real estate developer.At least they didn't burn to death like the animals at Dreamland.