LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — A Walt Disney World cast member was killed early Sunday morning (July 5) when two monorails collided at the Ticket and Transportation Center. The cast member, a 21-year-old, was piloting a monorail that crashed into a second train, according to published reports.
“Today, we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to his family and to those who have lost a friend and co-worker,” OrlandoSentinel.com quoted Walt Disney World spokesman Mike Griffin as saying. “The safety of our guests and cast members is always our top priority. The monorail is out of service and we will continue to work closely with law enforcement to determine what happened and the approximate next steps.”
The fatality is the first at the Walt Disney World Monorail. At least one person is believed to have been killed at the monorail in Disneyland.
“It’s pretty shocking to hear that a driver was killed in that accident,” The Associated Press quoted one resort guest as saying.
“You would think it would be so safe,” the New York Daily News quoted another guest as saying. “You don’t expect it on holiday, do you?”
The monorails are not only an efficient means for traversing the Walt Disney World resort, they are among one of the most popular attractions. The system opened in 1971 and today has three lines. There are 12 monorail trains that operate over nearly 15 miles of track.