Mother Describes ‘Pure Terror' as Disney World Ferry Slammed into Dock at 'Full Speed' (Exclusive)
A mother is recalling the moment her Disney World ferry crashed into a dock on July 30
Deanna D. spent the day at Magic Kingdom with her husband and two daughters before the nighttime parade was cancelled due to impending rain
Deanna claims she suffered a hand and foot injury as a result of the incidentA recent Walt Disney World guest is recounting the moment her ferry boat crashed into a dock at 'full speed.'
Deanna D., who requested to be identified with an abbreviated last name for privacy reasons, was visiting Magic Kingdom park with her husband and two daughters, 7 and 10, on Wednesday, July 30. The family stuck around until the park closed to see the nighttime parade, but cast members informed guests it would be cancelled due to impending rain. According to Deanna, staff directed guests out of the park and recommended taking the monorail or ferry boats to get back to the Transportation and Ticket Center, where they had parked.
The family, having already taken the monorail in the morning, opted to take a ferry.
https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
On board, the family split up: Deanna took one daughter to the upper deck while her husband and their other daughter stayed down below. Although it was both 'dark' and 'rainy,' Deanna claims she was still able to see the incoming transit hub as they motored across the Seven Seas Lagoon. As the boat made its approach, Deanna kept her daughter seated while she stood up. But then the unexpected happened.
'The boat hit with full speed, I mean, it went full speed into this barrier,' Deanna tells PEOPLE.
She describes her feelings in that moment as "just pure terror. It was like being on the frickin' Titanic… People were thinking the boat was going down, a pregnant woman fell down, there were kids at the front of the boat when it happened and got crushed into the railing.'
Deanna claims there was no warning before the passengers were jolted forward and no response from the crew afterwards.
'Absolutely nothing was said,' she claims. 'No apologies, nothing."
Instead, Deanna says the other passengers on the boat were helping one another to safety. One woman hugged and comforted Deanna's daughter during the ordeal.
'I had a small child, literally screaming because she was scared. She wasn't hurt, but she was just absolutely terrified,' she says. 'As a parent, it sends you into this fight or flight. I'm still shaking thinking about it.'
After the family got off the boat, she remembers seeing cop cars 'everywhere' and a 'handful' of ambulances. She says emergency service personnel from the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) and Orange and Osceola Counties were on site.
Representatives for the Orange County Fire and Rescue Department and Osceola Fire Rescue confirmed to PEOPLE that officials responded to the incident as part of a mutual aid agreement with CFTOD (Walt Disney World's special jurisdiction). The 'District' did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
While shaken, the family still visited Animal Kingdom the following day for their final day in the parks. Deanna, who says she experienced a rope burn while trying to grab something during her fall on the boat, requested an evaluation at the park's medical office.
The medic 'did mention that there was heavy bruising on my hand and it had a lack of mobility. Unfortunately, all she could do was give me Ibuprofen and some ice,' Deanna remembers. Additionally, Deanna claims her foot suffered an injury as she struggled to walk and was unable to work on Aug. 1.
'I've been going to Disney for 25 years and I can't see myself going back because now I'm horrified,' the Florida resident says.
Deanna first recounted the incident on TikTok on Aug. 1. However, she claims she needed to make it 'friends only' because of the "belittling" comments of some other uses. The comments have since been deleted and/or removed.A representative for Disney World did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Other passengers on the boat shared similar stories of their experience. Tami Hackett of Houston, Texas, who was visiting the park with her daughter, her husband and their three kids, told local outlet Fox 35 that her family was injured on board too.
'Suddenly we crashed into something and we all went flying forward, falling' she recalled. 'The stroller landed on its back causing the girls to hit their heads. A lot of people screaming and really hurt bad…Not only was there no announcement on what to do when injured, they just had us get off the boat.'
Hackett told the outlet an EMT looked over her granddaughters and all were cleared.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Magic Beach Motel to be demolished later this year, St. Johns County says
St. Johns County said Tuesday afternoon that it will issue a demolition permit for the Magic Beach Motel, located at 50 Vilano Road, in accordance with state law. The Magic Beach Motel, constructed in 1951 and designated as a Significant Cultural Resource in 2021, is subject to demolition under the Resiliency and Safe Structures Act, Chapter 2024-21, Laws of Florida. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The motel is partially located seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, which brings it under specific state regulations that limit local government intervention, the County said in a news release. The County said under Section 553.8991 of the Florida Statutes, local governments cannot deny or condition the demolition of qualifying structures unless it is necessary for public safety. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The property owner has submitted all necessary documentation to the County and has voluntarily included a Cultural Resource Management Plan to document and salvage parts of the motel. The County said it acknowledges the cultural significance of the Magic Beach Motel to the Vilano Beach community, but is legally bound to comply with state laws regarding the demolition. Demolition activities for the Magic Beach Motel are expected to begin later this year, and the County said it will ensure compliance with all safety, environmental, and building standards. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Solve the daily Crossword
Condé Nast Traveler
an hour ago
- Condé Nast Traveler
The US is Leaving UNESCO: Here's What Comes Next
Iconic sites like the Statue of Liberty and Grand Canyon are among the 26 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the United States that stand to be affected by the Trump administration's July decision to withdraw from the United Nations-backed organization at the end of next year. President Trump announced the US' withdrawal from UNESCO in late July, claiming the organization 'works to advance divisive social and cultural causes' that are at odds with the administration's 'America First' foreign policy. UNESCO, which stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is tasked with preserving more than 1,200 World Heritage sites around the globe, which are considered by the agency to have 'outstanding universal value.' They include some of the world's most popular travel destinations like the pyramids of Giza, Machu Picchu, and the Great Barrier Reef. For the 19 US National Park Service-managed parks and monuments that have also been granted UNESCO World Heritage status, the news of UNESCO's withdrawal comes on the heels of sweeping staff layoffs and federal funding cuts that impact America's popular public lands. 'This is just one more backwards step,' says Brenda Barrett, a representative for the nonprofit Coalition to Protect America's National Parks.
Skift
an hour ago
- Skift
Amex GBT Aims for $155 Million in Savings From CWT Merger
The stock market liked the optimistic story that Amex GBT was telling about the CWT acquisition and margin expansion. Large mergers can be messy affairs, but Global Business Travel Group officials are focused on cost savings now that the merger with CWT is slated to close soon. 'We expect to deliver approximately $155 million in identified net synergies and have a proven track record of integrating large acquisitions and achieving our synergy targets,' Paul Abbott, the CEO of Amex GBT, said during the second-quarter earnings call. Those savings would be over a three-year period. The merger of the #1 (Amex GBT) and #4 (CWT) largest global players in business travel is on track to close before the end of September now that the U.S. Department of Justice dismissed its own lawsuit against the merger. Abbott said that 'given the recent clarity on CWT,' it plans to initiate additional share repurchases in the next few months. The CEO said he can't comment on CWT's financial performance but will do so in November during the next quarterly presentation. 'Our commercial success, margin expansion and improved demand environment give us confidence to raise and narrow our full-year 2025 guidance,' Abbott said. Customer Wins The commercial success was a reference to market share gains and $3.2 billion in new customer wins over the past year. Some $2.2 billion of those wins were of small- and medium-sized businesses, a segment that has been traditionally hard to capture. Amex GBT's adjusted EBITDA increased 4% in the second quarter. Revenue rose 1% to $631 million. After macro uncertainty saw corporate travel demand dip modestly in April, transactions grew a combined 2% in May and June. 'We continue to see green shoots into July that give us confidence that the demand environment has improved,' Abbott said.
