Guest Jumps Off New Disney Park Ride, Gets Run Over by Vehicle

There’s a reason for the saying, “Keep your arms, hands, legs, feet and head inside the ride vehicle at all times.”

Disney opened its newest land and attraction - Zootopia: Hot Pursuit - on Dec. 20 at Shanghai Disney Resort. On Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) it experienced its first major incident.

According to graphic photos and reports posted on social media, a young girl dropped her ears mid-ride and jumped out of the ride vehicle to retrieve them. She was then run over by one of the trackless ride vehicles themed to a Zootopia police car.

Photos show the young girl’s legs underneath the ride vehicle with cast members and presumably her parent surrounding her. Another guest published a video of the horrifying moment, where you hear other guests scream before the emergency lights turned on and the ride stopped. The unidentified guest’s condition is currently unknown.

“‘Zootopia: Hot Pursuit’ is temporarily out of service until further notice. The other offerings of Zootopia including entertainment, F&B, and merchandise will continue to operate as normal,” Disney said in a statement. “We understand this may impact some guests’ original visit plans, in which case we will provide refunds or exchanges for guests who have purchased park tickets for December 25, 2023 and wish to reschedule their visit to another date… We appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and please follow the resort’s official App for latest operational arrangements.”

The ride’s vehicle and trackless ride system is similar to Disney’s other attractions including Rise of the Resistance, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. For restraints, Zootopia: Hot Pursuit’s ride vehicle closes guests into the car via a sliding door along with a grab bar.