Man dies after cardiac emergency on ‘it’s a small world’ at Magic Kingdom, report states
Updated: 3:37 PM EDT Jul 18, 2026
A man died in April after suffering a cardiac emergency while riding “it’s a small world” at the Magic Kingdom, according to a theme park injury report from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Released Wednesday, the FDACS report includes new data from the second quarter of 2026. In that time — from April to July — Legoland, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens made no injury reports to the state while Universal made four and Walt Disney World made five, according to the document. Among those latter five reports out of Walt Disney World, it’s stated that on April 24, a 54-year-old man with a pre-existing condition experienced a cardiac emergency on “it’s a small world” and was taken to a hospital where he later died. Originally created with Walt Disney’s oversight for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, “it’s a small world” was shipped to Disneyland in 1966 and has since been replicated at many other Disney theme parks, according to its website. The ride, a slow-moving musical boat tour showcasing the seven continents, was an opening-day attraction at Walt Disney World Resort in 1971, the website states. The other injury reports made to FDACS during the second quarter of 2026 are as follows: April 6, Disney World: A 41-year-old woman riding Snow Stormers struck her head, resulting in a laceration. May 3, Universal: A 17-year-old girl lost consciousness at Jurassic World VelociCoaster. May 5, Disney World: A 75-year-old woman fell and hit her head while exiting Space Mountain. May 12, Disney World: A 74-year-old man with a pre-existing condition experienced nausea and vomiting after riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. May 17, Universal: A 54-year-old woman experienced chest pain at TeAwa The Fearless River. May 25, Universal: A 53-year-old man with a pre-existing condition experienced weakness and shortness of breath at Jurassic World VelociCoaster. May 26, Disney World: A 44-year-old man with a pre-existing condition experienced back pain while riding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. June 17, Universal: A 20-year-old woman experienced weakness and lightheadedness at Monsters Unchained.
A man died in April after suffering a cardiac emergency while riding “it’s a small world” at the Magic Kingdom, according to a theme park injury report from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Released Wednesday, the FDACS report includes new data from the second quarter of 2026. In that time — from April to July — Legoland, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens made no injury reports to the state while Universal made four and Walt Disney World made five, according to the document.
Among those latter five reports out of Walt Disney World, it’s stated that on April 24, a 54-year-old man with a pre-existing condition experienced a cardiac emergency on “it’s a small world” and was taken to a hospital where he later died.
Originally created with Walt Disney’s oversight for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, “it’s a small world” was shipped to Disneyland in 1966 and has since been replicated at many other Disney theme parks, according to its website. The ride, a slow-moving musical boat tour showcasing the seven continents, was an opening-day attraction at Walt Disney World Resort in 1971, the website states.
The other injury reports made to FDACS during the second quarter of 2026 are as follows:
- April 6, Disney World: A 41-year-old woman riding Snow Stormers struck her head, resulting in a laceration.
- May 3, Universal: A 17-year-old girl lost consciousness at Jurassic World VelociCoaster.
- May 5, Disney World: A 75-year-old woman fell and hit her head while exiting Space Mountain.
- May 12, Disney World: A 74-year-old man with a pre-existing condition experienced nausea and vomiting after riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
- May 17, Universal: A 54-year-old woman experienced chest pain at TeAwa The Fearless River.
- May 25, Universal: A 53-year-old man with a pre-existing condition experienced weakness and shortness of breath at Jurassic World VelociCoaster.
- May 26, Disney World: A 44-year-old man with a pre-existing condition experienced back pain while riding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
- June 17, Universal: A 20-year-old woman experienced weakness and lightheadedness at Monsters Unchained.