ORLANDO, FLA. (WSVN) - A trip to the “Most Magical Place on Earth” turned into an unexpected adventure for passengers on an iconic Disney monorail, which came to an abrupt stop, causing some to smell burning rubber and sparking concerns among those aboard.
Kris Lenk, one of the passengers aboard the stalled monorail, shared his experience.
“We heard a bang and saw a white flash, all of a sudden we smelled burning rubber,” Lenk said, adding that he was traveling to EPCOT with his girlfriend when the train unexpectedly stalled.
Lenk said that many passengers aboard the monorail were initially worried about the situation.
“We didn’t hear anything for about 20 minutes… they were going to evacuate us,” Lenk said.
According to Lenk, things remained calm onboard initially, but the air conditioning stopped working, making the situation less comfortable. Passengers were instructed to open the windows while waiting for rescue crews to arrive.
After approximately an hour, safety personnel finally showed up at the scene. Crews used a crane to elevate themselves to the monorail and began prying open the doors. It took another hour to safely evacuate all passengers.
“They had these little crane lifts… put us on the lifts,” Lenk said.
A spokesperson for Disney reported that no one was injured, and everyone was evacuated safely. Guests were subsequently placed on a bus to EPCOT, and as a gesture of goodwill, they received a special treat for their troubles.
“I’m not sure what they did for everyone, but for my girlfriend and me, they gave us a $200 gift card for the situation,” Lenk said.
According to officials, the mishap was caused by a flat tire.
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