Horror as man, 54, dies on Disney's iconic It's a Small World ride

A tourist has died after suffering a heart attack while riding an attraction at Disney World. The 54-year-old, who it’s reported had a pre-existing health condition, died on April 24 after suffering a cardiac arrest on the Small World ride at the resort in Orlando Florida.

According to Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services the Magic Kingdom park visitor was transported to hospital where he later died. Small World is a 10-minute boat ride that has been operating at the park since 1971.

The Disney website states the attraction takes visitors on a journey through “all seven continents” where they witness “vivid, fantastical scenes representing the iconic sights and sounds of dozens of nations”.

The show is put on by a cast of “dancing darlings” and animatronic figures who sing one song in many languages with a “universal harmony”.

The ride is said help guests “embark on a whimsical boat ride past a jubilant chorus of children from around the globe”.

The man’s death is the second fatality to strike at Walt Disney World after a 22-year-old woman also died on the same ride in 2014. She was also reported to have a pre-existing health condition.

Express.co.uk have contacted Disney for comment about the man’s death.

The Florida theme park has recorded around 70 deaths since opening in 1971 – mostly linked to pre-existing conditions and natural causes, according to media reports. At present Disney World in Florida welcomes around 49 million people every year.

Last year at Disneyland in California a woman in her 60s died after visiting the Haunted Mansion attraction.

Matt Sutter, from the Anaheim Police Department, told The Independent: “Anaheim Fire & Rescue responded to the Disneyland Resort for an unresponsive woman in her 60s who had just finished riding the Haunted Mansion attraction.”

He added security personnel at the California park “provided CPR until paramedics arrived”.