Play by the Rules, Disneyland

In the aftermath of an accident at Disneyland on Christmas Eve that killed a tourist, a Times review has shown the park to be quick to tidy up accident scenes to preserve its image and willing to play hardball when sued.

In the most recent incident, Anaheim police waited in a Disney conference room while park workers cleaned up the site where a man was fatally injured in a boat docking accident. His wife and a park worker also were injured. Court records and testimony show a similar rush to sanitize occurred in 1996 when a 17-year-old lost a finger after his ring caught on a screw on the Splash Mountain ride. A maintenance worker tightened the screw and the blood was cleaned up before photos of the accident site were taken.

After the December accident, Anaheim police promised to get to accident scenes more quickly and require that Disneyland leave such locations undisturbed. The record reinforces the case for that change in police procedure.

Meanwhile, the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the fatal accident, but only because a park worker was injured. Otherwise, the accident probably would have been publicly revisited only in the event of a lawsuit.

Disney’s record in fighting lawsuits includes a case in which a woman who said she suffered permanent hearing damage was followed and videotaped by investigators employed by the park. Disney also subpoenaed records from a therapist treating the woman for emotional distress, according to court records and interviews. In another case, a woman who said she suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by a ride was told she had to accept the risks of boarding such a ride.

Putting personal lives under a microscope in the guise of presenting forceful defenses against lawsuits can go too far. Disneyland has been a major presence in Southern California for more than 40 years. When accidents happen, it has to recognize the need to play by the rules, as other companies should.

Assemblyman Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch) is trying to revive a bill he had offered to require safety inspections at Disneyland and other theme parks. That legislation is needed to provide an additional layer of protection for the public.