Details on Disneyland Ride Released

Disneyland officials on Friday released much of the state’s investigative file into the Roger Rabbit accident, including taped interviews with employees who insisted that they did everything right that night.

Though they do not specifically remember loading the Zucker family into the Roger Rabbit Car Toon Spin on Sept. 22 and did not witness the accident, employees told investigators they believe the family was at fault.

State investigators from the Division of Occupational Safety and Health reached a different conclusion. Brandon Zucker, who turned 5 on Friday, likely fell out of the open cutout entry to the “taxi cab,” then was pinned beneath the following car for about 10 minutes. He suffered severe brain damage.

Investigators concluded that Brandon, his 6-year-old brother Nicholas, and mother Victoria Zucker were not loaded into the ride in accordance with Disneyland training, which calls for the biggest person to sit nearest the door.

In addition, the state said, the car’s lap bar was probably not completely lowered. The state ordered a number of safety changes before the ride can be reopened.

In the interviews between Disneyland employees and state investigators, the employees said they heard Victoria Zucker repeatedly say, “It’s my fault,” but it is not clear in what context she might have said it or to what she was referring. The Zuckers declined to comment, but said they support the findings in the state report.

“I believe it was, you know, unfortunately guest error,” said ride operator Alain Mendez. “[Parents] sometimes take them out behind the lap bar and sit them on the parent’s lap . . . so the child is kind of free.”

The Zuckers told police and state investigators that the children were behaving and sitting properly.

On Friday, Disneyland Resort President Cynthia Harriss emphasized Roger Rabbit’s safety record--more than 20 million park guests have ridden the attraction without injury--but said the firm is following the state’s orders to make major modifications to the ride. “It is a mystery” how Brandon fell out of the ride, she said.

“We are taking what was a great track record and making the ride even safer,” Harriss said.