Man Wins $8K After Disney ‘Small World’ Breakdown

March 28, 2013

An attorney says a disabled man was awarded $8,000 by Disneyland after the “It’s A Small World” ride broke, stranding him for a half hour while the theme song played continuously.

Lawyer David Geffen says Jose Martinez didn’t medically stabilize for three hours after the ride broke down in 2009.

Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown said the Anaheim theme park believes it provided appropriate assistance during the incident, and is disappointed that the court did not fully agree.

Geffen says Martinez uses a wheelchair, suffers from panic attacks and high blood pressure, which was aggravated by a need to urinate.

Geffen says half the award ordered Friday is for pain and suffering, and the rest is for a violation of disability law. Brown says the violation has been addressed.