CREEPY

IT’S known as “the happiest place on Earth”.

But behind the smiles and screams of joy at Disneyland lurks a darker side that you don’t know about.

Here are some of the most surprising and horrifying things that have occurred at Disney theme parks. Be warned, you may never look at it the same way again after reading this.

1. There have been a string of deaths and injuries at Disney theme parks. These are just some of the more high profile cases.

• July 2014: A UK tourist suffered a severed hand on the Pirates of the Caribbeanride at Disney World in Florida. He lost two of his fingertips. He had been dangling his hand outside of the boat at the time. Three months earlier a 12-year-old boy lacerated four fingers on the same ride.

Pirates of the Caribbean. Picture: Gwaar Source: Flickr

• 2013: Katherine Jo-Ann Baliton fractured her leg when attempting to board the Jungle Cruisein Orlando with her young son. She died three days after surgery to repair the injury, due to a blood clot in her leg. Her family has filed a lawsuit against Disney claiming her injury and death could have been avoided if staff had attempted to help her on board.

• 2010: A cleaner was killed when working on a boat at Disneyland Paris’s It’s a Small World attraction. He was dragged under the boat when the ride was accidentally started.

• 2009: Stunt performer Anislav Varbanov died in a tragic accident while practising a tumbling roll for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Florida’s Disney World.

The monorail crash. Picture: OHSA Source: Supplied

• 2005: Fifteen people were hospitalised after two trains collided at Disneyland’s roller coaster California Screamin’. They suffered minor injuries.

• 2004: Disney worker Javier Cruz was dressed as Pluto when he was run over and killed during a parade at Florida.

A worker died during a Disney parade. Picture: Nancy Nally Source: Flickr

• 2003: A train car on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroadroller coaster at California’s Disneyland derailed when a wheel assembly fell off. It hit the top of a tunnel and landed on top of another car, killing one and injuring 10 others. It was the result of improper maintenance.

“We all deeply regret that the tragic accident occurred and are terribly saddened by the grievous pain this caused the Torres family,” Disney spokesman Rob Doughty said as the family of the deceased, Marcelo Torres, settled a lawsuit with the company.