The other day, we faced an ethical challenge. After disembarking from the monorail from Epcot to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), we were walking down the ramp to transfer to the express monorail to Magic Kingdom. A crew from the Reedy Creek Fire Department (RCFD) with an emergency services bed passed us. Looking to where they were headed, we saw a Disney World guest who had fallen, being attended to by Disney Security.

As we passed by, Disney cast members sprang into action. They formed a human barrier around the guest to make room for the Reedy Creek Fire Department to provide care. As we turned to walk up the ramp to the express monorail, other cast members started redirecting us and other guests to the ferry as an alternate way to get to Magic Kingdom.

The very next day, as we entered Epcot through the International Gateway, we passed a guest inclined in a gurney receiving medical treatment. RCFD emergency responders were tending to them, including inserting an IV line. After they took them away to provide more care, Disney security stood guard over some medical waste on the ground until a cleaner could come to sanitize the area.

Encountering these emergency scenarios two days in a row got us thinking hard. How should a Disney blog like the Orlando Parks Jotter handle incidents like these? We will surely come across them again in the future given the frequency with which visit the parks. We have several thoughts. First, we believe it’s crucial to respect privacy. We would never reveal the age, gender, or other identifiable characteristics of the injured guest, which we think would be disrespectful and invasive. Second, we think it’s important to consider the emotional impact on the individual involved and their family. We would not want to cause unnecessary or undue anxiety or embarrassment. Lastly, we think it’s important to consider the purpose of any report on the incident. This was the toughest consideration for us. We undertook considerable debate and weighed the above factors. Ultimately, we concluded that it’s important to inform our readers about any delays or other issues these incidents might cause Disney guests. As long as that was the focus and we adhered to the other guidelines about privacy and sensitivity, we would post about them on our social media accounts.

We will continue to evaluate how we handle such incidents in the future. Our commitment to ethical reporting remains steadfast. As we move forward, we will continuously refine our approach to ensure we balance transparency with sensitivity. We will always prioritize the privacy and emotional well-being of those involved while keeping our readers informed. 

Our hearts go out to the guest involved in this incident. We hope for their swift recovery and appreciate the efforts of the Disney cast members and emergency services.

-The Jotters