Why People Keep Calling 911 in Disney World

People are calling 911 in Disney World…and not for the reasons you might think.

Magic Kingdom

Sure, actual emergencies can and DO happen in Disney World. But there are a LOT of accidental 911 calls happening in the Most Magical Place on Earth. Why is this happening so much? Let’s take a look!

Why are people calling 911 in Disney World?

According to KVUE ABC, smartphones and smartwatches have a habit of being accidentally activated on rides — especially rollercoasters. The combination of speeds, rapid change in direction, and aggressive stops can send signals to smart devices.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

KVUE ABC shared that a county in Tennessee near Dollywood received nearly 16,000 accidental 911 calls between May and October 2021. Of those, 60% (nearly 10,000!!!) came from amusement park rides at Dollywood. Obviously, Dollywood isn’t Disney World, but the same situation can and has happened in any other theme park — including Disney World.

Space Mountain

So, why is this happening? Many smartphones have emergency functions such as the “Emergency SOS” service on iPhones and Apple Watches. These services activate a 911 call automatically when the side power button is rapidly pressed five times. Sometimes, the motion on rollercoasters can result in the necessary button presses.

The fastest ride in Disney World!

Similarly, some crash-detection apps like Life360 also trigger automatic calls to 911. These services monitor phones for sudden impacts like the ones that may occur during a car accident. Unfortunately, the changes in direction and brake systems on rollercoasters can trigger these apps as well. 

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Some of the more intense rollercoasters in Disney World such as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad could result in riders accidentally calling 911. According to 911 dispatchers speaking to KVUE ABC, “It does increase our workload, it does increase the call volume of the [dispatch] center.” 

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Of course, an overwhelmed dispatch center makes it more difficult for actual emergency calls to get through. So, this is actually a surprising problem that’s causing significant headaches for 911 dispatch centers near theme parks!

Click here to see some rides that Disney World fans could live without!

How can you stop your phone from calling 911?

Now, it’s better for dispatchers to not be overwhelmed by roller coaster butt-dials, so what can you do to keep your phone from accidentally calling 911 when you’re getting your thrill on in Disney World?

Expedition Everest

Luckily, you don’t need to disable your emergency functions every time you hop in line for a coaster. Instead, you can just pop your phone in airplane mode right before you board! That way, your smartphone won’t be able to use the emergency services while you’re in motion. You can also check your phone’s emergency SOS settings in your phone’s settings. Some, like iPhones, have various settings you can alter or disable for emergency calls, should you want to do that.

What an interesting and surprising trend! As always, keep an eye on DFB for the latest Disney World news, tips, and more.

Want to learn more about handling emergencies in Disney World? Watch our video!

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Were you surprised about this trend? Tell us in the comments!

The post Why People Keep Calling 911 in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.

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