Disney performer dead after accident at Hollywood Studios

[DizneyFreak2002]

From orlando Sentinal:

A Walt Disney World cast member is dead after an accident this evening at Hollywood Studios.

The accident took place during a rehearsal for the " Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular." The stunt performer was doing a tumbling roll after 7 p.m. when he was hurt. He was transported to the hospital and has since died.

"We lost a valued cast member and our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family as we mourn his passing," said Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez.

The name of the performer has not been released.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration as well and the Orange County Sheriff's Office have been contacted. The Sheriff's office is investigating.

[Christine]

My goodness...how terribly sad!

[Lakin]

So many Disney deaths within a couple of months - it's saddening.

[Mousemates]

wow...how tragic. it seems to be a steady stream of bad news lately.

[GrumpyFan]

Wow, sad and a bit scary too! That makes 3 castmember deaths at WDW in 3 months. I'm not one for spooky conspiracy's or curses, but, this is just weird!

[DisneyPrincess21]

Good Lord! What is it with WDW and deaths lately?
Geez, Makes me nervous about my trip in December. I hope nothing bad happens while I am there.

Thoughts, Prayers, And Pixie dust to the family

[johnO]

Wow, there have really been some freak accidents at WDW recently.

I think everyone needs to remember that they are 'freak' accidents. WDW is still very safe.

[Ed]

ID released of Disney performer fatally injured in Hollywood Studios accident

Willoughby Mariano
Sentinel Staff Writer

11:50 PM EDT, August 17, 2009

A Walt Disney World cast member is dead after an accident this evening at Hollywood Studios.

Stunt performer Anislav Varbanov, 30, was fatally injured during a rehearsal for the " Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular." He was doing a tumbling roll after 7 p.m. when he was hurt.

Disney workers dialed 911 at 7:34 p.m. to report that a cast member sustained a head injury. Varbanov was rushed to Florida Hospital Celebration Health, where he was pronounced dead at 8:53 p.m., Orange County sheriff's deputies said.

Varbanov was the the third cast member in seven weeks to die after sustaining injuries while working.

Online photos show Varbanov on the set of the Pirate's Dinner Adventure attraction in the International Drive tourist corridor. A video on YouTube shows him performing a hand-balancing act with a woman during the Pirate's attraction pre-show. Monday night, a YouTube user had posted "R.I.P. ANISLAV."

The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, known colloquially as "Epic" to Disney cast members, is performed several times each day at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Disney performers don't impersonate Harrison Ford and Karen Allen, the lead actors from the original Indy film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, but instead demonstrate the types of stunts used to film Indy and Marian's adventures.

The 30-minute show opens with a dramatic sequence in which the actor representing Indiana Jones dodges moving spikes and swings on a rope to get to a treasure. During the rest of the presentation, cast members perform acrobatics, stage fights, dodge moving aircraft and avoid pyrotechnics. The famous rolling-ball scene is also re-created.

"We lost a valued cast member and our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family as we mourn his passing," said Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez in a prepared statement.

The show has been performed at Disney since 1989.

Performers at the Indiana Jones show have been injured before. The year after the show's opening, Disney was fined $1,000 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration after three were injured when equipment failed.

One fell 30 feet onto concrete when a restraining cable didn't work properly. Another fell about 25 feet, landing on crates after a ladder he was on collapsed prematurely. The third was squeezed by a trap door that malfunctioned.

The federal safety agency said Disney did not provide enough padding or other equipment to protect performers if they accidentally fall. Soon afterward, a fourth cast member dropped 20 feet onto concrete during rehearsal of a new routine that was supposed to be safer for performers.

Tuesday's performances are canceled because of Varbanov's death.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration as well as the Orange County Sheriff's Office have been contacted in Varbanov's death. The Sheriff's office is investigating.

[MinnieMommie]

How very sad. My prayers go out to his family and friends.

[DizneyRox]

Now I know why I don't drink the water down there. There's got to be SOMETHING in the water.

[brownie]

Very sad. It's been a tough summer for the cast members at Walt Disney World.

[TheVBs]

How awful!

[Bethis26fan]

That's awful, so many deaths in so few weeks. Thoughts & prayers for the family and friends.

[sgdisney]

How sad. Prayers and pixie dust to the family, friends, and coworkers of this young man.

[magicofdisney]

Was he an extra or the guy that plays Indie?

[Lizzy]

What a sad year for Disney. My prayers go out to the family and cast members.

[poohbearkris]

This is very sad and tragic for these 3 CMs. Freak accidents. My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends. Hopefully this is the end of the tragedy. They say it comes in 3's, and not to be superstitious, but that does seem to be true. I have worked ICU for 15 years, and it is freaky how often deaths come in 3's.

My condolences.

[Imagineer1981]

not that this makes it ok, but they always say "bad things come in 3s", lets pray this was the last bad thing to happen for a VERY long time. My family's thoughts are with this mans family

[Jordan0301]

He was one of the tumblers, not Indiana.

Ani was a great guy, worked with him for a long time...amazing performer, good spirit. If you have been to Pirates Dinner in the last few years, you have definately been graced by one of his performances.

It occured on the simplest of stunts as well, something he could do in his sleep. And it happened in rehearsals, which is when you are on your game 24/7, as well as safety is ramped up 100x. It just goes to show how anything can happen, and how precious life is.

We often forget when we see stunts, that almost every minute of those shows, performers are putting their lives at risk for their art. It is something taken lightly, because of how easy it is made to look.

At least Ani passed doing something he loved...he was born to perform/tumble.

[It'sWDW4me]

How amazingly horrible! Such very sad news. My heart goes out to the families and friends of all three Cast Members.