A woman, 31, took her own life at Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort in Orlando, Florida, on October 14, 2025. The victim, identified as Summer Equitz from Naperville, Illinois, left her home without informing anyone, local authorities and medical examiners reported.

The Orange County Medical Examiner revealed that Equitz died from “multiple blunt impact injuries,” classifying the cause of death as suicide.

Court documents procured by the New York Post disclosed that witnesses on the fourth-floor observation deck reported hearing a “significant bang” and found Equitz immobile approximately 30 feet away. She had jumped from a 12th-floor balcony, where a blue tote bag was later found against the railing. An employee of the hotel on the 15th floor also witnessed the tragic event.

Equitz was confirmed to have travelled alone from Illinois to Orlando on the same day, having booked a flight without telling her family.

Relatives became worried when they could not contact her and posted an online missing-persons inquiry on a Disney fan subreddit. The post, now removed, reported her disappearance a few hours earlier. Family members expressed concern about Equitz’s abrupt departure and her unannounced trip to Florida.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office received reports about the incident around 6:40 p.m. near Magic Kingdom on North World Drive. Monorail service through the building was temporarily halted following the event.

A representative from the sheriff’s office clarified that the guest was not hit by the monorail, contrary to social media rumors. Police officials stated they would not release further details, treating the case as a suicide investigation.

In October 2024, Equitz celebrated her honeymoon at Walt Disney World with her spouse, Nico Danilovich. She announced her pregnancy in December 2024, sharing a sonogram on social media, but didn’t provide any public updates in the following months.

From 2012 to 2015, Equitz worked as a character performer and entertainment host at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Her social media posts often featured her visits to the parks, including an image with Disney CEO Bob Iger in April 2021, captioned: “My life has peaked.” She later worked as a nanny and social media consultant.

The Contemporary Resort, known for its unique A-frame design and the Disney monorail track running directly through the building, opened in 1971 alongside the Disney World property. The 14-story hotel is one of the most recognized at the resort due to its modernist architecture.

Past incidents at the resort include a guest who died by suicide after jumping from the central A-frame tower in March 2016. Another guest, 22-year-old Jasmine Samuels, died in an apparent suicide at the same location in March 2020.

Disney historian and podcast host Jim Hill discussed this pattern in a 2022 interview with the New York Post. “There’s this weird phenomenon where people who are severely depressed but want to have that one last good happy family memory will go to Walt Disney World,” Hill said. “They’ll deliberately book a room at the Contemporary Resort, which is 14 stories tall. And after that happy family time, they will throw themselves off the building.”

Hill indicated that these incidents often remain unreported to the public.

The suicide of Equitz marked the start of a troubling series of fatalities at Walt Disney World properties. Five additional deaths occurred on Disney property within three months following her death:

October 21, 2025: A man in his 60s with a history of hypertension and end-stage liver disease died of natural causes following a medical episode at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

October 23, 2025: Matthew Cohn, 28, died by suicide after jumping from a 12th-floor balcony at Bay Lake Tower, part of the Contemporary Resort complex. He had paid cash and checked into his room the previous evening. His death occurred just nine days after Equitz’s, marking the second suicide at the same location within two weeks.

November 2, 2025: A woman in her 40s was pronounced dead at Disney’s Pop Century Resort.

On November 8, 2025, a body was discovered at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa in Lake Buena Vista. Authorities have not released details about the victim’s identity, age, or cause of death.

January 2, 2026: A man was found dead at the Orange Garage at Disney Springs. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the incident is being investigated as a possible suicide.

Since its opening in 1971, 68 people have died at Walt Disney World. Disney has not made any formal statements regarding potential changes to safety measures in response to this series of incidents.

Equitz’s death happened approximately eight days after a woman in her 60s died after riding the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, on October 6, 2025. Found unresponsive when her ride vehicle returned to the unload station, she was transported to a local hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Sgt. Matt Sutter of the Anaheim Police Department confirmed there was no indication of any operating issue with the attraction, which reopened soon after.

The Haunted Mansion, located in the New Orleans Square section of Disneyland, opened in 1969. Walt Disney contributed creatively to the attraction’s concept before his death in 1966, and his Imagineers completed the ride after his passing.

On September 17, 2025, Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, of Kissimmee, Florida, died after riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal Epic Universe in Orlando. He was pronounced dead at a hospital that night from “multiple blunt impact injuries.”

Rodriguez Zavala, who had a spinal condition from birth and used a wheelchair, was not under any medical restrictions that would have prevented him from riding. In December 2025, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office concluded its investigation into his death, ruling it accidental and finding no criminal acts occurred. An internal Universal review found ride systems “functioned as intended,” and employees followed proper procedures. The family and Universal subsequently reached a confidential resolution. The theme park operates separately from Disney World.

The series of suicides at Walt Disney World has led mental health experts to discuss the phenomenon of traveling to meaningful locations to die by suicide. Ciara Bogdanovic, a licensed psychotherapist and founder of Sagebrush Psychotherapy, explained: “Suicide tourism refers to the phenomenon when people travel to a distant location to die by suicide. Those individuals choose a place that is dear to them.”

Theme park safety has been under increased scrutiny following multiple incidents at major entertainment destinations. Disney operates two main resort properties in the United States: Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California.

Walt Disney World, attracting millions of visitors annually to its four theme parks, two water parks, and over 25 resort hotels spread across the expansive Orlando property, has planned ongoing refurbishments at the Contemporary Resort through late 2027. Disney has not clarified whether these are related to safety measures.

Mental health professionals stress that suicidal ideation is a medical emergency requiring immediate intervention. Warning signs may include sudden changes in behavior, expressions of hopelessness, and making arrangements as if preparing for a final departure.