A man left fellow Disney World visitors stunned when he launched himself off a bridge into a lagoon to win $6,000 on a bet – before being kicked out by security.
The man known on social media for collecting and trading Pokémon cards plunged into the World Showcase Lagoon of EPCOT’s Italian Pavilion with his precious cards intact to win the cash.
After completing the challenge and lifting himself out of the water via a nearby gondola, the man was chased by nearby security and kicked out of Disney World. Fox rreported.
Two witnesses, known only as Brendan and Gwyn, said, “A Disney executive was on her radio before he even hit the water, so when he joined his friends, Disney security was right behind him.”
The prankster bragged that they were only banned from the amusement park for a year and said that they were not fined for the stunt.
Viral videos showed the dramatic moment a man jumped from a Disney World bridge into the Florida theme park’s grand lagoon
The bet that was made challenged the man to dive into the World Showcase Lagoon with his Pokémon cards from the Italian Pavilion at EPCOT for $6,000
After completing the challenge, the man was chased by nearby security and kicked out of the Disney World park
The video of the jump was shared by Brandon Reiter, 38, on his TikTok account. He captioned the video: ‘Why did @elit3trainers jump into that icy cold water for 60k?’
Users in the comments section were quick to point out that it was a $6,000 bet – not $60,000 as Reiter claimed.
In the footage, the man can be seen teetering on the edge of Disney’s bridge as some bystanders encouraged him to take the plunge.
He then launched himself into the “icy cold” waters of Disney’s Epcot Lagoon as the crowd that had gathered looked on in shock.
After hitting the water with a huge splash, he quickly swam across the lagoon and struggled to pull himself up on one of the canal boats before dashing out of the water.
He jumped the fence and did a victory dance to celebrate the $6,000 he would win for completing the challenge.
The jumper – known as elit3trainers to his 11.4k followers on TikTok – is known for making videos about collecting and trading Pokémon cards and his “weekly Pokémon breaks.”
During the negotiation of the bet, the jumper said, “I promise you, I will jump off that damn bridge with all my Pokémon cards.”
He continued, “For six bands? Are you joking?’
Reiter then posted a TikTok to his own account showing a security guard chasing his friend through the amusement park, with the caption: “Catch me if you can!”
The jumper revealed in TikTok comments that he apparently did not receive a lifetime ban. The user bragged: “Year ban, no fine. No arrest. For anyone wondering.’
According to park visitors Brendan and Gwyn who saw the jump, “A Disney executive was on her radio before he even hit the water, so when he joined his friends, Disney security was right behind him.”
After hitting the water with a huge splash, he quickly swam across the lagoon and struggled to pull himself up on one of the tour boats before dashing out of the water
In the footage, the brave man teetered on the edge of Disney’s bridge as bystanders encouraged him to take the plunge. The jumper then launched himself into the “freezing cold” waters of Disney’s Epcot Lagoon as the crowd that had gathered looked on in shock and amazement.
Brendan and Gwyn run the Instagram account DisFamily Adventures. The pair were walking past ESCOT’s Italian pavilion around 5:30 p.m. when they heard the commotion that preceded the jump and wanted to stick around “to see if anything would happen,” they said.
The courtesy part Disneyland’s website states: ‘We ask everyone who comes to this happy place to treat others with respect, kindness and compassion.
“To provide guests with a safe and enjoyable experience, we regularly update our Disneyland Resort Rules.
“Those who cannot fulfill this simple wish or follow our rules may be asked to leave the Disneyland Resort.”
One of Disneyland’s rules specifically prohibits “the commission of unsafe acts or other acts that may interfere with the operation of the Disneyland Resort or any portion thereof.”
This isn’t the first time a jumper has wreaked havoc at EPCOT.
In June 2023, an allegedly intoxicated Disney World visitor left a ride while it was in motion, causing general chaos and a war of words with other guests.
The jumper revealed in TikTok comments that he apparently did not receive a lifetime ban. The user bragged: “Year ban, no fine. No arrest. For anyone who wonders
Brendan and Gwyn run the Instagram account DisFamily Adventures. The pair were strolling past ESCOT’s Italian pavilion around 5.30pm when they heard the commotion that preceded the jump and wanted to stick around ‘to see if anything would happen’, pictured: DisFamily Adventures on Instagram
The heated altercation was recorded by another rider during what was supposed to be a relaxing boat ride at Disney’s EPCOT theme park – famous for its ‘Drink Around the World’ challenge.
A pair of clips posted to TikTok the next day exposed the disruption, showing the ride being brought to a halt for safety reasons as the woman staggered past the waterfront exit platform, hoping to leave the slow-moving tour.
Disney’s park was called EPCOT – which stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow – when it opened on October 1, 1982. The park cost $1 billion to build.
A day pass to the park costs $109 per person – a small price to pay for a $6,000 round trip.