Disney's "Jungle Cruise" Incident: Woman Drops iPhone, Requests to Search for It Herself → Denied by Management: Legal Grounds Explained
A woman visiting Disneyland lost her recently purchased iPhone when it fell into the water during the "Jungle Cruise" ride. After staff members attempted to retrieve it but failed, she requested to search for it herself, only to be politely declined.
"Is there a reason why I can't search for my smartphone, a personal property worth 120,000 yen?" A lawyer explains the legal basis, and Oriental Land, which operates the park, responded to inquiries from Lawyer.com News.
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iPhone Lost in Jungle Cruise Waters
The incident involved a woman in her 50s who reached out through the Lawyer.com News LINE service.
According to the woman, in mid-September of this year, she dropped her iPhone into the water while disembarking from the "Jungle Cruise" ride at Disneyland. A staff member witnessed the incident and tried to retrieve it using a net, but the phone could not be located.
The iPhone, purchased less than three months prior, still had 120,000 yen left on its payment plan. Unable to let it go, she requested permission to search for it during pre-opening hours or during attraction inspections, but her request was politely denied.
Granting such a request would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the park's operations. The woman understood the park's stance, stating, "Even if I were allowed to search for it, I doubt a phone submerged for two months would work again. I’ve mostly come to terms with it."
Disneyland clarified its position in an interview, stating, "Guests are responsible for managing their belongings. This is outlined in our park’s terms of use, which is also communicated by our staff at various facilities."
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Do Guests Have the Right to Search for Lost Property?
Attorney Kōmoto Akihiro commented on the legal perspective of such cases.
“This incident reminded me of a similar case where someone dropped a smartphone onto train tracks and pressed the emergency stop button. Emergency stop buttons are only to be used in situations involving threats to human life or significant disruption to train operations.”
Kōmoto sympathized with the desire to recover a high-value item but stressed the importance of considering the burden placed on the facility. "In situations like this, subscribing to insurance or loss protection plans is the best preparation," he advised.
For example, Apple offers "AppleCare+ Theft and Loss Plan" for iPhones, with monthly fees ranging from 740 to 1,740 yen.
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Oriental Land's Response
After speaking with Kōmoto, the editorial team reached out to Oriental Land, the company operating Tokyo Disneyland, to inquire why guests are not permitted to search for lost items themselves, even outside operating hours.
The company provided the following response:
"For the safety of our guests, we do not allow individuals to search for lost items themselves. We offer a Lost and Found service via a registration form where guests can report their lost items. We conduct searches based on these reports, and we have successfully recovered items in many cases."
Lost Item Registration Service
Tokyo Disneyland also specifies its liability and disclaimers in the park's terms of use. Article 12 states, "Except in cases where liability arises under applicable laws, Oriental Land, its affiliates, and Disney are not responsible for accidents caused by guest negligence or disputes between guests. Guests are responsible for managing their valuables and personal belongings."
The company added, "We kindly ask our guests to take care of their personal belongings and valuables as they enjoy the park."