Walt Disney World Monorail Crash Kills Employee

"He seemed to be a pretty safe person," said Ross, 22. "He's not reckless at all."

A monorail train sits motionless on a track outside EPCOT Sunday, July 5, 2009, at Walt Disney World...

A monorail train sits motionless on a track outside EPCOT Sunday, July 5, 2009, at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., after the park's monorail transit system was shut down after two monorail trains crashed early Sunday morning in the Magic Kingdom section of the park, killing one train's operator, emergency officials said. (AP Photo/The Orlando Sentinel, George Skene) LEESBURG OUT, LADY LAKE OUT, TV OUT, MAGS OUT, NO SALES

(AP)

Wuennenberg studied computer science, said Ross, who sometimes asked for his help on school projects and called him smart and talented. "He was really good with computers."

Jones said the crash happened at the park's ticket and transportation center. About a dozen guards wearing blue Disney security uniforms guarded the monorail station Sunday morning and prevented visitors from approaching.

Griffin would not comment on a video posted on the Web site of Orlando TV station WKMG. The clip, apparently shot by a guest at the park, shows a man pounding on the door to the driver's compartment after the crash.

"This is such a close-knit community," Griffin said. "Our hearts go out to Austin's family. It's a sad day here."

Catherine McKenna, 45, and her family were visiting the theme park from Ireland. The family had planned to use the monorail to travel to the Magic Kingdom last Friday but said they were told the train was broken. They took a ferry but returned on the monorail later that day.

"It's very sad," McKenna said. "You would be very afraid to use it again."

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said the park had boosted other forms of transport — such as ferries, boats and buses — for visitors Sunday.

"Our guests are getting around fine," Suarez added.

Seventeen-year-old Ethan Meus, visiting from Dubuque, Iowa, said he and his family took the monorail to dinner at a resort hotel Saturday night. Meus watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the monorail on the way back to his hotel and said he didn't notice any problems with the train.

"It's pretty shocking to hear that a driver was killed," Meus said.

"You would think it would be so safe," said 20-year-old Lauren Shoebottom, who was visiting the park from London. "You don't expect it on holiday, do you?"