A Disney On Ice performer endured a frightening fall during a show, crashing onto the rink in front of a packed audience that included thousands of children.
A TikTok video capturing the incident shows the skater portraying Princess Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid as she performed across the ice.
During the routine, a performer dressed as Prince Eric lifted Ariel by one leg and spun her while spectators cheered from the stands.
The move appeared to go wrong when Eric seemingly lost his balance, dropping Ariel before he also fell onto the rink.
Ariel struck the ice with her head and body, then curled her arms around her head as she appeared to writhe in pain.
The skater playing Eric immediately moved toward her to offer assistance.
After remaining on the ice briefly, the performer sat up, visibly stunned, before appearing to collect herself.
With help from her fellow performer, she got to her feet and made her way off the rink as quickly as she could.
A Disney On Ice performer suffered a frightening fall, hitting her head on the rink in front of thousands of young spectators
Video shared on TikTok shows a skater dressed as Princess Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid performing before the accident
The pair then skated away together, briefly turning back to wave to the crowd before leaving the ice.
TikTok user PlanoPlaysGames uploaded a clip of the incident and it went viral, and many viewers took to the comment section to share their shock over the scary fall.
Viewers reacted with alarm online. “He almost bashed her head on the ice omg,” one person wrote, prompting another to respond: “He did.”
“That actually looked BAD,” another concerned viewer commented.
A separate user added: “Oh my gosh she could’ve died.”
Other viewers praised the performer for appearing to recover and leave the rink so quickly after the impact.
The incident recalls a serious Disney On Ice accident from 2024, when performer Anastasia Olson, then 31, was reportedly left fighting for her life after a fall during a performance of Beauty and the Beast.
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Video from that show appeared to show Olson, who played Belle, experiencing seizures on the ice after being dropped by another cast member.
During the Ariel routine, a performer in a Prince Eric costume lifted her by one leg and spun her as the crowd applauded
The stunt appeared to unravel when he lost control, dropping Ariel and tumbling onto the ice himself
She landed heavily on her head and body, clutching her head while appearing to struggle with the pain
The skater playing the Beast hovered above her before medics rushed to her aid.
‘They were doing a lift, it appeared shaky and she fell,’ audience member Beka told KARE 11.
‘I am beyond grateful and thankful for the remaining staff and the performers who kept going because that preserves the magic for the kids. I know that has to have been very difficult,’ she added.
Another guest noted how the cast and crew got to the injured skater quickly, adding that the Minneapolis community ‘hopes that she’s okay and that she recovers.’
A Disney on Ice spokesperson told the news outlet that it ‘appreciates the well wishes from our fans as our team member recovers’.
Hennepin County Medical Center told the Daily Mail in the aftermath that Olson was in serious condition.
After lying there for a moment, the woman sat up with a shocked look on her face before she regained her composure
She stood up with the man portraying Eric’s help and tried to get off the ice as quickly as possible. The two skated off together, briefly turning to wave at the audience on their way off the ice
Days later, the performer took to Instagram to thank everyone for their support.
‘I’m overwhelmed with emotions and all the love I’ve received over this last week. I have felt every single prayer, and it’s helped me get through this scary time,’ she wrote.
‘I can’t help but feel so blessed. My heart sends so much love to you all, and if I’ve learned anything, it’s to never take life for granted.’
She seemed to make a full recovery and even played Belle again during a Disney on Ice tour in October 2025.