Man gets on theme park log ride with his son. On the way up, he realizes there’s a live raccoon on the conveyor belt

Roller coaster rides are intended to shock and amaze. Between steep drops, harsh turns, and occasional splashes, it's no wonder “that was a real roller coaster ride” is an expression people use to describe everything from business meetings to relationships.

But generally, people don't necessarily want their theme park to come with a surprise critter. But one New England dad is going viral for his encounter with one.

A raccoon on a roller coaster

New England content creator Ed Sawicki (@edsawicki) shared a brief clip from what appears to be a ride at theme park Santa's Village. His video has since accumulated more than 19 million views.

Sawicki's footage was only a few seconds long, but it was jam-packed. It opened with Sawicki filming from his seat as his roller coaster car climbed a hill, on its way up to start the ride. Sawicki's child sat in front of him, and a few feet ahead of them, an actual raccoon was rooted to the spot. It was perched on the same conveyor belt.

“Yo, there's a [expletive] raccoon on the thing!” Sawicki said. “Oh, [expletive]!”

The raccoon stared at the Sawickis as it was also carried up the incline right along with the riders. Sawicki giggled as he filmed.

The creature finally turned to face forward, toward the top of the hill and away from the camera, just as it reached the zenith. Sawicki's video cut off immediately after the creature crested the top.

‘That poor baby was probably so scared'

The abrupt ending of Sawicki's video appeared to leave viewers with more questions than answers. His comment section quickly filled with anxious viewers, clamoring with concern for the raccoon rather than amusement.

“This isn't funny, this is sad,” the top comment, with more than 107,000 likes, read. “That poor baby was probably so scared.”

“Please tell me the raccoon survived,” one viewer wrote. Another echoed, “Was he okay?”

“Not funny, so sad,” commented another.

While Sawicki never posted a video update, he did ultimately address his audience's demands somewhat indirectly. In the caption of a later unrelated video, he confirmed via hashtag that the “raccoon is ok.”

He also confirmed the raccoon was OK via a TikTok comment. In a response to a commenter inquiry, Sawicki said, “He is ok they caught him in a snare and released him. One of the workers was a retired game warden.”

@edsawicki #santasvillage #ohshit #fyp #bestrideever ♬ original sound – Ed Sawicki

Do animals get trapped on theme park rides often—and what's the protocol?

While wandering wildlife doesn't appear to be a staple at many theme parks, what Sawicki witnessed has some precedent. According to a 2024 Philadelphia Inquirer article, a “young, frightened raccoon” bit two guests at Philadelphia theme park Hersheypark. They were waiting in line “for the SooperDooperLooper roller-coaster” on the park's opening day.

The park responded by assuring guests it has “a full complement of public safety and health professionals on property” and “maintains ‘extensive fencing to help prevent'” further animal intrusions.

There does not appear to be any industry-wide policies covering exactly what staff are supposed to do when animals end up running amok in amusement parks. Park safety regulations, such as those outlined by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, are built around mechanical inspections and rider behavior rather than wildlife incidents.

Buzz News reached out to Sawicki via TikTok comment, as well as Santa's Village via email.