40 Wacky Elevator Rides Caught On Camera

Elevators are still the best way to move people between floors. If you live in a high-rise building, taking the elevator is a must, but it can occasionally result in odd circumstances. We've all experienced unpleasant interactions with neighbors or awkward silences while waiting to reach our floor, but these people have taken it to an all-new level.

Elevators haven't undergone many changes since the 1800s, but you'll have a fresh perspective on elevators after watching the folks captured on security cameras perform both dangerous and humorous pranks and organize large dancing parties. 


Taking the stairs means you won't get to see any of these hilarious elevator antics!

Dead End Prank

Woody & Kleiny are the undisputed kings of YouTube pranksters, with more than nine million subscribers. Jokes and challenges make up the majority of the 700+ video materials. With over 2 million views, the humorous locked-in-elevator prank is one of their most popular videos.

To start things off, the two men brought a two planks door imitation of a brick wall. Before realizing it was all a complex joke, Woody was in a state of fear and kept hitting the emergency button. Imagine the confusion and fear! Such a classic prank.

Rescue a Rescuer

No matter how heroic you imagine yourself to be, there will come a time when you require assistance. It's uncommon for us to witness men in uniform being saved by other men in uniform.

The Kansas City Fire Department came to the aid of these young men in blue from the Kansas City Police Academy. A group of twelve police officers called the fire department after getting trapped in an elevator. When their coworkers came to their aid, they couldn't help but snap a picture to show them who the true boss was.

Third Wheeling Prank

Not all elevator jokes are terrifying. They can occasionally be about total second-hand humiliation. The folks surrounding this couple seemed bewildered and out of place as they observed the couple taking pleasure in each other.

It can be unpleasant to ride in an elevator with a couple, especially if there is eye contact of any kind. These two pranksters made other passengers in the elevator feel awkward by sharing a passionate kiss. Being the third wheel is never fun, and judging from the expressions of those around them, they undoubtedly succeeded.

After Office Disco Party

Disco party after a hard and exhausting day at work? Why not! Some folks like to party wherever they are and can make any space feel lively, no matter how little there is. That was unquestionably the case for this passenger as she attempted to enter the disco-lit elevator.

But understandably, she didn't seem to be in the party spirit. She must have had a difficult day at work because she chose to go up the stairs instead of going to the party. We guess she wasn’t a great disco enthusiast—or maybe she just wanted to get more exercise. 

Pizza Delivery Fail

Being a pizza delivery boy is not a simple job; each time someone places an order, you must withstand the allure of this delicious cuisine. Some delivery men simply can't resist pizza, and they must eat at least one piece while traveling.

The poor guy suppressed his cravings until he got into the elevator, but his hunger won—most likely because the elevator was dripping with the alluring aroma of his pizza. We can’t criticize him. The hunger for pizza has been known to cause some very bizarre behaviors in humans.

Frustrated Dancing Queen

Most people engage in strange behavior when they think no one is looking, such as those who dance in elevators. One of the most liberating emotions in the world is dancing in an elevator, and this woman definitely let her inner dancing queen loose—until she noticed the cameras.

We think she may even be a professional dancer. With her incredible moves, she could someday rival Beyonce. She may easily submit this video if she ever needs a submission for Dancing with the Stars.

Ladies' Vandalism

While some young people enjoy leaving graffiti in their wake wherever they go, there are some places where it's more likely that you'll be discovered and caught. One of those places is your own apartment building's elevator, especially if it has security cameras.

After failing to spraypaint the elevator walls successfully, these two buddies discovered this the hard way. Although they thought it was a joke, it got them into a lot of trouble. The security guard immediately caught them, and they were forced to clean up their mess.

Missing Floor Prank

Since false walls and stalled elevator pranks are so dated, some practical jokers have to come up with new strategies to pull off their hoaxes. This was the case with the artist who designed an elevator floor that gives the impression of a bottomless drop.

You'll have nightmares after experiencing this prank in this elevator, judging by the man's reaction. Of course, we would prefer not to see it in person, but it is unquestionably an intriguing work of art that brilliantly expresses the fear of living in the modern world.

Don’t Mess With Me

When he boarded the elevator, this man anticipated having a pleasant and quiet journey. While in an elevator with this woman, though, he will experience something more unexpected. The woman next to him appeared to be practicing for her upcoming WWE competition, and she picked the ideal victim.

Either that, or he offended her by saying something incredibly unpleasant. Let’s be honest; too many men in this world try to push their luck this way. Either way, this guy messed with the wrong lady. I suppose it's best to occasionally just ride in silence if you don't want to get kicked in the face.

Dancing On My Own

Dancing with no one in sight is pretty liberating. While some people like to do it in the privacy of their own homes, and others prefer to let their dancing queen loose in the clubs, this woman only needed an elevator to dance her heart out.

As soon as she entered the elevator, she began twerking and dancing, and she later exited it as if nothing had happened. Robyn's "Dancing On My Own" playing in the background would be the sole improvement to this video.

Lost Heels

Although wearing high heels may have been a fashionable way to boost your confidence, they can occasionally get you into awkward situations. No matter how much you might enjoy wearing them, even a small obstruction can cause you to lose your stride.

The woman in this video exited the elevator confidently, but her power walk was cut short when her shoe became stuck. They must have been her favorite pair because she hopped down quickly before the elevator doors closed to retrieve it.

A Bad Day

You may occasionally witness individuals at their most vulnerable if you share an elevator with a stranger. In this video, an older man tries to ask a clearly troubled man if he's okay, but because of his terrible mood, he doesn't even bother to respond.

Did his partner break up with him? Did he watch the final episode of Game of Thrones and find the conclusion disappointing? Has he just been let go from his job? He's undoubtedly experiencing something profoundly upsetting, so we guess we'll never know.

Pure Happiness

Anyone can be caught having the best time of their lives on elevator cameras. We can't help but wonder what exactly happened to the woman in this video because the way she reacted was so beautiful after getting into the elevator alone.

She might have started a new profession, found her true love, or won the lotto and gained millions of dollars. Whatever it is, she is clearly happy to be alive, and we should all at least hope that once in our lives, we can feel this kind of unadulterated delight.

Masked Thieves

It's common practice to keep to yourself on an elevator. However, being surrounded by a group of masked, thievery-looking males is unnatural. You could have a heart attack just by imagining what might happen next.

They certainly took the mask-wearing rule to a whole new level, but were they out to rob a bank? It turned out that they were doing neither; instead, the man's buddies only wanted to play a practical joke on him and give him the shock of his life.

Little Girl Ghost

The oldest running television program in Brazil, Programa Silvio Santos, made history, and it wouldn't be the same without its absurd practical jokes. One of them included an elevator and a spooky girl who belonged on The Exorcist set.

Unwary passengers entered the elevator only to be met by flickering lights and a young girl holding a grotesque doll while wearing frightening makeup. Her cries, which are straight out of a horror film, were the only thing more terrifying than her appearance.

Quick And Scary Ride

Being trapped in one or the victim of an elevator prank would make you reconsider taking an elevator alone ever again. After becoming the victim of such a lighthearted “prank,” this woman understands the suffering of four confined walls moving up and down a building.

Her elevator abruptly began moving faster and faster, then shook while it seemingly experienced power outages—before arriving at her floor as if nothing had occurred. After this, she presumably continued to use the stairs; let's just hope she doesn't live on the top floor.

A Clown Surprise

Creepy clowns are the only thing scarier than small ghost girls with eerie dolls. A package was seen inside an elevator as passengers boarded it in this follow-up prank from Programa Silvio Santos. As soon as the elevator ascends or descends, a spooky clown suddenly jumps out and startles them.

Clowns are known for their silliness and sense of humor and for their terrifying qualities—especially to some people. Either way, this is not a fun way to run into a clown. He's not Pennywise, but he could easily compete with him.

Beating Silence

Do you ever find that the elevator trip itself becomes so monotonous that you have to create your own music for it? In order to break the monotony of their ride, these New Zealand police officers decide to play some upbeat music while waiting to reach their floor.

They have amazing musical skills and seem like such a pleasant bunch, so we wouldn't mind seeing them play the lead in a Kiwi adaptation of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. They would undoubtedly give Jake Peralta and his group a run for their money with their absurd antics.

Product Placement

After watching recordings of this elevator ride prank with a disappearing floor, it's not difficult to understand why some individuals avoid using elevators at all costs since they find them to be frightening—they can imagine the drop below them.

LG discovered an excellent way to advertise their high-definition monitors—by scaring the living daylights out of people! Screens were installed in place of the elevator floor, and the effect they produced was right out of a sci-fi film.

Hotel Elevator Horror Story

A luxury hotel's staff ensures guests are entirely delighted with their stay, providing guests with friendly and distinctive customer service from the concierge to the elevator to their rooms. One example of this service is the man waiting to help you in the elevator. You don't even need to touch any buttons.

This guy did the exact opposite of proving comfort by concealing his face and frightening the guests. It was like he was getting ready for an audition for American Horror Story: Hotel Edition. He probably shouldn’t have done it at work. 

Sparks Fly

Couples walking and holding hands is something we frequently witness in the street. Here’s an example of a couple that can't keep their hands off one another, not even in an elevator. Whether they haven't seen one another in months or whether they reconciled after a quarrel doesn't matter; their love is strong.

After this lady gave him “the look,” they instantly felt the chemistry and couldn’t resist one another. Sparks began flying between them. 

Time To Workout

A busy schedule might be exhausting and only allow you to complete the most vital tasks, leaving little time for exercise. However, when some people can't make it to the gym, they are so committed to their personal fitness regimens that they will exercise everywhere they can—even in the elevator.

It can be quite embarrassing when you share an elevator with someone who just wants a quiet trip. This girl deserves praise for her flexibility and commitment to her training, but she could have waited until she got home—or at least until she was alone.

Excessive Dancing

Police officers are typically thought of as prim and proper individuals. It's always interesting to observe police officers having a good time in an elevator! They deserve to let loose and have fun occasionally—better to relieve stress in an elevator than on the beat or in a delicate situation.

While their elevator was broken, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office personnel decided to do just that, providing us with some amusing footage. Their dancing video was so popular that it received over 12 million YouTube views in the end!

Hilarious Bee-siness

When you live in an apartment complex that allows pets, you nearly always have to share the elevator with puppies, bunnies, and kittens. However, dealing with someone wearing a full protective suit and carrying a swarm of bees is a very different matter.

One Mexican man who found himself in an elevator with a beekeeper experienced this very thing. He would not have cared as much if the beekeeper hadn't entered the elevator carrying three boxes of agitated bees. He must be allergic to bee stings based on his reaction.

Horse Ride

Being a horse who lives in an apartment complex can be difficult. While horses can climb stairs, they are unable to climb down them. This guy had to take the elevator down to the lower levels. It’s not easy when you’re as big as a horse—or indeed, actually a horse.

Even though he is plainly prepared for this difficult journey, the elevator looks too small to us. This horse should probably think about moving out of the city, even if the commute would be longer. He’d probably enjoy a good run before work anyway, being a horse and all.

Fast Fall

Elevator pranks can be funny and innocent or horrifying and brutal. We'll let you determine where this Japanese media-organized practical joke ranks on that scale. We can picture her making a commitment to herself to never ride an elevator again.

People boarding the elevator would slam into the flour and then get covered in slime, which was meant to cushion their impact. We would not want to be in their position, even if the fall had not harmed us—slime or no slime.

Man With Mission

It can be risky to transport oversized items using an elevator. Although it can spare you the hassle of climbing up and down the stairs, there is a possibility that some things won't fit inside—or will perhaps wind up breaking while being transported.

These two men tried to move a large glass panel to one of the top floors, and that's what happened to them. Their mission would have been a success if their assistant hadn't let go of the open door button. What a mess!

Taste Test

After reading this list, you'll be hesitant to order pizza online and have it delivered because it appears that some delivery people frequently have a habit of tasting the goodies along the way. The inviting aromas of the food that they deliver must make it impossible for them to resist a little nibble.

This time the pizza delivery man couldn't help but take a bite, possibly because he was so hungry. At least he was wise enough only to take the toppings and not the whole slice. Everything is forgiven—aside from pizza with pineapple.

Street Fighter Inspired

If you're a millennial, Street Fighter was likely one of the childhood video games you still have great memories of, yet it appears that some individuals still haven't moved on. This guy is still keeping those beat-em-up memories alive and well by recreating his favorite video game inside an elevator.

Unfortunately, the game wasn't even. While it is entertaining to witness his opponents' reactions as they were still unsure of what was happening, it doesn’t seem like the nicest thing to experience, especially if they were unwilling to engage in play or engage in physical conflict.

The Before Party

Despite your best efforts, certain aspects of your wedding will not go as planned. One of the unforeseen crises that might ruin your wedding is getting stranded in an elevator before you get to the ceremony, but only if you allow them.

Harry Stein and Liz Copeland experienced this. Twenty-four wedding party guests got stranded in an elevator, but they made the best of it by smiling and snapping selfies rather than fretting. After 30 minutes, they were able to leave for the ceremony.

The Dark Side

Although having fun and being nasty are two very distinct things, they can work well together. Even Stormtroopers enjoy holding the occasional dance party. Their boss, Darth Vader, decided to join in since their enthusiasm was so contagious.

The Imperial Army's crazy party didn't upset the man who was in the elevator with them at all. We suppose he was more of a fan of Luke Skywalker and simply did not want to join the dark side. That’s too bad, as it looks like the dark side joined him.

Spooky Ride

You may have anxiety while riding in an elevator since you are trapped in a tiny area with other people for a short time. Worse, it could break down at any time—then you’d be trapped with others for what could be hours. If you were trapped in an elevator with a coffin, you could be trapped with a dead person—which might give some people some serious trauma.

While these people were taking an elevator ride, a man who was posing as a corpse leaped out of his coffin. Following this incident, they became deathly afraid of riding in an elevator with a coffin. The good news is that that sort of thing will probably never happen to them again. Only that we hope they will later laugh about it.

An Elevator Free Fall

Elevator pranks are difficult to enjoy when you're the laughing stock. Since elevator failures are so frequent, it can be difficult to determine that you are being pranked while it is taking place. And if you're alone, it's even scarier.

That is what occurred to the unfortunate man, who had no idea what was in store for him. He was caught on camera by the building's pranksters entering an elevator that fell four stories in freefall before coming to a gentle stop, proving he was never in any actual danger.

Elevator Engagement

Although some people are afraid of elevators, these rowdy children saw it as their own little playground where they could do whatever they pleased. Maybe they have a lack of outdoor space in the street? In any case, here’s an example of their antics: a proposal.

Watching one of the boys get down on one knee and playfully propose to the young girl with a plastic ring is quite moving. Even though they were just playing, we think they’re probably too young to get involved in marriage…

Everyone’s Passing Out

You should generally avoid taking some elevator journeys, particularly when passengers right next to you pass out. Even though it was simply a prank, it was a touch excessive and could have caused some serious panic.

Elevators may be rather frightening for some, but having everyone nearby pass out simultaneously is a bit much. This prank might do more than frighten some folks, particularly the serious types of people. Whether this prank was successful or not is up to you. 

A Real Gentleman

The best and worst sides of people come out when they are locked in an elevator together, and thankfully, not all the tales we hear are so terrible. One of the most touching ones involves Rita Young, an older woman who needed assistance to stand and move.

Cesar Larios stayed by her side when she became caught in an elevator, making the encounter less terrifying. He offered to act as the old woman's "human chair" as they waited for the lift to be fixed.

Punch For Their Lives

When an elevator is stuck, people respond in a variety of ways. Others worry and tremble for their lives, while others choose to wait it out and seek aid. However, one man decided to punch his way out of the situation in what we can only assume to be a moment of great panic.

He punched a hole through the wall and used it as a ladder instead of waiting for assistance. Thankfully, he was able to get help and ultimately escape, but unless you have a lot of boxing expertise (and even if you did), you probably shouldn't attempt this at home.

Mortal Kombat

The creator of the well-known elevator jokes featuring many Street Fighter themes came up with a new joke using other characters. Mortal Kombat served as the source of inspiration this time, and the outcome was amusing for observers rather than threatening.

In this prank, the absurd attire was a dead giveaway, but the number of people who fell for the con was no less for it. Whether they laughed, freaked out, or even tried to fight, each reaction was amusing in and of itself.