Disney Water Park Ride Causes Multiple Accidents and Injuries

When we think of amusement park safety or accidents, we usually think about rides or attractions that malfunction, or where the operator doesn’t do something he or she is supposed to do. But just like other products in our everyday life, sometimes, it’s just the inherent design of the ride that causes injury.

Tested and Safe? Maybe Not

Amusement parks would like you to believe that every ride is rigorously tested and all possible safety angles are considered before the ride opens to the public. But as one catastrophic accident at a Disney park last year illustrates, that just isn’t always the case.

Water Park Accident

The ride, called Humunga Kowabunga at a Disney water park, was operating the way it was supposed to operate, and had no apparent malfunction.

The ride was one where riders face a steep, vertical drop, before landing in a larger pool of water down below. In part of the ride, the riders are falling through an enclosed tube.

Because of the angle and length of the flume where riders fall their bodies are often hurled at speeds of over 40 miles per hour. The fall—which is a complete free fall—is about 200 feet.

Safety Measures?

Disney contends that it tells riders to cross their feet as they are falling, as a safety precaution. But in 2023, a woman was on the ride, falling down the free fall, but she did not cross her legs. Her attorneys allege that it is nearly impossible to keep legs crossed when riders are falling that far, and that fast., the way Disney suggests they should do.

When the woman fell into the pool of water below, she fell with such force and velocity, that the water below was pushed inside of her, leading to cuts on her groin, injuries to her lower abdominal organs, a severe hernia, and disfigurement and displacement of her bowel, which had been displaced so much, they were pushing on her internal abdominal walls.

She filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the inherent design of the ride was defective and dangerous, and that Disney should have known, based on its experience with rides, that this could possibly happen. This design is of particular risk to women, and yet, the lawsuit alleges Disney did nothing about it, and allowed the ride to function in this way.

Another Incident on the Same Ride

But this wasn’t the only accident on that very same ride. In May 2024, a woman on the ride was thrashed about while falling inside the enclosed tube, rendering her unconscious during her fall. That lawsuit alleges that there were no lifeguards at the bottom of the ride to aid riders, and that the victim had nearly drowned, and she sustained a brain injury, as a result of the accident.

Big amusement parks don’t want to discuss their safety records. We can help you hold them accountable for your injuries. Call the Boston personal injury lawyers at The Law Office of Joseph Linnehan, Jr. today for help with your accident case and with your questions at 617-275-4200.

Sources:

clickorlando.com/news/local/2024/05/22/disney-faces-another-lawsuit-over-water-slide-ride-after-painful-wedgie-incident/

npr.org/2023/10/05/1203732797/disney-world-water-slide-lawsuit-wedgie

usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/theme-parks/2023/10/03/disney-lawsuit-water-slide-wedgie/71045193007/