T: (407) 843-7060
F: (407) 843-5836
Toll Free:
1(800) 235-7060
236 South Lucerne Circle
at Delaney
Orlando, Florida 32801
Read Our Blog
Theme Park Safety
and Holiday Accident Attorneys
Serving Orlando and Throughout Florida
Theme Park Safety
Florida’s theme parks promote themselves as wholesome fun for the entire family, and for the overwhelming majority of visitors, that is the case. For a small number of their guests, however, the experience can be a dangerous, or even a deadly, one. According to reports submitted to Florida Department of Agriculture, there have been 55 injuries, illnesses or deaths since 2001 at Orlando’s three major theme parks. And these injuries have occurred at all of the parks – including Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld Orlando
But how many theme park visitors are actually hurt on the rides, in the restaurants, or on the grounds? That is extremely difficult to answer. All of the parks perform their own emergency first aid, and only call on local EMS units to treat serious injuries and transport the patients. And due to the self-regulation allowed by the Florida Department of Agriculture, the total number of incidents are unknown.
Disney World, Universal Studies and SeaWorld signed an agreement in 2001 with the Department’s Bureau of Fair Ride Inspection. This agreement only requires these parks file a quarterly “occurrence report”, which provides details of the incident but includes only a brief description of the injury. And the Bureau does not follow up on any of the incidences unless the parks ask them to. However, it should be noted that state inspectors do make semiannual visits to all the parks.
Since the theme parks began reporting 6 years ago, the types of injuries reported have included:
- Twelve-year-old boy died after riding Disney’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
- Forty-nine-year old died after riding Mission: Space at Epcot
- Nine-year-old boy had his thumb severed at Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney’s Magic Kingdom
- Four-year-old boy drowned in the moat around Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom
- Sixty-seven-year old woman broke her foot on Mayday Falls at Typhoon Lagoon
- Four-year-old boy died after riding Mission: Space
- A dolphin at SeaWorld Orlando bit a six-year-old boy
- Thirty-four-year-old woman fractured a lower back vertebra on the Revenge of the Mummy ride at Universal Studios
- Elderly woman fell while getting on the The Seas With Nemo and Friends at Epcot and complained of back pains
- Forty-four-year-old man died of a heart attack after riding Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest
- Seventy-seven-year-old man became ill on the Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios and complained of loss of memory and an irregular heartbeat
- An employee operating the Primeval Whirl roller coaster was struck by one of the cars and died five days later
- Twenty-eight-year-old woman had a seizure after getting off the Hulk Rollercoaster ride at Universal of Orlando
- A fifty-year-old man injured his neck and spine on the Mach V water ride at Wet'n Wild
- Forty-eight-year-old male jumped into Cross Country Creek at Disney's Blizzard Beach water park and fractured his ankle
- Seventy-one-year-old woman fell getting off The Seas with Nemo and Friends ride at Epcot, hitting her head and breaking her left shoulder
- Seventy-two-year-old female complained of dizziness and loss of memory after riding Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom
- Thirty-nine-year-old man had a seizure after getting of Big Thunder Mountain at Magic Kingdom
- Seventy-two-year-old woman fell getting off the Mad Tea Party and fractured her hip
Now not all injuries at Orlando’s theme parks are the fault of the park. Often times the guests may be experiencing fatigue, dehydration or even sunstroke. Any of these symptoms can cause the guest to have an accident resulting in personal injury.
However, when a visitor’s injuries are due to improper equipment maintenance, mistakes by personnel, dangerous conditions or poor ride design, the theme park should be held accountable. They should also be held accountable for other park visitors who get hurt in fall down accidents, from bus or tram injuries, and even assaults. Our holiday accident injury attorneys have experience handling these types of cases against many of the Orlando’s theme parks, including Disney World, Disney’s Epcot Center, Disney’s MGM Studios, SeaWorld, Universal Studios Orlando, and Universal Studios Islands of Adventure.
For More Information on Theme Park Safety, please see:
International Cases
We have obtained successful recoveries for clients from all over the United
Kingdom including England, Scotland, and Wales. We have also successfully
represented clients from countries ranging from Brazil to Iceland. Our
international cases include medical malpractice, automobile
collisions and roadside crashes, product
liability and theme park injuries. Our Orlando,
Florida law firm aggressively pursues claims for our foreign visitors
injured while vacationing in our country.
Florida Accident Statistics: Orlando and Throughout Florida
If you have been injured while visiting Orlando, please call on us to help guide you through the challenges of managing a local lawsuit while you are away from home. We have barristers and solicitors who are experienced Florida holiday accident injury attorneys, and we can help you. Please call or e-mail us today.
Florida Holiday Accident Injury Attorneys
(800) 235-7060
Wooten, Honeywell, Kimbrough, Gibson,
Doherty & Normand
Professional Association
236 S. Lucerne Circle at Delaney
Orlando, FL 32801