All articles tagged with #theme park safety
A Disney World cast member was injured when a runaway boulder prop during the Indiana Jones stunt show at Hollywood Studios bounced off its set and struck him, prompting Disney to review safety measures and modify the scene. The incident was captured on social media, showing the 440-pound, 12-foot diameter prop bouncing uncontrollably before hitting the employee, who was able to recover and stand afterward.
A Disney employee was injured while shielding guests from a runaway 400-pound rubber boulder during an Indiana Jones show at Disney's Hollywood Studios, prompting a safety review. The employee successfully stopped the prop from hitting guests but was knocked down in the process, and is currently recovering. Disney is reviewing the incident to improve safety measures.
A woman in her 60s died after experiencing a medical emergency following a ride on Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, with officials confirming no ride malfunction and emphasizing the rarity of such incidents at theme parks.
A 32-year-old man, Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, died from multiple blunt impact injuries after riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal Epic Universe in Florida. He was found unresponsive after the ride, prompting an emergency response from off-duty deputies.
A Florida jury has awarded $310 million to the family of Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old who died after falling from a drop ride at an Orlando theme park in 2022. The jury found the ride's manufacturer, Funtime Handels GMBH, negligent for safety failures, as Tyre exceeded the ride's weight limit and there were no seat belts. The verdict follows a settlement with other defendants and has led to new safety regulations in Florida, including mandatory seat belts for tall rides.
Carowinds has implemented a new chaperone policy for guests aged 15 and under, requiring them to be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old after 4:00 p.m. local time to close. The move is aimed at ensuring the safety of guests at the park following an increased number of incidents of unruly and inappropriate behavior across the industry. The park has also released a behavior policy that prohibits carrying weapons, disruptive behavior, fighting, harassment, offensive language, intoxication, line breaking, and theft, among others. School trips and other youth-oriented activities are still required to abide by the policy.
Worlds of Fun will implement a chaperone policy for guests under 15 years old starting April 15, requiring them to be accompanied by a chaperone over 21 years old to enter or remain in the park after 4 p.m. The policy was implemented after multiple fights broke out among unsupervised teenagers during the park's opening day. Chaperones must show a valid government-issued photo ID and remain inside the park during the visit.