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A couple is taking legal action against Disney World, claiming that a water slide at the popular theme park caused a “painful wedgie,” which resulted in injury and emotional distress. The couple filed a lawsuit in Orange County, Florida, alleging negligence on the part of the Walt Disney World Resort where the incident took place.
Typhoon Lagoon Becomes the Center of Lawsuit
Walt Disney World Resort, located in sunny Orlando, Florida, is a massive Resort that is home to four theme parks, dozens of hotels, and two water parks. One of these water parks is Typhoon Lagoon.Â
Credit: Disney
Known for its tropical theming, Typhoon Lagoon is the perfect place for families to cool off under the Florida sun. The water park offers lots of rides suitable for various ages and preferences. One of the biggest rides is the Humunga Kowabunga. This massive ride drops Guests down Mount Mayday for nearly 5 stories. Disney describes the ride, saying:
“Brace yourself for the ride of your life as you race down Mount Mayday at a 60-degree angle.
These 3 side-by-side enclosed body slides make for some high-octane thrills. You won’t know what’s coming as you zoom 214 feet downhill in the dark and spray your way to a surprise ending!”
While this ride is definitely extreme, it has always been referred to as extremely safe up until now.
Credit: Disney
Lawsuit Brings Important Discussions to the Forefront
According to court documents, this couple visited Typhoon Lagoon at Walt Disney World Resort last summer. They claim that while trying to enjoy a ride on a water slide, their experience turned into a nightmare. The water slide allegedly caused a “painful wedgie” as well as some more serious injuries.
As the woman was nearing the end of the waterslide,“her body lifted up, she [became] airborne, and she was slammed downward against The Slide – which increased the likelihood of her legs becoming uncrossed.”
The impact allegedly resulted in a hospital visit, where it was determined that she had “suffered severe and permanent bodily injury.” The infuriated couple is now suing Disney for around $50,000.
While Walt Disney World has not commented on the specific incident, it should be noted that water slides, like many amusement park rides, do carry an inherent danger. This incident has opened the doors for important conversations on just how liable Parks are for the injuries sustained within them. While most visitors likely understand that riding water slides or other attractions entails some risk, there is an expectation that the Park will take all reasonable steps to minimize those risks. When disaster strikes, who is truly responsible?
Credit: Disney
Water parks, including Typhoon Lagoon, have strict regulations and guidelines in place to ensure visitors’ safety. Walt Disney World, being one of the largest and most well-known theme parks in the world, is no exception to this. It remains to be seen whether the court will find Disney liable for the couple’s reported injury and emotional distress.
I was injured on a water ride at Disney, too (hit my head on the side of the water slide). I sucked it up, took some Tylenol for my headache (I later learned it caused a major brain injury, which I still deal with to this day) and went on with my life.
Not everything is a lawsuit, people. Put on your big girl panties and deal with it. Accidents happen.
Trixie, she had immediate pain and when she stood up, blood was streaming from between her thighs. She had to be hospitalized, where it was found that her intestine was protruding through her abdominal wall from a severe internal laceration, as well as organ damage and other lacerations. She had to see a gynecological specialist for treatment, and there is allegedly lasting damage from this incident. I’d be interested to see the actual case filing to read more of the details myself, beyond these mouth-breathing “reporters” who will be replaced with AI soon with no loss in content quality.
I’m sorry you decided to “suck it up” when you suffered a major brain injury. I can tell it still affects you very much to this day. My deepest sympathies to you and yours.
Everyone sues today….there are risks at amusement parks especially on rides where everyone’s body is built different. Suing over this is like suing a scuba dive boat captain if a shark bites or attacks a diver.
$50k is quite frankly a very insignificant number to sue a multi billion dollar brand over, which makes me believe that she’s only suing to cover cost of medical injuries. And your metaphor is a bit lacking. They are suing over alleged negligence, not pure accident. Which one it truly is, is why they are headed to court to decide. A more apt metaphor would be if a scuba instructor did not (allegedly) properly advise a student on how the tank works, leading to lung injury.
Waterslides this extreme have safety protocols that guests have to be advised on (such as crossing one’s legs and otherwise holding your body a certain way, or even height/weight minimum and maximums) in order to remain safe. It seems currently unclear if the ride was so rough that the injury was inevitable and she was the unlucky winner in that lottery, or if she was never advised on safety (park negligence), or if she neglected to follow safety. Those details will most likely come out once this actually goes to trial.
The question I have is if it’s even ethical for rides this extreme to exist. If the force of the water is enough to rupture your internal organs if you go down the wrong way, that seems like the thrill-seeking bar is being pushed too far. But then again, some people are willing throw themselves out of airplanes, so what do I know.