A new lawsuit has placed one of Walt Disney World’s most popular resort hotels under scrutiny.
Disney’s Riviera Resort has been named in a legal complaint filed in Orange County, Florida, after a guest allegedly slipped and fell while attending a character breakfast at the property.
Opened in 2019, Disney’s Riviera Resort brings the charm of the French and Italian Riviera to Walt Disney World. The Disney Vacation Club resort combines elegant European-inspired design with Disney storytelling, offering Skyliner access to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, plus dining options like Topolino’s Terrace.
According to the lawsuit, however, Disney failed to protect guests from a dangerous condition inside the resort.
Guest Alleges Serious Injuries After Fall
The complaint centers on an incident that allegedly took place on June 28, 2024.
According to court records, the plaintiff was visiting Disney’s Riviera Resort for a character breakfast and was lawfully on the property as a business invitee.
The lawsuit states that at approximately 11 a.m., the guest was walking through an interior hallway toward the restaurant area when she encountered water that had accumulated on the floor.
According to the filing, the water was located near a drinking fountain in a high-traffic hallway adjacent to a restroom.
The plaintiff alleges she slipped on the water and fell, striking her head, neck, back, shoulder, spine, and other parts of her body.
The complaint states she immediately experienced pain, headaches, disorientation, and other symptoms following the incident.
According to the lawsuit, her “serious bodily injuries” included “orthopedic, neurologic, cognitive, and neuropsychological injuries, together with resulting damages.”
The filing alleges the water accumulation was not a one-time occurrence.
Instead, the complaint claims water routinely collected in the area because of the drinking fountain’s location and the volume of guests moving through the corridor.
The lawsuit further alleges Disney knew, or should have known, that the condition existed.
According to the complaint, Disney failed to adequately inspect and monitor the area, remove the accumulated water, maintain the space in a reasonably safe condition, or warn guests about the alleged hazard.
The plaintiff is seeking damages exceeding $50,000.
In addition to alleging ongoing medical expenses, the lawsuit states she has been recommended for shoulder surgery and continues to suffer from orthopedic, neurological, and cognitive issues related to the fall.
Other Guest Injury Claims Have Targeted Disney
The Riviera Resort lawsuit is not the only recent legal complaint involving Walt Disney World property.
In December, a negligence lawsuit alleged that a guest suffered permanent injuries after a fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
According to that complaint, the incident occurred on April 28, 2022, when the guest allegedly tripped over a raised walkway paver and fell to the ground.
The lawsuit claimed the fall caused lasting injuries and sought damages from Disney.
That same month, another lawsuit focused on trolley tracks inside Magic Kingdom.
The complaint alleged that inadequately marked steel rails and flangeways along Main Street, U.S.A., near Cinderella Castle caused a guest to trip and fall.
According to the filing, the guest suffered permanent injuries and significant medical expenses.
The lawsuit also alleged Disney failed to provide adequate warnings, barriers, cones, or other safety measures despite nighttime crowd conditions and parade operations in the area.
Disney disputed those claims.
In its response, the company argued that the guest failed to exercise reasonable care for her own safety and alleged she did not pay adequate attention to her surroundings.
The Riviera Resort case remains pending in Orange County.
Do you think Disney does enough to keep guests safe at its resorts and theme parks? Share your thoughts in the comments.
