A controversial waterslide at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park is heading for a complete rebuild following a lawsuit alleging the attraction caused catastrophic injuries to a female guest. Construction permits reveal Walt Disney World Resort intends to reconstruct Humunga Kowabunga during the water park’s February closure, soon after the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed her case rather than return to Florida for legal proceedings.
Guest Claims Devastating Injuries From Water Attraction
Emma and Edward McGuinness sued Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in 2023, seeking $50,000 for injuries Emma allegedly sustained in 2019 on the Humunga Kowabunga waterslide. The lawsuit centered on what court documents described as a “painful wedgie” that Emma claimed resulted in “severe and permanent” damage. The couple accused Walt Disney World Resort of failing “to warn of the inherent dangers presented” by the attraction.
Legal filings characterized Humunga Kowabunga as “three, 214-foot, side-by-side enclosed body slides in which riders plummet down a near-vertical [five]-story drop in the dark, reaching speeds approaching 40 miles per hour.” Emma McGuinness rode the waterslide with her mother and daughter, both of whom emerged uninjured.
The McGuinness family detailed graphic allegations in their complaint, claiming Emma suffered “immediate bleeding” after exiting Humunga Kowabunga. They asserted the incident caused vaginal lacerations, a protruding bowel, and internal organ damage requiring ongoing medical treatment. Walt Disney World Resort disputed the claims, arguing the guest “may have failed to use reasonable care” or that her “injuries or damages pre-existed” her ride at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.
Case Collapses When Plaintiff Refuses Florida Travel
Judge Brian Sandor dismissed the lawsuit in Disney’s favor, according to reporting from Florida Politics. The dismissal came after Mrs. McGuinness refused to travel to Florida for mandatory court proceedings, instead requesting a virtual deposition. Judge Sandor rejected the remote appearance request and ordered her to be present in person in the state.
Rather than comply with the judge’s order, McGuinness voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice. This legal designation permanently bars her from refiling the same complaint against Walt Disney World Resort. Court documents contain no reference to a financial settlement between the parties.
Typhoon Lagoon Closure and Construction Permit
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will shut down for seasonal refurbishment on February 15, reopening by May 26. The water park will then operate concurrently with Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park through September 8, 2026. Construction permits recently filed suggest that Walt Disney World Resort is using the three-month closure window to completely rebuild Humunga Kowabunga.
Disney submitted a permit application for “general construction” at the precise address where the Humunga Kowabunga waterslide operates at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. The permit description provides minimal details about the scope of work; however, Disney has designated Proslide Technology as the project contractor. Proslide Technology dominates the commercial waterslide industry and has handled previous slide reconstruction projects at Walt Disney World Resort.
The permit language indicates a rebuild rather than a redesign. A complete redesign would require significantly more time than the three-month closure Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park has scheduled. Walt Disney World’s Facility Asset Management division filed the permit—the department responsible for routine maintenance work across the Central Florida Disney parks, rather than new attraction development.
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