Tragic Death at Epic Universe Sparks CEO Response: ‘We Are Taking Action’
After Two Months, the Tragic Incident Still Shocks the Theme Park Industry
During the 2025 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo, WESH2 secured an exclusive interview with Mack Rides CEO Christian von Elverfeldt to discuss a tragic event that occurred two months prior inside Epic Universe.
Epic Universe Tragic Incident Finally Addressed After Two Months
It began with excitement—the kind that only the world’s biggest theme-park expo can generate—yet a single question managed to shift the entire atmosphere. Attendees at the IAAPA Expo were buzzing over new ride concepts, major partnerships, and the future of immersive entertainment when a quieter, more emotional moment unexpectedly took center stage. What could cause such a dramatic pause in a venue built on thrills?
To understand it, you have to look beyond the flashing lights and polished presentations and into the heart of the industry itself.
Innovation Front and Center—At Least at First
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo, held November 18, 2025, at the Orange County Convention Center, is where the next generation of theme-park technology is unveiled. From breakthrough animatronics to record-setting coasters, this is the event where competition meets creativity.
One of the companies drawing the most attention was Mack Rides, the German manufacturer responsible for some of the world’s most celebrated attractions. Their CEO, Christian von Elverfeldt, sat down for an exclusive conversation with WESH 2 News to discuss a new ride the company is developing—one he described as an exciting step forward for the industry.
But the interview didn’t stay focused on the future for long. A subject that had been quietly lingering since September resurfaced, bringing a weight far heavier than any coaster reveal.
A Tragedy Revisited
On September 17, 2025, 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala boarded Stardust Racers at Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe. The attraction—manufactured by Mack Rides—quickly became one of the resort’s standout thrills. But that day, tragedy struck. Rodriguez Zavala later died at the hospital from multiple blunt-force impact injuries, as confirmed by the medical examiner.
For months, Mack Rides had not issued a public comment, leaving questions swirling among industry watchers and guests alike.
That silence ended during the IAAPA Expo.
Mack Rides Speaks for the First Time
When asked directly about the incident, von Elverfeldt offered heartfelt condolences and acknowledged the weight of the moment.
“I’m really sorry for this poor family and guy,” he said. “But we don’t know yet what really happened. We only know that the ride worked very well.”
His comments paralleled findings from early investigations indicating that the coaster’s systems operated as intended.
“All the specialists said the ride worked perfectly,” he added, emphasizing the engineering consistency confirmed during safety reviews.
For a company whose reputation is built on precision, these conclusions were essential to share—yet they did little to ease the emotional complexity surrounding the case.
Why Safety Still Leads Every Conversation
During the interview, von Elverfeldt reiterated the company’s guiding principle:
“Safety is, of course, the most important thing because there are human beings on our rides—maybe 12 months, 10 hours a day. So, this is most important for us.”
The undercurrent here speaks to more than the tragedy itself. It highlights a truth sometimes overshadowed by marketing and spectacle: theme-park attractions are massive, intricate machines maintained by an equally enormous operational ecosystem. When something goes wrong, every piece—engineering, inspection, procedures, and rider guidelines—faces intense scrutiny.
And that scrutiny, in this case, led to the next major development.
Universal Reopens the Attraction—And Introduces Changes
Despite the Rodriguez Zavala family’s request to keep Stardust Racers closed until more answers emerged, Universal Orlando Resort reopened the coaster on October 4. The company stated that its team followed all required safety protocols and confirmed the ride was operating within design parameters.
Following the incident, Universal also updated its rider requirements—an adjustment that often occurs after serious safety reviews. While the resort did not attribute the changes to a single cause, they remain a reminder of how evolving safety data can shape guest policies across the industry.
The reopening, paired with Mack Rides’ first public comments, signals a turning point: both the manufacturer and the resort are moving forward while investigations continue, and the broader theme-park community watches closely.
The Bigger Picture: What This Means Moving Forward
The story unfolding around Stardust Racers isn’t just about one interview, one company, or one ride. It’s a reflection of how the entire attractions industry balances innovation with responsibility.
At an expo designed to celebrate progress, this moment served as a quiet reminder that every breakthrough carries weight—and that every tragedy reshapes how rides are designed, operated, and understood.
In a year filled with new technologies and boundary-pushing attractions, the question remains: how will the lessons of today influence the rides of tomorrow?
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