Theme and Amusement Park
Central Florida has close to 100 theme parks and tourist attractions, including Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Disney's MGM Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, the Fun Spot on International Drive, Sea World, Discovery Cove, Wet ‘n Wild, Universal Studios Orlando, Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure, EPCOT and many others, not to mention hundreds of restaurants, hotels, boat rides, cruises, etc.
Tourists are oftentimes unfamiliar with their surroundings; these visitors may also be from out of state or other countries. It is the responsibility of the theme park to provide visitors with a safe and fun experience here in Central Florida.
The amusement park and attractions industry is in the business of fun. You can experience a shuttle launch and up to 2.5G's of force on EPCOT's Mission Space, be launched at 44mph into an immediate inversion on The Hulk at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure, reach speeds up to 65 miles per hour on over 4,000 feet of non-stop twists and turns on the Montu at Bush Garden's Africa in Tampa, blast off from 0 to 57 miles per hour in 3 seconds and experience 5 G's on the Rock n' Roller Coaster at Disney's MGM Studios, ride on Sea World's floorless roller coaster, Kraken, and take an 80 foot plunge down Florida's tallest "mountain" slope on Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Visitors, tourists and the local residents of Central Florida may risk their safety on extreme and hazardous rides or may be injured by something as simple as a slip and fall. Lack of proper security and dangerous or defective conditions may exist on the property of a theme park or hotel which may result in serious injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that the number of serious injuries on amusement park rides which warrant a trip to the emergency room is at 4,000 each year. However, these statistics may not be accurate because there is no official source keeping a record of theme park accidents.
Amusement or Theme Park Safety Regulation
The "roller coaster loophole" in the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1981 prohibits the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from regulating the safety of rides that are fixed to a specific site, like those of a theme park. Only mobile rides, such as at a carnival or fair, fall under their jurisdiction. As a result, regulation and inspection of "fixed site" amusement rides are left to the state or local municipality.
Several factors may be at fault in amusement park accidents such as consumer behavior, operator behavior, mechanical failure, or design defects or limitations. Florida, California and Ohio, as the states with the largest number of amusement parks, have oversight and regulation (i.e., licensing, inspection, insurance requirements). The National Safety Council (NSC) is working to establish a nationwide amusement ride injury reporting system for all facilities operating mobile and fixed-site rides. However, there is no official source keeping a record of theme park accidents. Florida's large theme parks, such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando, are not required to report accidents involving injury to anyone. Thus, consumers have no way of finding out how many guests have been seriously injured on rides at Orlando's theme parks.
Amusement Park Safety Tips
There are a few tips for visitors to follow when visiting an amusement park to help prevent theme park injuries or holiday accidents:
- Know the Ride Restrictions: Know which ride you are boarding, and read the restrictions before you get in line. Common restrictions apply to people who are pregnant, have pain or injuries in your back or neck, have a heart condition, who are overweight, shorter than five feet, or taller than six feet. If you have any questions about the ride restrictions, speak to a park employee. Most parks issue special guidebooks for persons with disabilities and/or accommodate those persons with different seats on the ride. You can always stop by a park's guest relations office, usually located near the front gate, if you still have questions about which rides will be appropriate and comfortable for you and your group.
- Don't Cheat: Ignoring the rules to get on a ride where you don't belong is dangerous. The ride may look tame, but sometimes there are potential problems on a ride that most visitors can't see -- a hidden drop or turn, a sudden stop, or a portable ladder that riders will have to descend if the ride shuts down. Don't think that you know more about a ride than the park does.
- Be Polite: Don't cut the line, it is not worth being thrown out of the park just to save a couple of minutes. If you are a witness to such behavior, report it to the nearest employee at the ride, don't take matters into your own hands.
- Follow Instructions: Remain seated during the ride, and keep your arms and hands inside the vehicle as instructed. Hold onto the grab bar or safety harness and make sure it is snugly in place. Don't kick your legs out to the side or front. Do not exit the ride until the attendant tells you that it is safe to do so.
- Protect Your Head: Some rides, especially roller coasters and
simulators, whip your head around leaving you at risk for serious head
injuries. On these rides, sit in the
middle of the chair, don't slouch or lean to one side. Keep your balance in the center of the seat.
- Be Aware of Your Surroundings: Watch where you are walking. Don't crash strollers into others' legs and feet. Don't run. Don't stop in the middle of a walkway.
- Finish Your Food: Similar to swimming, you should not get on a roller coaster or other
turbulent ride if you have an upset, or overly stuffed, stomach. Also, throw out your gum before getting on a
ride because on a high-speed ride that twists, flips and dips, you don't want
anything in your mouth that could block a vital airway.
- Protect Yourself: Wear waterproof sunscreen and reapply it during
the day. Keep hydrated to prevent heat
exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear a hat
or sun visor.
- Educate Your Children: Children are particularly at risk for amusement park injuries - from
fractures and lacerations to more serious injuries such as brain or spinal cord
injury. Make them aware of the rules,
and keep a watchful eye on them.
As soon as possible after the injury, you should contact an attorney to preserve your rights. The Statute of Limitations may prevent you from recovering damages if you wait too long. Whether you live locally in Central Florida or you are a visitor from another state or foreign country, you will need an attorney (lawyer, solicitor, or barrister) familiar with the law in Florida and experienced in personal injury cases.
Florida theme parks are host to millions of visitors every year, and thousands suffer a wide range of injuries. Because of the number of claims, amusement park owners retain high-powered lawyers who do nothing but fight Personal Injury claims. Before signing anything, it is imperative to contact an attorney to ensure that your rights have been protected.
Contact the Kane Law Firm, P.A.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of an amusement park or theme park accident or sustained an injury, please call the Central Florida Offices of the Kane Law Firm, P.A. in Orlando, Florida at (407) 898-9130, submit a contact form on our website, or email us at Info@KaneInjury.com.
We offer a free initial consultation, and if we agree to take your case, we will work on a contingency basis. This means we will get paid for our services only if there is a monetary award or recovery of funds.