The rides at small attractions and county fairs get regular inspections in Florida. However, under Florida law “permanent facilities that employ at least 1,000 full-time employees and that maintain full-time, in-house safety inspectors” are exempt from inspections as well as the other requirements found in Fla. Stat. § 616.242 which deal with safety standards for amusement park rides. In return, those parks provide written reports each quarter of serious injuries to Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Below is the most recent Exempt Facilities Report which was updated on January 14, 2019.
MOU Exempt Facilities Report (Updated: January 14, 2019)
4th Quarter 2018 (October – December, 2018)
Sea World:
- 11/24/18 Mako, 51 yom, nausea/vomiting
- 12/28/18 Sea Carousel, 68, yof, right hip pain
Busch Gardens:
- 12/28/18 Kumba, 53 yom, chest pains
Disney World:
- 10/25/18 Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, 72 yof, guest fell while exiting the ride vehicle; injured hip
- 11/20/18 Miss Adventure Falls, 18 yom, guest fell out of raft into catch pool at the end of slide and struck his head
- 11/27/18 Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, 58 yof, guest felt dizzy after having experienced the attraction
- 12/8/18 Miss Adventure Falls, 44 yom, guest sustained fractures to arm and injuries to neck and back when arm became caught in conveyor belt during initial incline of ride
Universal:
- 10/10/18 Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, 58 yof, dizziness
- 10/16/18 Revenge of the Mummy, 41 yof, dizziness
- 11/12/18 Ko’okiri Body Plunge, 11 yof, foot pain
- 11/21/18 Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, 34 yof, head pain
- 12/13/18 Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, 35 yof, nausea
- 12/26/18 Fievel’s Playground, 38 yof, ankle pain
Legoland: None Reported
3rd Quarter 2018 (July – September, 2018)
Sea World: None Reported
Busch Gardens: None Reported
Disney World:
- 8/6/18 Space Mountain, 69 yof, guest was disoriented and unable to exit vehicle without assistance
- 9/16/18 Splash Mountain, 37 yom, guest with pre-existing condition lost consciousness after exiting attraction
- 9/16/18 The Seas with Nemo & Friends, 79 yof, guest felt ill prior to and after experiencing the attraction
Universal:
- 9/3/18 Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, 39 yof, motion sickness
- 9/6/18 Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slide, 51 yom, hip pain
Legoland: None Reported
2nd Quarter 2018 (April – June, 2018)
Sea World: None Reported
Busch Gardens: None Reported
Disney World:
- 4/17/18 Dinosaur, 46 yof, guest felt dizzy after riding attraction
- 4/18/18 Mad Tea Party, 74 yof, guest with pre-existing illness felt ill after riding attraction
- 4/25/18 Kilimanjaro Safaris, 27 yof, guest went into labor after riding attraction
- 5/3/18 Mayday Falls, 25 yom, guest fractured ankle going down slide
- 5/6/18 Star Tours, 57 yom, guest with pre-existing condition had chest pain and shortness of breath after riding attraction
- 5/19/18 Expedition Everest, 26 yom, guest experienced a seizure after riding attraction
- 5/23/18 Mad Tea Party, 68 yof, guest with pre-existing condition was dizzy after riding attraction
- 5/27/18 Expedition Everest, 22 yof, guest with history of dislocating kneecap had reoccurrence
- 5/28/18 Flight of Passage, 18 yom, guest with pre-existing condition felt disoriented after riding attraction
- 6/7/18 Kilimanjaro Safaris, 62 yof, guest with pre-existing conditions suffered nausea and vomiting on ride
- 6/10/18 Mission: SPACE, 43 yom, guest with pre-existing medical issues experienced brief loss of consciousness
- 6/10/18 Melt-Away-Bay, 70 yom, guest with pre-existing heart condition had a heart attack and passed away
- 6/16/18 Splash Mountain, 15 yom, guest experienced chest pain and shortness of breath before and after riding attraction
- 6/17/18 Dinosaur, 58 yom, guest with pre-existing condition vomited after experiencing the attraction
- 6/20/18 Space Mountain, 68 yof, guest with pre-existing condition felt disoriented and had slurred speech
Universal:
- 4/19/18 Transformers: The Ride – 3D, 49 yom, weakness
- 5/8/18 Jurassic Park River Adventure, 76 yof, shoulder & wrist pain
- 5/16/18 Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slide, 27 yom, hip/pelvis pain
Legoland: None Reported
1st Quarter 2018 (January – March, 2018)
Sea World:
- 2/23/18 Manta Roller Coaster, 51 yof, ankle pain
Busch Gardens: None Reported
Disney World:
- 1/14/18 The Seas with Nemo & Friends, 69 yom, guest with preexisting heart condition had chest pain
- 1/17/18 Kilimanjaro Safaris, 71 yom, guest experienced chest pain after riding attraction
- 3/24/18 Avatar Flight of Passage, 41 yom, guest with pre-existing condition felt ill after riding attraction
Universal:
- 1/6/18 Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, 52 yof, dizziness and weakness
- 3/17/18 Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, 7 yof, motion sickness
Legoland: None Reported
If you are seriously injured on a ride we recommend you do the following:
- Call 911 if necessary.
- Report the injury to a park employee immediately
- Take photographs of the injury and whatever was defective on the ride that caused it.
- Get contact information from anyone who witnessed saw what happened.
- Contact a lawyer with experience in theme park ride injury cases.
- If someone from an insurance company, the amusement park, or legal counsel for amusement park contacts you, direct them to contact your lawyer.
Having trustworthy legal counsel makes it possible to build the case against the park or the ride manufacturer and gather the relevant facts needed to fight for you. The lawyers at Normand PLLC have experience in handling amusement park injury lawsuits.
Contact one of our experienced lawyers any time, day or night, for a free consultation at (407) 603-6031.