A water park ride is supposed to be safe and fun for people of all ages.
But one of the most famous rides in America is in big trouble.
That’s because a Florida woman went on a water park ride, and you won’t believe what happened next.
A lawsuit at Disney World
Since opening in 1989, Disney World’s Typhoon Lagoon has been one of the most popular water parks in the world.
The Humunga Kowabunga slide is one of Typhoon Lagoon’s top attractions.
Disney’s website described the slide:
Brace yourself for the ride of your life as you race down Mount Mayday at a 60-degree angle.
These 3 side-by-side enclosed body slides make for some high-octane thrills. You won’t know what’s coming as you zoom 214 feet downhill in the dark and spray your way to a surprise ending!
The ride description undersells the fact that the end of the ride sees the park goer plunge almost five stories down into a pool at a speed of nearly 40 miles per hour.
It’s thrilling.
But it also can be dangerous.
A 25-year-old Florida woman sued Disney, claiming she suffered a brain injury and a wound that caused bleeding.
The lawsuit alleged that “at some point went unconscious after banging inside the ride.”
The woman also claimed her fiancé and future mother-in-law found her “limp body at the end of the ride.”
A lifeguard saw her but said park policy prevented them from rendering aid.
That led to the lifeguard calling an ambulance.
“Eventually a lifeguard came and said they couldn’t help or touch Plaintiff either and called an ambulance,” the lawsuit added.
The lawsuit claimed Disney’s negligence in not having lifeguards on duty to assist guests at the end of the ride led to the woman’s injury.
“Had [Disney Parks] had lifeguards at the end of the ride to watch and help guests coming off the ride, Plaintiff’s brain injury would not have occurred as she wouldn’t have been drowning in the water coughing up blood,” the lawsuit added.
Not the first lawsuit aimed at the Humunga Kowabunga
Emma and Edward McGuinness also sued Disney World, seeking $50,000 in damages after she allegedly suffered an injurious “wedgie” following a ride on the Humunga Kowabunga.
This lawsuit alleged Disney didn’t make it clear why crossing your legs when riding the slide was so important for female guests due to the differences in anatomy and swimwear from male guests.
“The impact of The Slide and [Emma’s] impact into the standing water at the bottom of The Slide caused Ms.McGuinness’ clothing to be painfully forced between her legs and for water to be violently forced inside her,” the lawsuit read.
The lawsuit alleged “she experienced immediate and severe pain internally and, as she stood up, blood began rushing from between her legs.”
“When a rider of The Slide reached the bottom of the ride and traveled into the pool of water designed to stop further travel, the force of the water can push loose garments into a person’s anatomy — an event known as a ‘wedgie’” — the lawsuit added.
“Because of a woman’s anatomy, the risk of a painful ‘wedgie’ is more common and more serious than it is for a man,” the lawsuit concluded.
