Gabrielle Russon
Three people ended up hospitalized after riding a Harry-Potter themed roller coaster at Universal Islands of Adventure, according to the new state theme park injury report.
On Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure, a 33-year-old man had a seizure Feb. 3, followed by a 53-year-old man and a 26-year-old man who felt chest pains March 8 and March 18, respectively, the report said.
The two men who suffered chest pains both were listed as having a “pre-existing condition” but the report doesn’t provide more details on what that conditions were.
Since the coaster first started operating in late 2020, a handful of people reported having seizures, headaches and back pain, with one person complaining of a medical device being dislodged, according to the state report.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released the quarterly theme park injury report this week. The report is one of the few ways the public can find out when someone is hurt at Florida’s biggest theme parks.
A 49-year-old woman passed out March 28 after riding SeaWorld Orlando’s Manta roller coaster, which takes riders face down on some parts of the ride.
At Disney World, an 82-year-old woman fell while climbing off Epcot’s Frozen Ever After water ride. A 68-year-old woman also fell while getting off the iconic Mad Tea Party spinning ride at the Magic Kingdom.
A 25-year-old woman had “seizure-like symptoms” after riding Aliens Swirling Saucers in Hollywood Studios’ Toy Story Land. At the same park, a 14-year-old girl “experienced abdominal pain” after riding Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, which reportedly goes from 0 to 57 mph in less than 3 seconds and goes upside down.
A 51-year-old man “felt shortness of breath’ after he rode the Magic Kingdom’s classic Peter Pan’s Flight. The report added he also had an unknown preexisting condition.
Millions visit Florida’s theme parks but a handful of people every quarter get hurt or sick on a ride, needing at least 24 hours of hospitalization. The theme parks are required to self-report incidents to the state, but occasionally, the accounts are vague or inaccurate and the state report only provides limited details.
46 comments
Kai
April 18, 2025 at 6:39 pm
They literally have signs that are posted don’t ride if you’re prone to seizures, chest pain, etc. These theme parks shouldn’t be held as the problem, respectfully those who don’t listen or follow rules are the problem.
Jacqueline S Gardner
April 19, 2025 at 11:25 am
Agree! I have various medical conditions and would never take that chance.
Heather
April 20, 2025 at 1:31 am
Exactly
Kim Bannister
April 20, 2025 at 4:50 am
You are totally right, I suffer from nocturnal epilepsy, and I refrain from going on rides that worn me about this. It is the individual person to make that decision, so don’t blame the park.
Dianna
April 20, 2025 at 6:56 am
150% agreed
Sue
April 18, 2025 at 9:15 pm
Don’t people read the signs that posted all over the park? If you have any medical problem, seizures, cardio or any other medical issues and you go on the rides you have no one to blame but yourself. Any lawyer who attempts to sue a theme park needs his or her license taken away.
Kayla Crosby
April 19, 2025 at 7:57 pm
Thanks you Truth really too much death have been going on over there
Chiquita west
April 20, 2025 at 3:05 pm
Exactly
Reed Mulligan
April 18, 2025 at 11:15 pm
OMG! As a former paramedic and emergency nurse you put that many people in that tight of space in any other place than those and there would be exponentially more hospitalizations. Besides, a lot of that was about medical issues and 51-year-old men get shortness of breath at home or driving and 14-year-old girls sometimes get cramps, I mean abdominal pain, 33-years sometimes have seizures and sometimes while driving, history not mentioned? I saw very fer reports of injuries, falls of people who are considered to be a fall risk and might not should have been on a Frozen after boat, I am 68 and I find getting in and out of those boats. What is the agenda here? Besides, if you get ill or injured at any of these parks, Disney I know for a fact, get you aid and care and out of the parks fast and are dealing with guests that will literally let their unattended child swim in the presence of a warning sign that there are gators!
Jerry Attricks
April 19, 2025 at 5:13 am
You’re such a dumba##. Please read everything before you get your panties in a wad, then get your facts right, and finally learn to proofread before you post.
Kayla Crosby
April 19, 2025 at 8:08 pm
If you haven’t noticed there are too many death that have been going on over there unexplained my sister want to take our family to out there to see Lego land something stop it from some reason please think before you say something like that
Dinky
April 19, 2025 at 10:29 pm
The “agenda” is to get us to click on the article – and here we are.
Melodie
April 20, 2025 at 9:11 am
From a medical perspective, you are absolutely right. I’m a 16 year trauma nurse. The only horrible issue is Disney has a plethora of attorneys and people who are legit hurt through no fault of their own, fight for years sometimes to get compensated if they ever get compensated.
DCat327
April 19, 2025 at 12:33 am
Those weren’t ” injuries”, they were health issues from pre existing conditions. Bad journalism.
Gabrielle Russon
April 19, 2025 at 7:51 am
I identified very high up in the story those people had pre-existing conditions because that is relevant. (Although I have no idea the extent of what those pre-existing conditions are.) – Gabrielle Russon
Dinky
April 19, 2025 at 10:30 pm
But we clicked on it, didn’t we? Online “journalism” and headlines are all about eyeballs and exposure time – the truth is secondary.
That’s the world we live in now; get used to it.
Dua Battah
April 19, 2025 at 1:38 am
This article is such a reach and the title is very miss leading . It’s not fair to people who haven’t had this experience. Let’s do better “Florida Politics” in the content you approve and the headlines you share.
Mbock412
April 19, 2025 at 5:17 am
The tea cups at Disney is the most violent ride you will ever ride at any park anywhere….(No I’m not being sarcastic) The lady that fell probably should have taken a second to find her equilibrium again because literally every person that has ever gotten on that ride has underestimated just how disorienting it is before they get off of it
Dionicia Salinas
April 19, 2025 at 7:20 am
They wanna get paid. lol easy money they thinking!!! Mirin’s! lol
Chris R
April 19, 2025 at 8:58 am
This article is such click bait. Shame on you.
Melissa
April 19, 2025 at 9:40 am
People like you are the problem. There was absolutely no reason for this article to be posted at all. Nobody got hurt because something went wrong on the ride. You sensationalize things you think will make you money instead of things you think are actually important. You knew damn well when you made the headline to your article that you were misleading people into believing there was some kind of accident. And just like that that will be the last article of yours I ever read. Just one more example of how the news twists things to fit their narrative and make them more money. If you want an exciting story then be a real journalist and go get one instead of trying to sensationalize and clickbait your article. I can’t stand journalists like you.
Chey
April 19, 2025 at 10:15 am
This article should be titled “people with pre-existing medical conditions experience the symptoms of their conditions.” Or perhaps “Idiots put themselves in a preventable situtation and I wanted to write a shitty article for clicks.” On what grounds could you have the nerve to claim in the title that the rides “lead to” these hospitalizations? Universal warns people with these conditions EXPLICITLY throughout the park not to ride these rides, but people are gonna do what they want. I guess anyone can call themselves a journalist these days. What slop.
Tyler
April 19, 2025 at 10:35 am
Wow, it’s rollercoasters and rides what do you people expect? What a poor report with a lack of citing evidence… This report does nothing to help people just gives people a reason to laugh
Holli Bygolly
April 19, 2025 at 10:41 am
It is true, however, that WDW definitely underrepresents and under reports issues. I was taken out of one of the park on a backboard due to a ride ‘failure’ and it still is nowhere in the reported incidents for that year. I know for a fact they at least under report.
Lauren
April 19, 2025 at 10:52 am
This kind of sounds like a Google search for “injuries at theme park” but with some flare added to make it dramatic.
Brent
April 19, 2025 at 10:59 am
Wow, mis-leading clickbait at its worst. Easy to see why your bio lists employers all in the past tense. Articles like this are why no one trusts the media anymore, do better. Here I’ll even fix it for you… “People with pre-existing conditions experienced issues after riding a roller coaster”. Oh wait…no one would click that because it’s not news. Stop desperately seeking clicks by being misleading and making stories out of nothing.
Janessa Rodriguez
April 19, 2025 at 11:21 am
There are signs and common sense is you should not ride a roller coaster if you have health conditions that can place yourself and others at risk. It is selfish to proceed with riding a ride when you are not in good health to do so. And IF you risk it, it isn’t the park’s fault. Find another activity to do.
Artur Gorski
April 19, 2025 at 11:37 am
That is most stupid and attention seeking article ever. It’s not journalism – It’s trolling. Reports released to the public cannot contain detailed medical information because those are covered under HIPAA Law. With just a number of people attending the parks statistically something has to happened. Let’s focus on real problems in the world instead of artificially trying to scare people. Authors and publishers should be ashamed of their poor job.
Christina
April 19, 2025 at 12:02 pm
None of these are the Paris’ fault. Seriously? AFTER RIDING PETER PAN!?
Stupid reports.
Jessica
April 19, 2025 at 1:43 pm
The Peter Pan one got me. Tell me you never rode Peter Pan with out telling me 😂.
Marcia Cowart
April 19, 2025 at 2:02 pm
The article title is VERY misleading. These people chose to get on a ride where there is several signs posted, even videos of warnings before getting on. The title made it seem like the coaster failed. This is horrible way to get to an audience. In this generation most get their news from headlines not reading or research like my generation. I go to Universal Fl once a year and have never felt unsafe.
Jamie
April 19, 2025 at 3:25 pm
I’m suffering secondhand embarrassment for this article.
Lori Martin
April 19, 2025 at 5:05 pm
I think most people have common sense but if you take a chance the “Wolf’s” going to get you. I broke my shoulder back in December so I will not be taking any coaster rides this year bummer since I have a season pass.
Federico
April 19, 2025 at 5:08 pm
This ride of Harry potter is super smooth in all transitions stupid journalists are liars this ride is super smooth and safe 👌
Josh M
April 19, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Blocking this news source for such an obvious misleading headline.
Stephanie A Marsh
April 19, 2025 at 6:12 pm
So, it wasn’t the fault of the theme park, nor it’s ride, it is the fault of the individuals whom ignored the warning signs snd decided to ride anyway.
So, stop with the misleading titles.
Chan Soe
April 19, 2025 at 8:22 pm
Why am I NOT surprised? Congrats Florida!
Chris J.
April 20, 2025 at 7:59 am
Did you read anything in this “reporting” that doesn’t happen to hundreds of people daily while doing laundry, or playing with their kids, or sitting at their desk at work My guess is you didn’t read it at all, just saw the headline and wanted to blame the rides and “Florida”. Weak.
Terrance
April 19, 2025 at 8:31 pm
What a BS misleading headline…it’s a shame when is should say….3 stupid people with pre existing health conditions decided to ignore clearly posted signs got on a ride & experienced side affecta
Ronald Augustine
April 19, 2025 at 10:01 pm
Your chances of getting hurt in an accident driving on I-4 to any of the theme parks is probably greater
Elaine
April 20, 2025 at 6:59 am
Considering over 50,000 people visit these theme parks each day I’m not surprised. As a nurse I understand chest pain could easily be due to acid reflux but I guess we will never know what really happened.
Chris J.
April 20, 2025 at 7:54 am
Interesting. It’s almost as though you’re trying to serve an agenda with your headline and making it sound like these are “dangerous” rides. Can we also see how many people have had chest pains or seizures while at Publix? How about a list of all those who’ve had those symptoms while parked on their sofas, driving their cars, sitting in church? Unreal
Tracy Peltz-Palko
April 20, 2025 at 10:41 am
Pathetic clickbait article. “Journalist” may be a stretch if this is the style of their articles…I’ll give the author some grace and hope that they were having an “off” day.
Shanti
April 20, 2025 at 12:15 pm
First of all, majority of these people are too old to be going on rides, knowing that they have conditions…. They’re too grown to not be thinking.
Robin Uresti
April 20, 2025 at 12:30 pm
Omg…. they better not close or modify any of these rides because people with PRE DISPOSED medical conditions CHOSE to ride these rides. I’m old myself. I have 4 teenage grandkids and I still ride these rides and love them. I never get tired of Disney and Universal. If these people decide on their own to DISREGARD to warnings, then too bad for them.
Samantha
April 21, 2025 at 12:09 am
Your body changes as you get older and after having kids I don’t ride , rides like that anymore people need to listen to there body’s . 82 year old should know better just stay off and watch kids have fun and walk around.
Comments are closed.