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Guest Ignored Blizzard Beach’s Weight Limit, Leading to $50K Lawsuit After Injury on Popular Slide
Walt Disney World Resort is facing a lawsuit after a guest allegedly suffered serious injuries while riding the Downhill Double Dipper water slide at Blizzard Beach in July 2021. The incident, which led to Eugene Strickland filing a lawsuit, has sparked concerns about the safety protocols at the resort’s popular attractions.
The lawsuit claims that Strickland, who weighed approximately 334 pounds at the time, decided to ride the high-speed slide, despite the ride’s posted weight limit of 300 pounds. Strickland boarded the ride in an inner tube, and according to the legal filing, his descent down the slide led to a series of unfortunate events. The lawsuit details that Strickland became airborne during the ride, which caused the inner tube to become unexpectedly dislodged. This caused Strickland to land forcefully onto the hard plastic surface of the slide, resulting in “permanent catastrophic injuries,” as described in the lawsuit.
The Incident and the Resulting Lawsuit
The legal filing accuses Disney of negligence, arguing that the company failed to enforce proper safety measures, especially in regard to the ride’s weight limit and the maintenance of safe conditions on the slide. The lawsuit demands over $50,000 in damages, claiming that Disney neglected its responsibility to prevent such a dangerous incident.
The case draws attention to potential gaps in Disney’s safety protocols, particularly regarding ride restrictions and the overall design of attractions like the Downhill Double Dipper. Despite the claim of injuries, Disney has yet to release a public statement addressing the allegations made by Strickland or any specifics about the incident.
Will Disney Win?
The Downhill Double Dipper slide is one of Blizzard Beach’s most popular attractions, known for its exhilarating speeds and steep drop. While Strickland’s lawsuit centers on the dangerous conditions and the lack of enforcement of the weight limit, it also raises concerns about the overall safety measures at high-speed rides within the park. This incident underscores the importance of addressing both the physical design of such attractions and the rigorous enforcement of posted safety rules.
While Disney is known for its emphasis on guest safety, this lawsuit highlights ongoing concerns about the enforcement of ride restrictions, particularly as theme parks continue to grow in size and popularity. The case is likely to draw more attention to the safety practices of other major parks and could potentially lead to increased scrutiny in the industry regarding ride management and accident prevention.
As the lawsuit continues to make its way through the courts, many are looking to see how Disney will respond to these concerns and what actions they will take to ensure the safety of future guests. This case could serve as a pivotal moment for both the resort and the industry, setting potential precedents for future ride safety measures.
You mean to tell me this guy didn’t know how much he weighed? Or, he completely ignored the posting and went on the slide anyway. Now he wants to sue because he got hurt. It’s only his fault for not heeding the warning. He got what he deserved.
All attractions have very clear instructions/warnings at the entrances. It’s the guest’s duty to read and heed them. Since this park goer clearly did not read or chose to ignore them, the onus is on him. Are the parks now supposed to have scales at the end of the lines? Ridiculous.
Strickland deserves Nothing. It was his stupidity to go on something he was way too fat to do. People see these large tourist attractions as cash cows where they can sue for stupid problems they themselves created.
Give him NOTHING.
This is an interesting dilemma. Strickland had to have known he was heavier than the 300 pd limit, he was negligent for not heeding the warning, but there are employees positioned at the entry to the slides that maybe should have erred on the side of caution. I know that there are scales used on group rider slides, so you would think at weight limit slides there should be too. On the side of Disney they don’t want to appear bias toward heavy customers & just assume people are over the weight limit when they may not be because they could be sued for discrimination. I think in the end it is the customer’s responsibility to be honest and admit when they are over the weight limit as Disney employees are not mind readers & shouldn’t be put in a position to call people out on their weight. I side with Disney; injuries caused are due to the customer’s negligence, not Disney’s.
Totally agree! 💯
Your comment is spot on. Disney is trying, as most theme parks are, to be sensitive and courteous to larger guests. They do have signs on a few attractions about the restraints, as some restraints simply won’t work for some guests. And this one has a sign about max weight limit. He had to know he was over the weight limit, and still chose to get on the slide. It IS the CM’s responsibility to enforce most safety rules: how many people can ride together, what kinds of positions are allowed on the slide, etc. It is NOT their job to guess your weight. This is not a carnival sideshow. And you’re right in saying that guests would be adamantly opposed to scales.
All attractions, from dark rides to giant water slides are engineered. They are designed and tested to determine how well they are going to function, what the limits are and how safe they are. For a course in how NOT to design a water slide, look up New Jersey’s Action Park and their short-lived loop water slide. It was designed by the park’s owner on the back of a restaurant napkin. Even Disney had early engineering challenges. Walt wanted Dumbo’s ears to flap when the ride was in operation. That had to be scrapped because of the extra weight the motors added to the elephants.
Disney is not always perfect; there have been a couple of horrific safety breaks that resulted in guest deaths. I think they’ve learned from them, and are more conscious of safety on thrill rides (although the Columbia wasn’t a thrill ride accident). However, most guest injuries (and the few deaths) are due to guest behavior. Whether it’s not keeping your hands in the boat while docking or standing up on the Matterhorn, failing to obey safety rules is guest responsibility. Sorry, Mr. Strickland, but this is on you, not Disney. I’ll bet if the CM had refused to let you ride, you’d be trying to sue for discrimination.
This is just another person who doesn’t want to take responsibility for his negligence to his safety and it sounds like his health. Disney does not have to make every ride or attraction accessible to every single person. The weight limits are there for safety and should be adhered to. Because I get dizzy on the Tea Cups should they now not spin? No! I just don’t ride them. You made the choice and that is the consequence.