Eugene Strickland, a Florida resident, has filed a $50,000 (₹42.7 lakh) lawsuit against Walt Disney World, alleging that a waterslide ride at Blizzard Beach Waterpark caused him serious harm due to its unsafe design and high speeds.
The incident reportedly occurred in July 2021, when Strickland, weighing 151 kg—13 kg over the ride’s 138 kg limit—took the Downhill Double Dipper slide. According to his lawsuit filed last week, the ride’s intense speed dislodged his inner tube, forcing him to land forcefully on the slide’s hard plastic surface.
Injury Claims Include Pain, Trauma, and Disfigurement
Strickland claimed the impact led to “serious bodily injury”, including pain, disability, scarring, disfigurement, mental anguish, and a reduced ability to enjoy life. He accused Disney of negligence for failing to maintain safe conditions and allegedly ignoring a known “safety hazard” and “concealed trap.” “Our client was severely injured on a ride at Disney’s Blizzard Beach. He has filed a lawsuit alleging that it was the defendant’s lax safety measures and oversight that contributed to those injuries. We are pursuing justice for him and working to hold Disney accountable for their alleged negligence,” — Strickland’s attorneys told People.
The lawsuit does not clarify whether Strickland was aware of the weight limit before taking the ride.
Not the First Legal Trouble for Disney
This case follows another legal controversy involving Disney. In 2023, Jeffrey Piccolo sued the company for wrongful death after his wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, died from an allergic reaction to a meal at a Disney resort restaurant.
However, Disney’s legal team responded by stating that Piccolo had waived his rights to take legal action by agreeing to the terms of Disney+ during a free trial several years prior.