Recent reports show a spike in injuries at Central Florida theme parks, primarily from roller coasters, raising alarms about visitor safety.
These parks have to report injuries that need at least a day in the hospital. They share these numbers every quarter with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
In just six weeks, there were three incidents on the Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. A 43-year-old felt nauseous, a 63-year-old had shortness of breath, and a 44-year-old fainted after riding.
Other rides at Islands of Adventure also had issues. A 36-year-old man had a seizure after Hagrid’s ride, and a 48-year-old felt head pain after the Incredible Hulk Coaster.
Over at Universal Studios, a 48-year-old woman reported chest pain after riding Revenge of the Mummy, and a 76-year-old fainted after Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
Walt Disney World wasn’t immune either. A 54-year-old felt nauseous after Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and a 67-year-old had shortness of breath after the same ride later on.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a 55-year-old man had chest pains after Expedition Everest, while a 50-year-old woman felt shortness of breath after Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
SeaWorld Orlando had a 25-year-old man who reported a headache and nausea after riding several coasters on Christmas Eve.
There were also two falls at Magic Kingdom that didn’t involve coasters. A 79-year-old woman hurt her hip entering a ride, and a 68-year-old woman did the same while exiting another.
The state doesn’t get updates on health after the initial reports. Interestingly, Legoland Florida, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios reported no injuries during this time.
