"Painful wedgie": Woman sues Disney claiming ride caused serious injuries
A woman and her husband are suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, claiming she suffered a “painful wedgie” on a ride that caused serious gynecologic injuries.
According to the lawsuit filed last month in Orange County Circuit Court, Emma McGuinness was visiting Disney World in Orlando for her 30th birthday in October 2019. She, her mom and her young daughter took a ride on the Humunga Kowabunga waterslide.
Disney Parks’ description of the attraction states that Humunga Kowabunga plummets down a nearly five-story verticle drop at a 60-degree angle in the dark.
“The ride is designed and intended for riders to slide along The Slide without bouncing and without their body losing contact with The Slide itself. At the bottom of The Slide, riders slide into a pool of water to rapidly stop them,” states the lawsuit.
“At the top of The Slide, riders are instructed to cross their legs at the ankles. Riders are not told why their ankles need to be crossed, the importance of doing so, or the risks of injury if one’s ankles become uncrossed.”
The lawsuit notes that despite riders’ ankles being crossed or not, the attraction involves “specific risks” which “Disney knew, or in the exercise of reasonable care, should have known.”
McGuinness did assume the “appropriate position” when she was on the ride, states the lawsuit.
Her injuries were caused by what she experienced when she approached the end of the drop.
Her body lifted, and she became airborne, claims the suit. Her body then slammed against the slide, “which increased the likelihood of her legs becoming uncrossed.”
She was wearing a one-piece bathing suit while on the ride. The impact of the slide caused her “clothing to be painfully forced between her legs and for water to be violently forced inside her,” reads the lawsuit.
McGuinness immediately experienced severe internal pain, and when she stood up, blood began “gushing” from her body.
She was transported to a local hospital for treatment and then had to be transported to another hospital to undergo repair of her gynecologic injuries.
The lawsuit goes into disturbing detail about the intensity of McGuinness’ injuries, stating that she suffered from severe and permanent bodily injury, including severe vaginal lacerations, a full-thickness laceration causing [her] bowel to protrude through her abdominal wall, and damage to her internal organs.”
The incident resulted in McGuinness suffering from physical and mental pain, notes the suit.
McGuinness’ husband, Edward, suffered a loss of his wife’s care, comfort, consortium, support and services,” it adds.
The claim adds that if McGuinness had been warned of the risks of riding with the swimwear she had on, she would not have gone on the ride. It notes that if Disney offered her protective clothing or equipment to ride the slide, she “would have worn it.”
The couple is seeking at least US$50,000 in damages from Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and a trial by jury.
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