In October 2019, Emma McGuinness headed to Walt Disney World Resort with her family to celebrate her 30th birthday. During their time at The Most Magical Place on Earth, Emma decided to head to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park. Unfortunately, Emma’s trip to the popular water park would not end the way she was hoping. Instead, it would end with a trip to the emergency room and a lawsuit.
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Typhoon Lagoon is Disney’s own tropical oasis in the middle of Orlando, Florida. The park is full of fun and thrilling rides for the whole family. For those who love thrill rides, Crush n’ Gusher is a water ride that’s closer to a roller coaster. There is also a lazy river, a surf pool, raft rides, and multiple water slides. And then there is the water park’s signature ride — Humunga Kowabunga.
Humunga Kowabunga is an enclosed body water slide that takes guests on a 214-foot plummet. That’s a five-story drop!
Emma decided to be daring and take the plunge. But when she reached the bottom, she claims that blood was gushing from between her legs. Emma’s lawsuit alleges that the force of the water going down the slide caused serious internal injuries. The force of the water was reportedly so strong that it pushed her intestines through her abdominal wall. The suit specifically cites a “painful wedgie”.
Sadly, these kinds of injuries are not unheard of for women.
Much More Than a Wedgie
When Emma’s lawsuit was first publicly shared, many found it ludicrous that a woman would sue for something like a “painful wedgie”. Many people who have gone down waterslides know that it is common for your bathing suit to ride up.
The lawsuit claims that Disney does not do enough to warn female riders that they can become seriously injured on rides like Humunga Kowaguna and Summit Plummet, which is the drop slide located at Disney’s other water park, Blizzard Beach. The lawsuit states that riders are told to cross their legs, but aren’t told the dangers of what could happen if their legs become uncrossed.
According to multiple scientific reports, women risk life-threatening injuries if water enters their bodies at a high rate of speed. Women have reported injuries to their vulva, vaginal lacerations, and even torn hymens from water forcefully shooting between their legs. Those studies have also shown trauma to a woman’s private areas because the water forcefully alters the shape of the uterus.
Disney’s Own McDonald’s Coffee Lawsuit
Many people have accused Disney of trying to downplay the serious nature of Ms. McGuinness’ injuries. Some are even comparing Disney to McDonald’s and its coffee lawsuits. Multiple people have sued the Golden Arches for serious burns they suffered from when McDonald’s coffee spilled on them. McDonald’s tried to downplay the seriousness of the burns, but admitted they knew the coffee was made hotter than it was required to be.
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Since the 1980s, thousands of people reported being burned by McDonald’s coffee. The company has had to pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars for the injuries caused.
Should Disney Change Its Signage?
Anyone who has been to a Disney theme park knows that Disney takes the safety of its guests very seriously. There are signs posted on every ride, warning guests with certain medical conditions that they should not ride. Typically, this includes guests with head, neck, and back problems. Pregnant women are also encouraged not to ride certain attractions.
With such serious injuries being possible on certain water attractions, it might behoove Disney to put warning signs up for guests with female anatomy. Some may not be aware of the potential danger of going on an attraction like Humunga Kowabunga. It could also save Disney from dealing with more lawsuits if it attempts to warn guests of the danger.
Ms. McGuinness is seeking more than $50,000 in damages. Disney has not commented on the lawsuit.
