Disneyland was completely unprepared for the busy holiday season, when a power outage disrupted about a dozen attractions, leaving a significant number of people stuck on rides mid-air.
The blackout occurred in Toontown and Fantasyland in Disneyland in Los Angeles on December 27. It was the peak of the holiday season, as thousands of visitors came with their children to enjoy some of the most iconic attractions in the western U.S. state of California.
What was supposed to be fun, was anything but an unknown number of guests stuck on nearly a dozen attractions that came to a halt around 11 am. The guests had to be lifted from and escorted off the rides by Disneyland staff.
Disneyland power outage is a wake-up call
Although there have been no reports of injuries or fatalities, power outages and disrupted attractions like that can result in devastating consequences.
According to Disneyland spokespeople, the blackout was caused by a malfunction with one of its transformers. The transformer knocked out power to several rides, putting the lives of those using the attractions in danger.
It took Disneyland about five hours to fix the power outage and make the attractions fully operational by 4 pm. The theme park’s spokespeople said Disneyland is not going to offer any refunds for the blackout.
The power outage in Disneyland is a wake-up call to many, as the dangers of theme parks and attractions are often underestimated. Here at JML Law, our personal injury attorneys warn Long Beach residents and tourists of the risks associated with visiting amusement parks, carnivals, and festivals.
Theme park injury and death statistics
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission claims there have been 22 deaths at amusement parks since 2010, but the real number could be much higher (as those hospitalized with injuries suffered at theme parks are usually not included in the theme park deaths statistics).
Fact: about 30,000 people require hospitalization after visiting theme parks every year.
An estimated over 335 million people visit theme parks in the U.S. every year.
Regulations for theme parks are a complete disaster
Safety regulations for theme parks and Disneyland have been inconsistent for decades, which prompted fierce debates between Democrats and Republicans for ages.
However, amusement parks have not become safe with these debates. As of January 2018, the Consumer Product Safety Commission only oversees the regulation of mobile amusement parks, while fixed-site theme parks remain unregulated by any government body.
According to federal and state laws in California, only the state or locality where the theme park is located has a duty to conduct inspections on fixed sites of theme parks.
Not to mention that some theme parks in Los Angeles and all across California are not regulated and overseen at all.
Common injuries cause at theme parks
Over the past 35 years of litigating injuries sustained at amusement across California, our best personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles at JML Law have outlined the six most common injury causes at theme parks:
Ride malfunctions;
- Power outages
- Waterslide injuries
- Falls from a Ferris wheel
- Attractions collapsing mid-air
- Getting struck by a roller coaster.
Due to the complicated and inconsistent regulations for theme parks, visitors who sustain injuries in Disneyland and other amusement parks face a wide range of challenges associated with determining liability for poorly maintained and hazardous attractions.
In order to maximize your chances of monetary recovery, it’s vital to seek the legal advice of a Los Angeles personal injury attorney to launch an independent investigation into your injuries, determine liability and evaluate the full value of your damages.
Consult our skilled personal injury attorneys at JML Law to hold negligent parties liable for your injuries and damages sustained in Disneyland and theme parks.
Call our Los Angeles offices at 818-610-8800 or contact us to get a free initial consultation.
