A Mom Is Suing Disney For Millions Over Allegedly Being ‘Violently Struck By A Sudden And Forceful Wave’

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As a fervent admirer, I’d express it like this: My heart goes out to a family who had hoped to create lifelong memories at Walt Disney World. Regrettably, their visit has left them seeking $2 million in compensation instead. The memories they’ve unfortunately carried home are not the joyful ones they anticipated; instead, these are associated with a severe injury.

As a passionate moviegoer, I’ve found myself in an unexpected situation. Back in 2002, during a fun-filled day at Walt Disney World’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, my little 3-year-old companion and I were unfortunately hit by a sudden, powerful wave. Now, I’m taking legal action against the esteemed organization, filing a $2 million lawsuit in Brooklyn Federal Court, seeking justice for this unforeseen incident.

As a cinema enthusiast, I’ve learned from recent court documents (as reported by the New York Post) that a mother and daughter found themselves being pulled underwater, followed by an apparent throw-off by the pool wave. Subsequently, Panetta was violently propelled across the hard cement or gunite surface, resulting in deep and severe ‘road rash’ or scrapes. The woman herself shared with the Post…

The force was immense, pulling us downwards for multiple feet beneath the water’s surface. In that moment, I could only thank my lucky stars for having the presence of mind to push her upwards while I was being pulled. I knew that if she had been dragged under, she would have been severely injured by the sharp underwater rocks.

As per the account, Panetta sustained injuries during the encounter which left her with scars even now. Due to these wounds, she was forced to cut short her park vacation and avoid swimming again. Disney World allegedly provided a $250 credit, but the family believes this compensation is inadequate.

One concern being addressed revolves around the fact that the intense waves at Typhoon Lagoon might not necessarily be a problem in general, but rather, the location where this incident occurred appears to be an area meant for young children, and the waves were deemed too powerful for their safety. The lawsuit suggests that if the mother had not intervened by absorbing the impact herself, the child could have sustained injuries.

Water park accidents are not an unusual occurrence; both Disney World and Universal Orlando have had their fair share of lawsuits due to injuries reportedly sustained on water slides and pools. Just about a year ago, a woman filed a lawsuit asserting she was given a “painful wedgie” on the Typhoon Lagoon waterslide.

Theme park lawsuits occur quite frequently, but decisions made in these lawsuits, or theme park lawsuit verdicts, aren’t commonplace. In most cases, it seems that these suits are more likely to be resolved outside of court, meaning the details may not come to light.

Over the next few weeks, Disney World’s water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, will be under increased scrutiny. For the first occasion since before the pandemic, Disney World will concurrently operate both its water parks. This is due to the fact that guests of Disney World resort hotels receive free access to the water parks on their check-in day, and as the temperature rises, it’s expected that a greater number of people will take advantage of this benefit.

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2025-04-28 22:09