Universal Updates Ride Safety Language Following Guest’s Death
Universal Orlando Resort has updated its ride safety guidelines following last month’s tragic death of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala. Zavala, a wheelchair user, died of “multiple blunt impact injuries” after riding Stardust Racers. The revised language places stronger emphasis on certain health warnings and shifts responsibility to guests to assess their own fitness to ride.
Here’s an example of how the updated language reads for guests with heart conditions.
Old wording:
Attraction is not allowed for Guests with a history of heart conditions or abnormal blood pressure.
New wording:
Do not ride if you have a history of heart conditions or abnormal blood pressure.
The previous language means Universal isn’t permitting certain people to ride, placing responsibility for enforcement on the company. The updated language shifts that responsibility to guests, emphasizing the assumption of risk they take when choosing to ride.
It’s an important distinction. Universal’s old phrasing made it sound like they were enforcing eligibility, which could make them appear liable if someone slipped through that enforcement. Now, Universal is emphasizing the assumption of risk guests take when riding certain attractions. They’re also avoiding the appearance that Universal is making medical determinations. The update closely aligns with the warnings Disney provides at its parks.
Other language changes include replacing “should” with the more definitive “must.” This stronger wording appears throughout the updated safety guidelines, most notably in the “Ride Requirements” section. Here’s the revised version:
For most rides and attractions, you must be able to independently maintain an upright position, and brace and support your torso, neck, and head while absorbing sudden and dramatic movements.
A new warning
The revised language isn’t limited to existing health advisories. They also added the following warning, one that’s been added to every ride at Universal Orlando Resort.
Do not ride if you have weakened bones or muscles.
Do not ride if you have the inability to independently maintain an upright position.
Do not ride if you have other conditions which may be aggravated by this ride.
Updates to ride transfers
Universal also adjusted the rules for transferring from mobility devices. Previously, guests were only told which attractions were designed to accommodate those transfers. Now, there’s a second list with much more specific language.
“At the following attractions, Guests using mobility devices must be able to walk independently.”
These are the attractions that follow under that rule:
Epic Universe
- Dragon Racer’s Rally
- Stardust Racers
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
Islands of Adventure
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (motorbike only)
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster
Official safety and accessibility guides
This article covers the main updates to Universal Orlando’s ride safety rules, but it doesn’t include everything. If you have medical concerns or questions about accessibility, be sure to check the official park documents before your visit so you have the most accurate information.
The updates serve as a reminder that safety signage only works when guests take it seriously. Universal’s new language encourages visitors to make informed decisions before riding. Understanding your own limits is part of the responsibility that comes with enjoying these attractions.
