Man left 'permanently disfigured' by Disney waterpark slide after flying down at high speed

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

A Florida man is suing Disney for negligence after he says he was hurled off a high-speed water slide, left permanently disfigured, and allowed to ride despite being over the weight limit and using poorly maintained equipment.
Eugene Strickland filed the lawsuit in Orange County court on May 29, seeking more than $50,000 in damages over a 2021 incident at Blizzard Beach that he says caused him 'permanent catastrophic injuries.'
According to the complaint, Strickland was riding the Downhill Double Dipper, a dual-track slide, which Disney boasts will plunge guests '50 feet downhill at exhilarating speeds.'
At the time, Strickland weighed 334 pounds — 34 pounds over the maximum weight allowed under American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) safety guidelines for single-rider slides.
Despite this, he claims Disney staff allowed him on the ride using one of the park's provided inner tubes.
During the descent, Strickland says he 'became momentarily airborne,' and the tube 'became forcibly, suddenly, and unexpectedly dislodged' from underneath him, causing him to 'land with force onto the hard plastic surface of the slide.'
The lawsuit slams Disney's safety protocols, calling the slide a 'dangerous condition, safety hazard, and concealed trap,' and accuses the company of knowingly keeping it open without proper warnings or repairs.
'These injuries are permanent and continuing within a degree of medical probability, and Plaintiff will suffer these losses in the future,' his lawyers wrote.
The complaint also alleges that Disney knowingly used 'deficient, inadequate, ineffective, or underinflated inner tubes,' and failed to properly inspect the slide, maintain the equipment, or enforce posted weight limits.
It further claims Disney violated multiple safety laws and regulations—arguing that these breaches alone establish legal negligence.
Strickland contends the accident wouldn't have happened if the ride and its equipment had been properly maintained.
His attorneys say Disney had a clear duty to ensure guest safety but failed at nearly every level.
The complaint outlines 13 specific examples of negligence, including allowing the 'unrestricted use of an unsafe high-speed water slide,' failing to train staff, and ignoring its own safety policies.
Nearly four years later, Strickland says he is still suffering from the physical and emotional consequences of the incident.
He claims to suffer from pain, disability, scarring, disfigurement, mental anguish, and a diminished quality of life, along with ongoing medical expenses and the aggravation of pre-existing conditions.
A jury trial is scheduled for May 2027.
Walt Disney World has not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit.