A lawsuit has been filed by a woman who claims she was rendered unconscious and suffered a brain injury while riding the Humunga Kowabunga, a five-story nearly vertical slide at Disney World. Laura Reyes-Merino was visiting the park on May 11 when the incident occurred. The ride, known for its 60-degree angle descent, is advertised as a thrilling experience.
According to court documents, Reyes-Merino lost consciousness after being jostled inside the ride. Her fiance and his mother found her unconscious at the end of the ride. The lawsuit alleges that park attendants, who were not lifeguards, informed the family they would need to find lifeguards for assistance.
While waiting for help, Reyes-Merino was bleeding from her mouth in the water, the court documents stated. Her fiance managed to pull her out of the water. When a lifeguard finally arrived, they allegedly stated that they were unable to assist or touch Reyes-Merino, but did call for an ambulance.
The lawsuit argues that if lifeguards had been stationed at the end of the ride to assist guests, Reyes-Merino’s brain injury could have been avoided as she would not have been left in the water coughing up blood. The lawsuit is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.
Disney has yet to comment on the lawsuit. This is not the first time the Humunga Kowabunga ride has been the subject of legal action. In October 2019, Emma McGuinness filed a lawsuit against Disney, claiming that a trip down the waterslide resulted in injuries severe enough to necessitate surgery.
According to McGuinness’s complaint, as she neared the end of the slide, she became airborne and was forcefully slammed downward against the slide. This resulted in her clothing being painfully forced between her legs and water being violently forced inside her. She was taken by ambulance to a hospital and later transferred to another hospital for specialist treatment of her gynecologic injuries. Her lawsuit alleges that Disney ignored the particular risk to women who want to take the ride and that she would have worn protective gear or clothing if it had been provided.