Nightmare Vacation Leaves Theme Park Guest in Dangerous Emergency Surgery - Inside the Magic

One thing that Guests never expect to happen when they enter a theme park is to be injured.

When it comes to lawsuits against a theme park, it can be a very scary thing. Lawsuits can arise for a variety of reasons, and oftentimes, the injury seems to be one of them. When it comes to Disney World and other Disney Parks worldwide, as well as the company as a whole, we have seen the Mouse fight a variety of battles, as well as Universal Orlando Resort. But, of course, the scope of theme park injuries expands far beyond those two companies.

We have recently written about the dangers of water parks at various different locations. Action Park was a death-ridden, injury-inducing water park that Guests seem to still love even after it has shut down, despite its proven dangers. Universal has also recently been put under attack for a lawsuit at their Park Volcano Bay, however, it was not due to injury, but rather what they said was the intention to prevent it.

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel, Dylan Campbell showed up to the Park with his son, but was turned away from a water slide due to a physical difference. Dylan Campbell can deadlift 185 pounds, all with just one arm. Campbell was born that way, so he has learned how to live his life in such a way that he can operate just like anyone else with just one arm. He even mastered playing video games and writing with his feet if he has to!

When going to ride one of the tubed water slides, it was reported that, “a ride operator and manager told him he needed “two natural functioning hands” — a policy the park acknowledges.” Campbell shared:

“Everybody’s staring as they pull you out of line and tell you that you can’t ride. I was born like this; I’ve spent my whole life like this. I play video games with my hand and my feet. I can write with my feet. I can do pretty much anything that you ask of me. So to then have somebody single me out and put a limit on me, I knew that isn’t just humiliating. It’s wrong.”

Related: Heated Blanket Sparks Massive Theme Park Fire, Destroying Brand New Attraction

Now, one Guest is suing Aqualand water park in Mallorca after experiencing a “nightmare” vacation. As reported by the Daily Mail, “Jennifer Proctor, 27, smashed her spine during her descent of the extreme 40ft-high slide”, Banzai. Jennifer claims she was left 4in shorter after breaking her back.

She had to undergo an emergency spinal fusion in Spain to treat her injuries, and claims the damage left her 5ft 7in tall – 4in shorter than her height before the accident.

She has now launched a £500,000 damages claim against Spanish amusement park operators Aspro Ocio SA, as well as a firm of Spanish insurers Liberty Seguros, alleging fault in management of the slide. Miss Proctor’s claims are being challenged.

Jennifer was training to be a teacher but due to her ongoing injuries, she is not working. Her spinal surgery also turned into a septic injection, making matters worse. Jennifer said, “I thought I would have the time of my life on holiday, but instead it quickly became a nightmare. Having to undergo surgery abroad, away from family and friends, was extremely difficult, and I feel that my life has been turned upside down by my injuries. I just hope that I can get the answers I am looking for as to what happened.”

At the moment, no decisions have yet to be made on Jennifer’s tragic case. Aqualand El Arenal will open on May 9, 2022 for the summer season.

Watch a POV of the attraction below.

Other Recent Theme Park Injuries

Recently, Cedar Point in Ohio, one of the biggest thrill Parks out there, underwent quite the legal battle. On August 15, there was an accident at Cedar Point (owned by Cedar Fair) that involved the 420-foot (128-meter) tall Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster, according to ABC News. The coaster, which opened in 2003, launches riders on a straightaway at 120 mph (193 kph) before it climbs a hill and then comes back down. Lasting only 20 seconds, the ride is highly thrilling for Guests but things went wrong for one rider who was allegedly struck by a metal object while riding. The Guest was moved from one hospital to another, but the severity of the injury was not announced by ABC, however, other reports noted the woman was left with brain damage. 

Related: Coaster Left Stuck on Tracks as Theme Park Unexpectedly Shuts Down

According to the report, the injury was blamed on “instantaneous overload fracture” of a bolt holding in a plate on the ride. It is now confirmed by spokesperson Tony Clark that the ride will remain closed throughout 2022 as the report is examined. However, it seems that there will be no charges pressed against Cedar Point for illegal wrongdoings. ABC stated:

There’s no evidence that Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio acted illegally or had reason to believe one of its rides, the world’s second-tallest roller coaster, was unsafe before an object flew off it last year and struck a woman in the head, the state concluded in an investigation released Friday.

Have you ever been injured at a theme park? Let us know in the comments below!

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