Credit: Kings DominionA young Guest was hospitalized on Friday after an incident on a children’s ride at a popular theme park.
Theme park attractions are designed to give you a thrill – but in the safest way possible. Although things rarely go wrong, the past few months seem to have given way to a sudden spate of incidents across the globe.
We’ve recently seen Swedish theme park Gröna Lund temporarily close its gates after one of its most popular roller coasters, Jetline, derailed and caused the death of one Guest. In June, North Carolina theme park Carowinds went viral when a massive crack appeared in the support pillar of Fury 325 while Guests continued to ride the attraction. An employee also tragically passed away after sustaining a head injury at UK theme park Ocean Beach Pleasure Park in March.
Now, another incident has occurred at the Virginia theme park Kings Dominion. According to local news station CBS 17, a child was injured on the Park’s Snoopy Space Buggies ride on Friday (July 21).
CBS 17 reports that a young rider tried to exit the attraction before it came to a complete stop, injuring them in the process. The child was attended to and treated on the scene by Kings Dominion’s onsite First Aid Team, but their parents later chose to “seek further evaluation at a local hospital.”
Snoopy Space Buggies is an aerial carousel ride located in the Park’s Planet Snoopy area, designed to “transport little astronauts to an interplanetary experience that’s bound to result in smiles, giggles, and memories that are out of this world. Kiddos and their families can sit back and enjoy the ride on Snoopy’s intergalactic vehicles as they bounce up and down along the way on a super-fun trip through outer space.”
Kings Dominion did not share an update on the extent or nature of the child’s injuries but Park officials did share a statement on the incident with CBS 17, emphasizing the safety of its Guests. “The safety of our guests and associates is always our top priority,” they said. “Park personnel are engaged in ongoing conversations with the family regarding the incident.”
Theme parks are typically stringent on safety procedures, with repeated on-ride announcements reminding Guests to keep their arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times, as well as to remain seated until the ride comes to a complete stop.
Have you ever witnessed an incident at a theme park? Share your story in the comments!