Second Steven Tyler Assault Lawsuit Surfaces, Disney Shuts Down Aerosmith Attraction

Steven Tyler may be the cause and fall of one of Disney’s most popular attractions.

Those backstage passes might take a long time to get back to Disney guests, as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is closing down, without any re-opening day in sight.

Several Disney attractions may experience occasional malfunctions. When guests visit Disney World, it’s possible to encounter a temporary closure of an attraction during their visit. Such interruptions are typically due to maintenance issues, and Disney promptly takes action to address and resolve these matters. There are also instances in which an attraction is scheduled to shut down. Sometimes, that closure is based upon a massive change, as we are currently seeing in Magic Kingdom with Splash Mountain turning into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Disney Shutting Down Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

At other times, it could just be a typical refurbishment. Usually, the Disney calendar would list the closure dates online for any refurbishment project, with a reopening date appearing on whatever date the attraction is meant to be functioning once again, but that is not the case for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, as guests will not be able to “Walk this Way” as of January 8, 2024. At the moment, the Disney schedule only allows guests to see operations as far out as the end of February, and according to the calendar, the ride will remain closed past that point in time.

That means no G-Force Records visits for a while.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith stands out as one of Disney World’s most exhilarating rollercoasters, propelling riders at a thrilling 60 miles per hour. Set within an indoor environment (and shoving guests through a giant neon doughnut) the coaster navigates through high-speed highways, oversized food objects, and other entertaining elements, all accompanied by the energetic tunes of Aerosmith in your super-stretch limo.

However, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith has encountered recurring closure challenges throughout the years. There have been instances where the ride was unexpectedly unavailable for up to five consecutive days. The abrupt closures led this reporter to suspect technical issues as the cause, suggesting that the problems were neither planned nor easily rectifiable.

This past summer, the coaster has been non-operational for three consecutive days, emphasizing that this shutdown is unplanned.

We also saw the coaster undergo a massive refurbishment that was lengthy and extensive earlier this year.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith has become controversial of late, with many believing that the coaster should be rethemed due to Steven Tyler’s lawsuit.

Steven Tyler’s Legal Mess

According to a lawsuit that Rolling Stone obtained, Tyler brought Julia Holcomb– who was 16 at the time– back to his hotel room. They discussed her age, as well as her troubled home life. Tyler then allegedly “performed various acts of criminal sexual conduct upon” her before sending her home the next morning.

The publication stated, “Steven Tyler‘s name has officially been added to a lawsuit filed in December by a woman who claims to have had an illicit relationship with Steven Tyler in the Seventies when she was a minor. The suit accuses the Aerosmith singer of sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit was filed following California legislation that temporarily waived statutes of limitations for childhood sexual abuse allegations.”

Holcomb stated, ““I want this action to expose an industry that protects celebrity offenders, to cleanse and hold accountable an industry that both exploited and allowed me to be exploited for years, along with so many other naïve and vulnerable kids and adults,” She continued, “Because I know that I am not the only one who suffered abuse in the music industry, I feel it is time for me to take this stand and bring this action, to speak up and stand in solidarity with the other survivors.”

Tyler also allegedly bought Holcomb her own plane ticket to his next Aerosmith show in Seattle since she was a minor and could not legally travel with him across state lines, the suit says.

According to the lawsuit, by 1974, Tyler purportedly persuaded Holcomb’s mother to grant him guardianship, a move that would facilitate their travel together without facing criminal charges. This timeline aligns with Tyler’s own statements in his 2011 memoir. Reportedly, Tyler assured Holcomb’s mother that he would offer better support than she was receiving at home, committing to enrolling her in school and providing medical care.

Holcomb further alleges that she was pregnant with Tyler’s son in 1975, this would have been when she was 17 years old.

“She was sixteen, she knew how to nasty, and there wasn’t a hair on it,” Tyler wrote in his memoir. “With my bad self being twenty-six and she barely old enough to drive and sexy as hell, I just fell madly in love with her. She was a cute skinny little tomboy dressed up as Little Bo Peep. She was my heart’s desire, my partner in crimes of passion.”

Second Assult Allegations Filed Against Steven Tyler 

Now, just last month, according to PEOPLE, a second woman has filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Steven Tyler, alleging the Aerosmith rocker assaulted her twice in one day when she was a teenager in 1975.

“Jeanne Bellino filed a complaint against Tyler, 75, in New York on Thursday, claiming she suffered “physical, psychological and emotional injuries” after the musician groped, kissed and simulated sex without her consent.

“Jeanne is now 66 years old and suffered in silence and humiliated shame for so many years, and had the courage to now tell her story,” her attorney Jeff Anderson tells PEOPLE. “As horrific as it is, it’s powerful, and she wanted Latina women and girls to know they can stand up and speak out.”

According to the publication, Tyler would have met Jeanne as she was working for a child’s modelling agency, and brought her to one of his shows. A friend then allegedly made arrangements for them to meet Aerosmith at a party at the Warwick Hotel afterwards Jeanne would have been 17, and Tyler 27.

“As they walked, [Bellino] commented about a song lyric to Tyler,” the complaint says. “Tyler became visibly irritated by [Bellino’s] question, then suddenly Tyler grabbed [Bellino] by the hand and forced her into a phone booth.” Reportedly, Tyler stuck his tongue down her throat, but Bellino was able to fight off Tyler, grabbing his hair and pulling him away, making him leave the booth.

Afterward, Bellino went back to her hotel room, purchased by Tyler, with nowhere to go. A group entered the room, including Tyler, who grabbed the underage teen and started “kissing and humping her” against a wall, allegedly.

Bellino was again able to escape, and ran down to the main level of the hotel and got a taxi back home. She cried “uncontrollably” as she shared her experience with her sister.

The complaint says that as a result of the incident, Bellino suffered “severe and permanent emotional distress, physical manifestations of emotional distress, embarrassment, humiliation, physical, personal and psychological injuries.” There are also claims that she was hospitalized and medicated afterward.

Tyler is currently healing from a fractured larynx; Aerosmith postponed their farewell tour in September due to the setback.

A rep for Tyler did not immediately respond to Inside the Magic’s request for comment.

Future of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

At the moment, there has been no word of a retheme; however, we certainly have seen the Aerosmith merchandise disappear from the attraction’s gift shop, with more neutral Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster-themed merchandise taking over. While this could be due to controversy, it may also be due to legal rights, as Universal Music Group now owns the catalog to the music or Aerosmith. 

In Disneyland Paris, the ride was rethemed to become an Iron Man coaster in the new Avengers Campus called Avengers Assemble: Flight Force. While Disney does copy many of their attractions for multiple parks, it would be an odd retheme for Disney’s Hollywood Studios to receive as Avenger’s Campus is not present in the park, and it would clash with the old Hollywood theming on Sunset Boulevard, as well as the iconic Tower of Terror attraction.

All of this being said, we certainly have seen Disney dispose of certain actors due to their ongoing controversies online. As we know, Johnny Depp was booted from the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, even though he is the central character of the film, due to his previous and public trial with ex-wife Amber Heard. In the end, Depp was not found guilty of the abuse accusations made by Ms. Heard; however, Disney still showed that their loyalty did not remain strong with the rum-drinking pirate kicking Captain Jack Sparrow off the plank.

Considering that is what it took to dispose of Johnny Depp, an actor who has made them billions of dollars, it would not be too surprising to see Aerosmith be removed for their controversial headlines, as the band is beginning to become more and more dated, and the opportunity to retheme the coaster that was built in 1999 is nearly present. 

At the moment, it appears that the coaster will just be under refurbishment during this time, but it will be interesting to see how long this closure lasts if and when Disney announces that reopening timeline.

What would you like to see Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith rethemed to? 

If you are planning on visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can get ready to enter the movies! Walk down Sunset Boulevard and see the looking Tower of Terror attraction with Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster Starring Aerosmith right next door. The Chinese Theater is now home to the new attraction, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. If you love shows, get ready to enjoy Beauty and Beast – Live on Stage, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular! and more. Head into the wild west with Toy Story Land. Ride Slinky Dog Dash, and dine at the newly added Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Then blast to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, where you can meet Rey, Stormtroopers, Chewbacca, Kylo Ren, and more. Ride Rise of the Resistance and make your own lightsaber! At night, enjoy Mickey’s dreams as you enter the world of Fantasmic! For more Disney information, information on Disney Genie+, and to look at booking a vacation, the Walt Disney World website is a perfect one-stop shop for all things Mickey Mouse.