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Credit: Inside the MagicA Florida resident is suing Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, saying that he received permanent injuries after falling into a trash can.
Hardly a week goes by that the Walt Disney Company does not face some new lawsuit, whether it is regarding Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board of supervisors, far-right political action groups demanding that the Mouse stop discriminating against white men, or a former Star Wars actor being bankrolled by the world’s richest man because she lost her job.
Lawsuits resulting from an injury on the premises of Walt Disney World are a little bit rarer and tend to be treated more seriously, especially given Disney’s deep investment in presenting its Parks as family-friendly dream destinations for families. However, given that it has recently been sued over an allergy-related death and Disney World itself is constantly at risk of infectious disease outbreaks and extreme weather events, the image of Magic Kingdom as a safe place is starting to get a little shaky.
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This new lawsuit was brought by a Florida man named Justin Tripp, who is accusing Disney World of negligence and lack of reasonable care that led to a boat crash and his falling into a trash can, which allegedly has led to further injuries.
According to Tripp’s lawsuit, he was injured on April 27, 2023, while taking a ferry (listed in the suit as “Disney ferry ‘RICAHRD F. IRVINE'” [sic], but officially known as the Liberty Belle) from the Disney parking lot to Magic Kingdom. Tripp and his lawyer, Jacob Munch, say that the ferry was overcrowded, and he was forced to stand at the stern of the boat for the duration of the journey, which is to say the rearmost portion of the vessel.
Specifically, The lawsuit claims, “The Disney ferry was so crowded with passengers that (Tripp) was not able to sit down. A Disney crew member told (Tripp) that he would have to stand for the voyage to the Magic Kingdom.”
The suit goes on to allege that:
[T]he ferry approached the docking area of the Magic Kingdom the ferry did not slow down. The ferry struck the boat at an unsafe and high rate of speed causing passengers to be thrown about, including the plaintiff. One passenger was knocked unconscious. There was no warning given to passengers of an imminent collision with the dock.
Tripp says that he was thrown into a “steel pillar where he hit his neck and head” and “fell into a trash can which prevented him from possibly being thrown overboard.” As a result, the suit states:
Plaintiff Tripp suffered bodily injury to his neck and head, and other parts of his body, resulting pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, loss of earnings, loss of the ability to earn money and aggravation of a previously existing condition. The losses are either permanent or continuing and Plaintiff will suffer the losses in the future.
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Among other things, Tripp and his lawyer accuse Disney of violating Florida Statute § 327.33, which regulates safety of transportation vessels, saying that the company had the responsibility to:
- a. Hire employees that were qualified to operate the ferry boats;
- b. Provide the vessel’s crew with adequate training to operate the ferry;
- c. Properly maintain the ferry boat mechanically so it can operate safely with passengers aboard her;
- d. Make sure that the ferry boat can safely carry the passenger to the Magic Kingdom by not over-crowding the feny [sic];
- e. Properly supervise the vessel’s crew in their operation of the ferry;
- f. Provide a seaworthy ferry for its passengers.
- g. Operate the ferry at a safe speed at all times including when docking the ferry;
- h. Keeping a proper lookout during the operation of the ferry.
- i. Properly instruct the crew members on the applicable navigation rules of the road.
- j. Warn the passengers of imminent dangers such as collisions that the captain and crew become aware of during the voyage.
Justin Tripp is suing Disney for $50,000 in compensatory damages, prejudgment interest, post-judgment interest, and costs and is demanding a trial by jury regarding his alleged Magic Kingdom injuries.
Inside the Magic reached out to Disney for comment, but has not heard back by the time of publishing.
Have you ever been injured at Magic Kingdom or any Disney Park? Tell us your stories in the comments below!
The full text of Tripp v. Disney can be read here: