World's Top Theme Parks Ban Women From Attractions With New Gender Policies

Multiple massive water parks have created men-only water slides, barring females from riding.

Visiting a new water park or theme park is always an exciting event, but sometimes, there are attractions that are not made for all guests. One of the biggest limitations of an attraction is often the height requirement. If a guest visits Universal Orlando Resort, for example, and wants to ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure but does not meet the height requirement, they will not be permitted to ride.

Another issue that we have seen at multiple theme parks, including Walt Disney World Resort, is the size of the rider can also be an issue if they are too large for the attraction. Many attractions that do have a size limitation in that sense have test seats outside of the attraction so that riders can see if they will fit before they get in line.

Sticking with Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, that attraction has a test seat that will give you a green light if you are able to safely fit into the attraction.

While there may be attractions that not all guests can expereince, typically, it boils down to size, and not gender.

Lately, there has been an uptick on theme parks not allowing females to ride.

The ban of women from certain water slides began in 2012.

The Galaxy Erding water park in Germany had ignited controversy with its decision to ban women from riding the X-Treme Faser, a high-speed water slide. This action follows reports of “intimate” injuries sustained by female riders, raising concerns about safety and potential gender discrimination.

The X-Treme Faser boasts speeds reaching up to 45 miles per hour and free-fall sections. According to park officials, at least six women have reported injuries after riding the slide, with some requiring hospitalization. Marcus Maier, the park manager, attributed these injuries to “the nature of the female anatomy” in a statement to The Local. Notably, no male riders have reported similar injuries.

The park’s response has been met with skepticism from medical professionals. The Professional Association of Gynaecologists has refuted the claim that the slide’s design poses inherent risks to women, stating there is “no medical reason why women shouldn’t use such a slide”. This stance is further bolstered by the lack of reported vaginal injuries from water slides documented by the association.

While Maier maintains the park is “trying to do right by women”, the decision has been criticized as discriminatory. Critics highlight the inconsistency with weight restrictions on other slides, questioning why one necessitates a gender-based ban while the other does not.

Despite the controversy, there is a potential solution on the horizon. The park has revealed plans to develop a “protective suit” for women to wear while riding the X-Treme Faser, drawing comparisons to ice hockey equipment. Whether this solution proves effective and overcomes safety concerns remains to be seen.

Maier further noted that altering the slide itself was not seriously considered due to its recent construction and significant cost (estimated at €100,000). This raises questions about the park’s commitment to inclusivity and the prioritization of financial considerations over guest safety.

The Galaxy Erding water park’s actions have sparked a debate about balancing safety with gender equality in water park design and operation. As the development of the protective suit progresses, it remains to be seen if a solution can be found that ensures the safety of all riders without resorting to a gender-based restriction.

While this decision was reportedly made for safety, women are not happy with it.

Emma took to Trip Advisor to share her upset of being rejected from riding X-Treme Faser:

“Me and my family visited this huge waterpark on our way down to Croatia with our caravan. The slides where fun but when me and my sister, age 16 and 17, wanted to go down one of the slides we were denied by the lifeguard because there apparetly were ”no women allowed for safety reasons”. I noticed many other women who were denied and everyone was of course surprised. I looked this up on the internet on our way back to the camping and the manager has apparetly told a newspaper that they have other restrictions on weight as well and that it could be considered discrimination as well. He also said that the slide was new and expensive (about £100,000). My expectations on a place like this were absolutely higher and this rule should definetly give this place more problems…”

In response, the theme park said, “Dear Emma, we are pleased that you fully enjoyed your stay in our spa areas. According to the German Association for Technical Inspection that certifies all our slides, our X-treme Faser is very dangerous for women due to the female anatomy. Since the safety of our guests is our top priority, this restriction serves exclusively for the safety of the ladies in order to prevent possible injuries. We look forward to welcoming you again soon at our thermal tropical spa! Your Spa Team”

You can take a ride on X-Treme Faser below.

More recently, a video of another theme park that forbids women from riding one of their water slides went viral. However, unlike the German park, it seems that this slide does not have an attendant working it, as the sign says no women, but there is no one to actually turn women away.

Rhiannan shared the video of the slide, the no women sign, and it instantly went viral with millions of views.

@rhiannaniffland Went for it anyway. Just once but i did it! 😂 #waterslides #budgysmuggler @Budgy Smuggler ♬ original sound – Rhiannan Iffland

The comment section quickly flooded with viewers wondering why women were barred from the attraction, with many others pointing out that the slide is an instant enema. With a female anatomy having multiple entry points, the water slide would force heavy water entry, possibly causing injury.

What Went Wrong at Disney World?

While some may call the decision discriminatory, we have seen water slides with far less water power injure females, leading to lawsuits for massive theme park brands like The Walt Disney Company.

While Blizzard Beach may be the newest Disney water park, Typhoon Lagoon is still one of the most popular options, operating during the spring and summer months at Disney World. Blizzard Beach offers more options for kids, but Typhoon Lagoon provides much more for adults to enjoy.

Firstly, the theming is far more engaging. The concept of an abandoned town turned water park is thrilling, especially when you climb Mount Mayday and see the boat perched on top. Not to mention the fantastic food and drinks at Hammer Head Fred’s and Typhoon Tilly’s.

Additionally, the attractions at Typhoon Lagoon are more exciting overall. You have Keelhaul Falls, Crush’ n’ Gusher, Miss Adventure Falls, and, of course, Humunga Kowabunga. The biggest highlight, however, is the Surf Pool, which not only functions as a wave pool but also offers surf lessons, a rarity in water parks.

In summary, Typhoon Lagoon is the ideal water park destination for anyone staying at Walt Disney World Resort. However, this wasn’t the case for one woman who faced massive medical bills due to an incident on the Humunga Kowabunga water slide.

In 2019, Emma McGuinness was enjoying a birthday trip to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park with her family.

During their visit, she decided to try the Humunga Kowabunga, a near-vertical five-story drop water slide in complete darkness that doesn’t use a raft or inner tube.

Upon hitting the standing water at the end, the force of the slide caused a “painful wedgie and injury” to McGuinness’s private area as she went airborne into the pool of water. McGuinness ended up hospitalized for her injuries, per the Washington Post. 

Four years later, in 2023, Emma McGuinness and her husband, Edward, sued the Walt Disney Company for at least $50,000 in damages. They cited “scarring, mental anguish, loss of capacity for enjoyment of life, expensive hospitalization and medical care, and loss of earnings, all of which injuries are either permanent or continuing in nature.”

The McGuinness family claims that Disney was negligent. “At the top of The Slide, riders are instructed to cross their legs at the ankles,” the suit states. “Riders are not told why their ankles need to be crossed, the importance of doing so, or the risks of injury if one’s ankles become uncrossed.”

The suit also alleges that Humunga Kowabunga is “unsafe and unreasonably dangerous” because riders aren’t informed of the potential risks, especially if they have female anatomy. “Because of a woman’s anatomy, the risk of a painful ‘wedgie’ is more common and more serious than it is for a man,” the suit reads. Emma McGuinness has also stated that she would never have gone down the slide if she had been warned of this.

Knowing this, it is not shocking to see some of the more intense water slides make the choice to suspend female riders from the slides, in hopes of protecting their guests, and themselves from future lawsuits thanks to their notices and warnings placed in the theme parks.

Have you ever noticed a water slide that did not allow for female riders?