Disney World and Universal Orlando Give Florida Politicians Huge Political Donations to Keep Them From Inspecting Their Rides

The death of 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala on Epic Universe’s Stardust Racers coaster has raised many questions about the safety of theme park rides and the warnings that riders must adhere to.

After the tragic death, Universal Orlando closed the ride for a few days; however, once it reopened, it did so with new warnings and requirements for riders. But despite those new warnings, there are still questions about the ride’s safety and Zavala’s own physical condition before he got on the ride.

According to the Orange County medical examiner, Zavala died of “multiple blunt impact injuries.” His lawyers contend that the new Epic Universe ride caused those injuries, while Universal claims the ride is entirely safe.

While many facts remain to be sorted out about Zavala’s death, and those facts will be sorted out in a court of law, some questions remain. Are theme park rides safe, and who is in charge of inspecting the rides at Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World Resort?

There is an acceptable answer to that first question: yes, they are safe. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately four deaths occur on theme park rides each year. Given that millions of Americans ride theme park attractions every year, that’s a relatively low number.

Now, the second question is a little more complicated and dives into the depths of Florida politics. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Disney World and Universal’s rides are not inspected by the state, but instead, are inspected by the theme park giants themselves.

Both Disney World and Universal have to report any injuries to the state, but they also have a lot of latitude on just how accurate those reports are. The Sentinel wrote, “You have a far better chance of getting hit by lightning than being injured on a theme park ride in Central Florida. You also have a better chance of getting hit by lightning than finding out just how safe those rides are.”

So, how does the state allow Disney World and Universal to get away with this? Easy, both of them give huge political donations to the state’s leaders, which allows them to operate how they see fit. The Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell writes, “Of course, the politicians and parks don’t acknowledge this transactional relationship. Instead, they claim the parks don’t need much oversight because it’s in their own interest to protect their guests.”

California, where Universal and Disney also have parks, requires state inspection of all theme park rides. After this latest incident, Florida may follow suit, but with Disney and Universal footing the bill, it will probably not.

Should Florida do state inspections of the rides at Disney and Universal? Let us know in the comments.