Disney Guest Sues for ‘Stampede’ Injuries at Famed Attraction

A Pennsylvania woman has sued Walt Disney Parks and Resorts claiming she suffered “permanent injuries” during a crowd “stampede” down Main Street at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom .

According to court document s filed in Orlando, FL, on August 12, Debra O’Steen is seeking “damages that exceed the sum of $50,000” from the Disney corporation . The suit claims that on June 25, 2024, O’Steen was making her way down the Main Street of Magic Kingdom. At the time, the park was “packed and extremely busy” with crowds arriving for an unspecified “event.”

“Defendant was having an event starting soon and a crowd of people rushed Plaintiff and knocked her over in a stampede in the Main Street,” the lawsuit reads. It further alleges that O’Steen suffered “permanent injuries” as a result of the stampede, including “permanent injury to her body” and “loss of ability to lead and enjoy a normal life.”

“Losses are permanent or continuing and Plaintiff will suffer in the future,” the suit explained. O’Steen claims that she also suffered mental anguish, lost wages, and medical expenses as a result of the accident. She contends that Disney was negligent in maintaining proper crowd control, failed to maintain safe premises, and did not adequately warn guests of impending danger due to the number of guests.

Notably, in her complaint, O’Steen identified herself as a “business invitee” of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts at the time of the incident. That term is used to refer to those who are invited to a location to do business with the landowner. Under Florida law, as in most states, business invitees are given a much larger degree of legal protection. Landowners are required to maintain their premises in a reasonable condition and are expected to notify business invitees of possible dangers on the premises that they may not reasonably expect.

O’Steen has requested a jury trial.

This is the second notable lawsuit filed against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to grab headlines recently. The corporation recently backtracked in its effort to have a wrongful death suit dismissed on the grounds that fine print in the victim’s Disney+ contract nullified the family’s right to a public trial. In that case, the plaintiff is also seeking $50,000 in damages.