Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, a towering feature in Universal Studios Florida’s skyline, is known for its 167-foot lift hill and customizable music soundtrack. However, it has long been a source of controversy, with a series of past injuries raising questions about safety protocols. After over a decade of operation, Universal announced that the ride will be closed permanently by December 2025, paving the way for an all-new attraction.
Credit: Universal Orlando Resort
The latest lawsuit involves Yolian Vargas Velez, who claims she was injured on the ride in 2024. According to the suit, Vargas Velez suffered traumatic brain and spinal injuries during the ride. Her head allegedly shook violently, leading to what is described as severe physical trauma.
The lawsuit, filed this month, criticizes the ride’s safety features, specifically the use of a single lap bar as the primary restraint system. This design, the plaintiffs argue, is inadequate for a coaster that reaches speeds of 65 mph, contributing to the severity of the injuries. According to the complaint, this lack of adequate restraint and safety measures led directly to the traumatic injuries that Vargas Velez sustained.
Credit: Universal Orlando
Yolian Vargas Velez’s attorney, Justin Bailey, told WDWNT that his client began feeling the effects of her injuries shortly after disembarking from the ride. “As soon as she was off, she started experiencing symptoms consistent with brain injury: Nausea, dizziness, photophobia,” Bailey said. “She also felt pain in her neck, pain in her head, and eventually she passed out.” Despite these symptoms, Vargas Velez struggled to communicate her distress due to a language barrier, as her first language is not English.
After the ride, Vargas Velez returned to her hotel room at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, where she requested medical help. “There was some medical practitioner sent up to her room,” Bailey added. “She left the next day.”
Credit: Universal
Once Vargas Velez returned home to Puerto Rico, she was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and multiple disc injuries in her cervical spine. According to her attorney, she continues to suffer from persistent symptoms, including vertigo, severe mood swings, and radiating pain in her neck. She is under the care of a neurosurgeon, though her prognosis remains uncertain.
While Universal Orlando Resort has yet to issue an official statement on the lawsuit, the case comes at a time of significant change for the theme park. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, which has been a fixture of the park’s skyline since its debut in 2009, is slated to close for good in December 2025, making way for a new attraction. Rumors have circulated about what might replace the coaster, but Universal has remained tight-lipped about the plans.
Have you ever gotten hurt on a theme park ride? Share your story with Disney Tips in the comments.
There’s a reason the cast members that worked on the ride in the beginning signed NDAs. I worked with a few of them and they wouldn’t even walk under the tracks. They wouldn’t talk about the stuff they’d find at the end of the day, they were legitimately scared to break the NDA.