News Guest dies, found unresponsive after riding Stardust Racers

[Andrew C]

The problem is Kevin's doctor gave him the okay to do every coaster known to mankind according to Ben Crump. Crump basically said that in his first conference while representing the family.

I don't know if that is really true, but I am assuming at this point it is true. I brought up Kevin's doctor for a reason.

The fact is if a patient has a serious medical problem or an issue, doctors are supposed to give restrictions. I also would assume Kevin's doctor would know best since he was aware of Kevin's medical condition.

that’s an interesting assumption…

 

[lazyboy97o]

Europa Park does have similar wording
“The upper body must move independently from the level of the lumbar vertebrae in a controlled manner and it must be possible to muster sufficient muscle strength to compensate for the forces of attraction and to be able to assume a stable riding position throughout the journey.”

They have a lift specifically for assisting guests with paraplegia. There is also a list of the many rides guests with paraplegia can experience.

“The blue fire Megacoaster has a transfer system (lift) to enable guests with paraplegia (paralysis of both legs) who are unable to board to the train independently or with the help of an accompanying person to ride. If you would like to take advantage of this service, we would ask you to contact our attraction staff.”

Guests in wheelchairs at Europa-Park

Our top priority is to enable you to have a carefree, safe and great stay at Europa-Park. Guests in wheelchairs will therefore find general information below, information on using

www.europapark.de

Gäste im Rollstuhl im Europa-Park

Unsere oberste Priorität ist es, Ihnen einen unbeschwerten, sicheren und großartigen Aufenthalt im Europa-Park zu ermöglichen. Gäste im Rollstuhl finden deswegen im Nachfolgenden

www.europapark.de

 

[flynnibus]

And more original language: "You should be able to independently: (1) maintain an upright position, (2) support your torso, neck, and head while absorbing sudden and dramatic movements, and (3) brace your body with at least one natural upper extremity." Why are we pretending that someone with this particular condition meets this requirement? Properly support his torso and absorb sudden and dramatic movements?

The guy sat in a manual wheelchair - he wasn't bedridden. He clearly could do those things and had previously.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The guy sat in a manual wheelchair - he wasn't bedridden. He clearly could do those things and had previously.

And if he obviously didn’t meet the rider criteria then Universal lied in the memo stating Team Members properly followed procedures.

 

[Jon81uk]

They have a lift specifically for assisting guests with paraplegia. There is also a list of the many rides guests with paraplegia can experience.

“The blue fire Megacoaster has a transfer system (lift) to enable guests with paraplegia (paralysis of both legs) who are unable to board to the train independently or with the help of an accompanying person to ride. If you would like to take advantage of this service, we would ask you to contact our attraction staff.”

Guests in wheelchairs at Europa-Park

Our top priority is to enable you to have a carefree, safe and great stay at Europa-Park. Guests in wheelchairs will therefore find general information below, information on using

www.europapark.de

Gäste im Rollstuhl im Europa-Park

Unsere oberste Priorität ist es, Ihnen einen unbeschwerten, sicheren und großartigen Aufenthalt im Europa-Park zu ermöglichen. Gäste im Rollstuhl finden deswegen im Nachfolgenden

www.europapark.de

I didn’t say there isn’t a lift. Just that they have the same information about being able to brace independently

 

[lazyboy97o]

I didn’t say there isn’t a lift. Just that they have the same information about being able to brace independently

And clearly that wording isn’t intended to exclude guests with paraplegia, which Universal and Thorpe Park are now alone in doing. Mack, the manufacturer, isn’t aligned with their restriction and did not intend for such a restriction to always be in place.

 

[Andrew C]

The guy sat in a manual wheelchair - he wasn't bedridden. He clearly could do those things and had previously.

Just because he did them before doesn't mean that he should have been. I made a risky choice 99 times not following the posted warnings, and then the 100th time....

Spinal cord atrophy is a continuous reduction/degradation of the spinal cord. You lose motor skills, you lose muscle mass. Medication will only slow down progression. I am just not following why anyone with a straight face can tell me someone with this type of condition doesn't face increased risk when riding this type of attraction.

Again, the posted warnings were there. It is obvious many people choose to ignore them..,

 

[Jon81uk]

And clearly that wording isn’t intended to exclude guests with paraplegia, which Universal and Thorpe Park are now alone in doing. Mack, the manufacturer, isn’t aligned with their restriction and did not intend for such a restriction to always be in place.

You are going round in circles. Lots of parks have different restrictions than other parks for all sorts of reasons.

As I pointed out for a different rollercoaster model one park allows people who can’t walk to ride and another park allows them to ride.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You are going round in circles. Lots of parks have different restrictions than other parks for all sorts of reasons.

As I pointed out for a different rollercoaster model one park allows people who can’t walk to ride and another park allows them to ride.

Because you and others refuse to actually look at the situation and recognize the scope of the change. You just want to just wave it off as a reasonable difference or pretend nothing changed.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Just because he did them before doesn't mean that he should have been. I made a risky choice 99 times not following the posted warnings, and then the 100th time....

Spinal cord atrophy is a continuous reduction/degradation of the spinal cord. You lose motor skills, you lose muscle mass. Medication will only slow down progression. I am just not following why anyone with a straight face can tell me someone with this type of condition doesn't face increased risk when riding this type of attraction.

Again, the posted warnings were there. It is obvious many people choose to ignore them..,

Why does Mack have a special lift for blue fire Megacoaster if it is obvious that people with such conditions should not ride these types of rides? As the manufacturer they should know it is dangerous.

 

[flynnibus]

Just because he did them before doesn't mean that he should have been. I made a risky choice 99 times not following the posted warnings, and then the 100th time....

Spinal cord atrophy is a continuous reduction/degradation of the spinal cord. You lose motor skills, you lose muscle mass. Medication will only slow down progression. I am just not following why anyone with a straight face can tell me someone with this type of condition doesn't face increased risk when riding this type of attraction.

Let's stick to the point. You said before "Why are we pretending that someone with this particular condition meets this requirement? Properly support his torso and absorb sudden and dramatic movements?" - You are suggesting he could not hold himself up or support himself. How exactly do you think he rolls a manual wheelchair around?

The guy had arms that are probably bigger than your thighs.

 

[Chi84]

Why does Mack have a special lift for blue fire Megacoaster if it is obvious that people with such conditions should not ride these types of rides? As the manufacturer they should know it is dangerous.

Is it possible they thought the risk was minimal but are now reassessing in light of this death?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Is it possible they thought the risk was minimal but are now reassessing in light of this death?

But we have people saying nothing has really changed and guests with paraplegia should never have been allowed to ride.

Standard industry protocol when a design issue is suspected is that the manufacturer issues a notice to all customers to suspend operations until the issue is fully investigated and they can either give an all clear or provide guidance on modifications to procedures or the ride itself. If anything related to safety is in question the ride should not be operating. Europa Park, if you don’t know, is owned and operated by the Mack family, the same family that owns and operates Mack Rides, manufacturer of blue fire Megacoaster and Stardust Racers. If they are reassessing the ride then they should not be operating it right now and they should have told all of their costumers of similar coasters to suspend operations as well while they reassess the design and operating criteria.

The Mack hyper coaster model is not the only ride system for which Universal changed their rider requirements. They also changed the requirements for rides made by Intamin, Gerstlauer and Dynamic Attractions. Changes that have so far not been reported as being adopted anywhere else. Even Merlin, who did change the rider requirements for one Mack coaster at Thorpe Park, has not made similar changes to their Gerstlaur Sky Fly rides. If there are legitimate questions about the safety of these various ride systems they should have all been closed and the directive should be coming from the manufacturers. This isn’t something that should be decided on a park by park basis.

It is simply not acceptable for a ride to be operating if its safety is in question and being reassessed.

 

[Chi84]

But we have people saying nothing has really changed and guests with paraplegia should never have been allowed to ride.

Standard industry protocol when a design issue is suspected is that the manufacturer issues a notice to all customers to suspend operations until the issue is fully investigated and they can either give an all clear or provide guidance on modifications to procedures or the ride itself. If anything related to safety is in question the ride should not be operating. Europa Park, if you don’t know, is owned and operated by the Mack family, the same family that owns and operates Mack Rides, manufacturer of blue fire Megacoaster and Stardust Racers. If they are reassessing the ride then they should not be operating it right now and they should have told all of their costumers of similar coasters to suspend operations as well while they reassess the design and operating criteria.

The Mack hyper coaster model is not the only ride system for which Universal changed their rider requirements. They also changed the requirements for rides made by Intamin, Gerstlauer and Dynamic Attractions. Changes that have so far not been reported as being adopted anywhere else. Even Merlin, who did change the rider requirements for one Mack coaster at Thorpe Park, has not made similar changes to their Gerstlaur Sky Fly rides. If there are legitimate questions about the safety of these various ride systems they should have all been closed and the directive should be coming from the manufacturers. This isn’t something that should be decided on a park by park basis.

It is simply not acceptable for a ride to be operating if its safety is in question and being reassessed.

Thank you. I appreciate the explanation.

 

[BrianLo]

Of course it has been....why are we playing games here?

This was the symbol on the ride and the original language. Come on....he had spinal cord atrophy. That is a back condition.
View attachment 889322

And more original language: "You should be able to independently: (1) maintain an upright position, (2) support your torso, neck, and head while absorbing sudden and dramatic movements, and (3) brace your body with at least one natural upper extremity." Why are we pretending that someone with this particular condition meets this requirement? Properly support his torso and absorb sudden and dramatic movements?

I’m honestly not playing games. The one picture has him with a fairly standard self propelled wheelchair with his arm raised above his head to hit a coin block. Empirically he meets the upper body tone and strength conditions.

The second regarding a back condition medically is not referring to his condition. He didn't have a back condition. He had a congenital spinal abnormality. This warning is for people with lower mechanical back pain, disc herniation, etc. to not exacerbation those conditions.

I think there is a strong non medical misunderstanding going on here that he had a congenital spinal condition and therefore his spinal column is not intact or unusually flexible. Those are not descriptive of his physiology as I understand it.

Troublingly… as of now… none of these pre-existing conditions were the cause of death.

Ps I will reinterate for the tenth time I’m one of the few people consistently NOT trying to place blame on the victim or universal or the manufacturer. Some freak accident appears to have occurred that I’m waiting on final details.

 

[BrianLo]

Spinal cord atrophy is a continuous reduction/degradation of the spinal cord.

Was this his condition? I had not seen that yet.

I was guessing he had a myelomingocele or something if it was congenital.

 

[mkt]

Was this his condition? I had not seen that yet.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2025/10/17/universal-orlando-epic-universe-stardust-racers-kevin-rodriguez-zavala-death/86715592007/

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, was a Kissimmee resident. He was a wheelchair user who was born with spinal cord atrophy, but his family noted he led an active, independent life.

 

[flynnibus]

Was this his condition? I had not seen that yet.

I was guessing he had a myelomingocele or something if it was congenital.

I think you just forgot

This conversation was already had after the initial press conference

News Post in thread 'Guest dies, found unresponsive after riding Stardust Racers'

Sep 25, 2025

The individuals lesion which I am guessing was more a spinal bifida/myelomeningocele shouldn’t impact their trunk tone to make them so flexible to hit their head on something

It was specifically called 'Spinal cord atrophy' by the victim's father. And obviously resulted in his paralysis at least to his legs.. and if it was thoracic as it sounded like.. it could have impaired much higher as well.

• flynnibus

• 

 

[BrianLo]

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2025/10/17/universal-orlando-epic-universe-stardust-racers-kevin-rodriguez-zavala-death/86715592007/

I think you just forgot

This conversation was already had after the initial press conference

News Post in thread 'Guest dies, found unresponsive after riding Stardust Racers'

Sep 25, 2025

The individuals lesion which I am guessing was more a spinal bifida/myelomeningocele shouldn’t impact their trunk tone to make them so flexible to hit their head on something

It was specifically called 'Spinal cord atrophy' by the victim's father. And obviously resulted in his paralysis at least to his legs.. and if it was thoracic as it sounded like.. it could have impaired much higher as well.

• flynnibus

• 

I did indeed forget, thanks!

Key word is congenital.

This is often an in-utero insult that doesn't lead to major anatomic differences nor is it progressive. Not to be confused with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Or non-congenital forms of atrophy that are usually cause by a secondary (non-embryological) condition. It's not a "back condition" in the way a medical provider would interpret that warning sign. I can honestly say I don't personally believe this rider failed to meet prior criteria. This is all a moot conversation anyways, his condition was not directly exacerbated by the ride from what we know.

Nor does it really explain sufficiently what occurred, which I think is half the problem. Obviously his physiology had to contribute, but clearly in an unexpected way that Universal has pre-emptively and possibly inappropriately modified the rules.

 

[maxairmike]

Did everyone just forget that Universal has a history of, in my opinion, overreacting to incidents? Cat in the Hat is severely neutered in the back half of the ride with netting on the cars and increased restrictions in reaction to incidents, and I’m pretty confident that’s part (if not most) of why Yoshi has a surprisingly higher height requirement. They stopped Dragons from dueling because of incidents after like 15yrs of perfectly safe operations. Added metal detectors for intense attractions that interact with guest areas/other attractions due to incidents on RockIt and Dragons when most parks still don’t feel that kind of restriction is necessary. I’m sure I’ve told the story before, but during either the 07 or 08 season at Cedar Point I was standing in the Magnum station when a phone came flying in and smashed against an interior column from Top Thrill across the midway. That didn’t have super strict restrictions similar to Universal until it reopened last year as TT2 IIRC.

Universal just tends to operationally overreact to situations like this, which is unfortunate for whichever group is impacted by a given decision. As to everything else, all I’ll say is that sometimes things are fine until they aren’t, mechanically or medically, without any advance warning or knowledge.