Katrina Griffin filed a lawsuit against Disneyland after claiming to be permanently injured when an actor dressed as Goofy fell on her during a visit to the park. The incident occurred at Disney California Adventure Park when Griffin was bending over to tie her daughter’s shoe and Goofy allegedly walked directly into her, causing her to fall onto the hard cement. The lawsuit filed in March claimed that the mascot then fell onto Griffin with all of his body weight, resulting in severe, traumatic, debilitating, and permanent injuries that required significant medical care.
Griffin did not specify the exact injuries she suffered but named Disneyland, the actor in the Goofy suit, and the mascot’s handler as co-defendants in the lawsuit. Disney Parks employees serve as handlers for the mascots to ensure guests have safe interactions with the characters. These handlers also act as translators for the costumed workers who are unable to speak, such as Goofy. Griffin alleged that the handler failed to prevent the collision between her and the Goofy character, leading to the incident that caused her injuries.
Both cast members involved were not identified in the lawsuit and were listed as “John Doe 1” and “John Doe 2.” Griffin is seeking a trial by jury to pursue damages related to healthcare bills, loss of earnings, and negligence, stating that her injuries will likely result in some permanent disability. A case management conference has been scheduled for September 4 to address the ongoing legal proceedings related to the incident at Disneyland.
In a separate incident at Disney World in Florida, a woman named Emma McGuinness filed a personal injury lawsuit after experiencing a painful wedgie from a waterslide at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. McGuinness visited the park in October 2019 for her 30th birthday and took the high-speed plunge on the Humunga Kowabunga slide, a near-vertical 214-foot drop. She claimed to have gone airborne near the end of her slide, slamming downward and causing her swimsuit to painfully be forced between her legs and water to be violently forced inside her.
The lawsuit obtained by WKMG stated that riders on the Humunga Kowabunga slide, which reaches speeds up to 40 miles per hour, do not use any rafts or tubes. The impacts of the slide led to McGuinness experiencing significant discomfort and injury during her visit to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Similar to Griffin’s case at Disneyland, McGuinness is seeking damages for the injuries sustained during her waterslide experience, including healthcare bills and negligence on the part of Disney. The legal proceedings for McGuinness’s case in Florida are ongoing, with further developments expected in the future.
