According to the Orlando Sentinel, eleven riders had to be rescued from the E.T. ride at Universal Studios after the ride stopped moving. A technical glitch caused the theme park ride to stop and the Orlando Fire Department used a ladder truck to get the people off the website.
Officials said the call came in just before 6:30PM when the ride stopped with riders on board. Universal Studios confirmed that eleven people were 8 to 10 feet off the ground. It took about half an hour for the rescuers to get everyone safely to the ground using a ladder, but the ride remained shut down.
The park opened up the E.T. theme ride at its normal time the next day after an overnight inspection and testing. Universal Studios claims it was a minor technical glitch, but fire officials confirm it was a blown breaker. The riders were lucky that they did not suffer any injuries, but they must have been terrified while awaiting to be rescued.
Some theme park goers are not as lucky to escape uninjured. Walt Disney World reported six guest injuries during the second quarter of 2011, some that occurred on Space Mountain, the iconic Magic Kingdom roller coaster. In one incident, a 48-year-old woman came into the unload area unconscious an was later diagnosed with a hemorrhage. In another injury, a 47-year-old woman felt nauseous, dizzy and out of breath.
An Orlando injury lawyer can provide guidance if you have been injured while visiting one of the many theme parks in Florida.