Will There Be An Investigation Into The Epic Universe Roller Coaster Death? The Answer Is Complicated

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The theme park community was deeply saddened by the recent death of an Epic Universe guest following a ride on the Stardust Racers roller coaster, and it’s prompted many questions. Although some information about the incident has been shared, much remains unknown. Frankly, it’s uncertain how much will ultimately be revealed.

The investigation into Kevin Zavala’s death is still in progress, but it’s unclear who is leading it. Although the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services usually oversees amusement park ride safety, it appears that this doesn’t include Epic Universe.

Florida Law Doesn’t Require The State To Investigate Universal Orlando Resort

Florida, and especially the Orlando area, is famous for its many amusement parks. You’ll find everything from major destinations like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, to well-known parks such as SeaWorld and LegoLand. There are also smaller parks like Fun Spot and Icon Park – though sadly, Icon Park experienced a tragic incident a few years ago. Overall, the area offers parks to suit all tastes and budgets.

But because of a law in Florida from 1992, only the smaller amusement parks need to have their rides inspected by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Bigger parks – those with over 1,000 employees and their own inspectors – don’t have to be checked by the state.

As a big cinema fan, I was reading about the incident at Epic Universe, and according to Orlando’s News 6, it seems there isn’t currently an independent investigation being done by FDACS. However, that doesn’t mean the state is completely in the dark – they are being kept updated on what’s happening, apparently.

Universal Invited Investigators To Check Out Stardust Racers Anyway

Large theme parks must report serious injuries or deaths to the state. Reports indicate that Epic Universe did so when Kevin Zavala was found unconscious after riding the park’s main roller coaster. An investigator was also asked to inspect the Star Dust Racers coaster very quickly after the incident, which a spokesperson said went beyond what the state requires.

According to a letter from Universal Orlando President Karen Irwin, the coaster was functioning as expected when the incident occurred. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued a statement confirming this finding, agreeing that the ride was operating correctly at the time.

Certain Florida legislators have proposed altering the law to ensure that large theme parks face the same inspection requirements as smaller parks. This discussion arose in 2023 when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis clashed with Disney regarding the Reedy Creek Improvement District. During this dispute, Governor DeSantis indicated a desire to change the law specifically to prevent Disney from self-inspecting. As a result, a new law was enacted that now subjects the Walt Disney World Monorail to state inspections, which it was previously exempt from.

Stardust Racers is still closed after what happened. Because there hasn’t been an official investigation by the state, it’s possible Epic Universe could reopen the ride whenever they choose. The fact that they haven’t yet suggests they want to fully understand the situation before doing so. Currently, there are no announced plans to reopen the ride. It remains suspended until further notice. We will update you as soon as we have more information.

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2025-10-03 02:40