Legoland has something for everyone. If you like theme park rides and attractions, there’s Legoland Parks. If it’s water-themed fun you want, Legoland Waterparks awaits. If you just want to be surrounded by Lego bricks, there’s plenty to be found in Legoland Discovery Centers across the world. And if you want to read about Legoland’s legal troubles, you’ve come to the right blog. Lawsuits await!
Staff can see through their costumes and they do see color (allegedly)
No one enters a Legoland theme park expecting to exit it feeling aggravated. But visiting a theme park and then getting the urge to visit a lawyer’s office afterward happens more often than you think.
In June 2022, Breana Ramsay became one of many who have sued the land of Legos. Ms. Ramsay and her sister-in-law were upset after her daughter and nephew were snubbed by costumed characters at Legoland in Goshen, NY, allegedly because the kiddos weren't the "right color."
She recorded videos of her kids as they were dancing around and tried to catch the attention of the mascots. As she was recording a video, Ms. Ramsay noticed that the costumed staff did not interact with her kid and nephew who were both Black but did interact with the children who were white.
A similar incident occurred in Sesame Place Philadelphia, where the staffer playing Rosita high-fived white children but appeared to purposely skip two Black children.
According to a statement by Sesame Place Philadelphia, the staffer who seemed to have made a “no” hand gesture toward the kids was actually directed toward multiple requests from adults. These adults were supposedly asking to have their children take a photo with the Rosita character.
Ms. Ramsey is now part of a whopping $25-million class action lawsuit, which includes claims of racism, against Legoland Theme Park in Goshen and Sesame Place in Philadelphia.
In light of these events, SeaWorld Parks has announced that they will make their employees undergo diversity and inclusion training. Good for them. Kids should certainly grow up in a world where Ernie, Bert, the Cookie Monster, Rosita, and all the folks in Sesame Street act inclusively.
Caution: Suntan lotion, water, and sunscreen ahead
Besides possibly suffering from emotional distress in a water park due to clueless employees, guests could also suffer from physical injuries if they don’t watch out for this dangerous combination: suntan lotion, water, and sunscreen.
A 43-year-old Canadian man named Claudio Ferri learned this lesson the hard way. In 2020, Mr. Ferri's summer vacation hit a bit of turbulence when he took the Joker Soaker ride at Legoland Water Park. Mr. Ferri found himself slipping down an all-too-slippery 15 steps due to what seemed like gallons of sunscreen and suntan lotion coating every surface.
His attempts to break his fall were in vain as children kept piling up from top to bottom, making it harder for him to stop short. Thankfully, concrete barriers were available below, which did little more than cushion his nonconsensual flight back down onto solid ground, causing a permanent disabling injury in the process.
His injuries were so severe and greatly affected his way of life. He filed suit, claiming that because of the incident, he had difficulties sleeping, participating in family activities, and traveling for work.
No real leg, no entry
Who would've thought that Legoland, the land of joy and happiness for kids everywhere, had a dark side? In an ironic twist worthy of a theme park ride itself, Legoland Florida Resort was accused of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act for allegedly discriminating against a person with a disability.
In July 2020, Aleisha Mullinax's 10-year-old son Z.G., who wears prosthetic legs designed specifically so he can swim without worry, visited Legoland, only to be told that his special leg was verboten.
At the water park, little Z.G.'s ambition to conquer the stairs leading to a thrilling waterslide was quashed when employees told him he had to remove his prosthetic leg, which they said they’d give back later. He complied and went down the slide, but he had difficulty swimming.
Despite swimming heroically with one less limb, no lifeguards came to his rescue. After Z.G. waved and shouted from the poolside like some kind of aquatic castaway for 20 long minutes, an employee finally brought down his forgotten appendage.
Because of the incident, he had recurring nightmares of him drowning. A lawsuit was filed against the resort for general negligence and infliction of emotional distress.
That child did not have to go through such an emotional rollercoaster ride (no pun intended).
If you’re headed to your local theme park with the kids this festive season, please take care. Or you might have to visit a lawyer’s office to talk about injury compensation. For personal injury cases in Washington State, Buckingham, LaGrandeur, & Williams are the lawyers to call. Leave us a message or call our legal offices in Renton at 206-432-4163.