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Man sues Disney after Magic Kingdom ferry crash throws him into trash can, lawsuit says

Lawsuit claims the ferry struck Disney’s pier, causing injuries

A ferry boat carries guests to and from the Magic Kingdom, keeping cars far away (Ken Pilcher, Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A man is suing Walt Disney Parks after a ferry crash last year left him in a trash can, according to court records filed on Monday.

The lawsuit shows that in April 2023, the man — Justin Tripp — was planning to spend the day at the Magic Kingdom theme park.

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He decided to take the “Richard F. Irvine” ferry from the parking lot to the park, but the ferry suffered from “over-crowding” during the trip, forcing Tripp to stand near the stern, the lawsuit claims.

“As the ferry approached the docking area of the Magic Kingdom, the ferry did not slow down,” the lawsuit reads. “The ferry struck the boat (dock) at an unsafe and high rate of speed, causing passengers to be thrown about, including (Tripp).”

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According to the lawsuit, there was no warning provided to passengers prior to the collision, and one passenger was even knocked unconscious.

“The ferry and dock sustained visible damage during the allision or crash of the ferry into the Disney dock,” court records state.

In addition, Tripp’s head and neck struck a steel pillar on the ferry, and he eventually fell into a trash can — something that potentially kept him from falling overboard, the lawsuit argues.

As a result of the incident, Tripp is accusing Disney of negligence, and he seeks over $50,000 in damages from the company due to the injuries he suffered.

Read the entire lawsuit by scrolling down to the media viewer below.


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