Walt Disney World is known as the “most magical place on earth,” with its brand having infiltrated almost every market you can think of. Its parks, characters and ability to seamlessly blend fantasy and reality draws millions each year to experience the pixie dust.
Sounds fun, right? Unfortunately, the abrupt stop at the end of the slide caused Emma to experience the not so fun phenomenon of a “wedgie.” Emma’s situation turned serious when she suffered immense pain, bleeding and lacerations that damaged internal organs. Like any good American, Emma filed a lawsuit against Disney in 2023, alleging a minimum of $50,000 in damages.
Riders of the Humunga Kowabunga were advised to cross their legs at their ankles, which Emma did, but the force of the ride caused her ankles to become uncrossed. She alleged that no reason was given as to why crossing your legs was a good idea. Two others had experienced similar injuries in 2017, but thousands have enjoyed the slide without incident. Disney denied any wrongdoing and suggested that Emma did not use reasonable care and willingly got on the attraction. Interestingly, the ride closed January 20, 2026, for refurbishment.
The July 2025 mediation with Disney was unsuccessful, so the case was set for trial on January 5, 2026. Surprisingly, Emma dismissed her lawsuit in August 2025, and even more shocking, the voluntary dismissal was with prejudice, barring her from filing the same complaint again.
This unexpected turn of events begs the question, why did Emma dismiss the lawsuit? Did Scrooge McDuck finally open his pockets to reach a settlement? No evidence of that happening has surfaced – maybe the Disney magic really does exist.
