Accidents Involving Injury at Universal Studios Hollywood

Official U.S. federal and state data on theme park accidents is almost nonexistent. That's why Theme Park Insider users are creating this visitor-maintained database of theme park accidents--to give public at least some information about attraction safety records.

Do you know of, or have been part of, an accident involving injury at Universal Studios Hollywood? Report it to Theme Park Insider.

Unverified Reports

I Was In The House Of Horrors Wen I Was Started By A " Scareactor" And Ran Into A Pole( Just A Little Sore ... Later That Day Our Group Went Down To Guest Services And They Were Pretty Nice About It, And We Made A Sigustion About Padding The Poles.

This incident has not been confirmed. Click here if you can verify it, or have additional information.

My name is Christine Zander I am 52 years old and this was my first visit to Universal studios in Los Angeles. My husband and I were sitting in dry seat zone or silver benches,at end of The Waterworld Show. Everyone in the packed stadium got up to leave, at the same time at the end of the show,, through only one exit point, with no cautionary advice to patrons from the Universal employees, advising them to walk carefully, as there were many wet and slippery areas, after the show. Everyone knew as they entered the stadium, that the green bench seating meant that you definitely would get wet,as this taped message was playing continuosly as you queued up for the show.If you sat on the green benches you were guarenteed to get wet,which turned out to be true. We were approximately 6 benches up on the silver seats, which we were advised to choose,if we wanted to stay dry before and during the show. This section was close to the exit, but we sat in the middle part of the bench itself. The crowd were jostling to exit quickly, with no guidelines from staff, or warnings to patrons as they all were trying to exit as fast as they could,and my husband and I decided to wait until the crowding eased as it actually looked dangerous in the way people were jostling to exit the stadium.The queue was overcrowded and people were bumping into each other, as they went down the stairway, at the end of our bench,in our section, and I actually said to my husband that looks to crowded lets wait until the numbers of people eased. One older gentleman decided to take a short cut, by walking down and over the benches to get to the cement path below and started to fall. In order to save himself, he put his hand out, knocked me over and I apparently tumbled and rolled down the benches to the cement area below.I banged the back of my head on a steel girder and had severe and immediate swelling at both my Right ankle and my Right knee and was in considerable pain. People just kept walking past me, apparently as I think I was knocked out for a minute or two. The bumbling people from Universal took awhile to hurry the patrons out of the stadium and were using their radios .Two men appeared, from where, I do not know and started to ask me questions. My head was bleeding and my husband was trying to keep my head still.He was eventually given some clean gauze to soak up some blood, as my head was bleeding alot, onto my husbands hand. They asked me if I wanted an ambulance, and I felt after awhile, that I could tolerate a wheelchair to the first aid room, rather than an ambulance. Meanwhile the VIP show continued behind me.My blood pressure was taken and I was eventually asked if I could move my arms and legs. No-one did a precautionary stabilisation of my neck after such a large fall, which is one of the first guidelines you learn when doing a first aid course. To make a long story a bit shorter, I was taken by wheelchair over every bump possible,with many apologies from the guy who was pushing the wheelchair, with a knee that had become enormous and was giving me considerable pain at the time.It seemed like forever and when I did finally reach the first aid room, the lady introduced herself as the nurse, but she had no idea of how to examine an injured person and the guy keeping an eye on me at this time, I think was a fireman.The two men continued to fill out some paperwork, and my husband was filling out a form, with my info on it.My husband asked for a copy of that form, but he was not given it as we were hurredly put into a courtesy van, to take us to the hospital,from the Studios itself. The guy looking after me, had been called the rookie, which made me feel really secure and he then bandaged my knee to keep ice on it, and managed to bandage the leg of the wheelchair to my leg, which made me think twice about his limited experience. Eventually I was wheeled out to a courtesy van, which I had to climb up the high step with considerable pain, and driven to the nearest hospital, where we were given a taxi voucher to bring my husband back to Universal to pick up our hire car, and I was put in a wheelchair. We were left, in the waiting room of the hospital, with no paperwork from them stating what had happened, no idea of where we were in Los Angeles, only a piece of paper with contact numbers on it from the park itself where those numbers were only accessible during working hours.We were abandoned as such in a unknowbn hospital, in an area of which we were unfamiliar.We were visitors from Australia. I had no fractures after an Xray of my ankle and knee,so was released with my leg in a splint and a bandaged ankled which by now was also swollen. Our insurance company sorted out our airfares and upgraded me to business class, so that I could sleep flat and have room to put my leg up on the 12 hour flight to Auckland from Los Angeles, and business class from Auckland to Adelaide. Prior to this flight and the day after the accident we had to go back to the hospital to get a form filled out stating that I was fit to fly. The Air New Zealand staff were fantastic and supportive, and very kindly upgraded my husband, as well to business class, so that he could be close to me, if I needed something. As well the LAX staff were absolutely marvellous and by their kind deeds and supportive ways, which assisted us in coping after such a traumatic incident. Thankfully this happened on the second to last day prior to our holiday ending, so our holiday was not a complete disaster.We were treated like VIP"s not by Universal, who had a great deal of responsibility in what happened and I hope that no-one ever has to go through what I had to endure. We were treated like VIP's at LAX which helped after such a traumatic accident.As well my husband was also treated the same all the way through back to Adelaide.I have heard nothing from Universal as yet and am still pondering as to perhaps seeking legal advice in regards to this injury ,after a MRI of my leg tomorrow and after seeing a specialist Orthopedic Doctor on Monday. I hope that Universal at least try to empty the stadium in a better manner than was done, on the day we were there.It struck me that every other attraction that we used in all places in the US had all sortss of warnings and limitations for safety.And yet after having spent one day at Universal where warnings were everywhere as well,this was the one place that did not clearly state that there was a danger in walking over wet surfaces. I hope that someone from Universal reads this and takes notice that whjat happened to me was very traumatic and it would have taken little to follow up with us to see whether we were managing or that we had retrieved our car simple things which would have made me feel that they at least cared that someone was injured and if there was a fault that it would be fixed so as not to allow this to happen again.

This incident has not been confirmed. Click here if you can verify it, or have additional information.

This happened on the second stunt of Fear Factor Live. The goal for the contestants was to escape from shackles by spinning around several times, then they were to pick up flags from a case filled with electric eels. Contestants are to retrieve the flag and bring it to the center to the corresponding number, with a catch, the center wheel is spinning. One of the contestants from Anchorage, Alaska, slipped several types due to the water from the flags. She has slipped several times, and the last one was the last time she got up. Due to her injury, Fear Factor Live was canceled due to a possible neck injury.

This incident has not been confirmed. Click here if you can verify it, or have additional information.

55 year old woman frightened by scare actor in corrider for line to ride. Fell and lacerated face on metal trash can requiring 7 stitches

This incident has not been confirmed. Click here if you can verify it, or have additional information.

Follow-up:
as a park employee i can say there are no actors in the que line at mummy on ly for halloween -- Submitted by kkacbh on 11/2/2006

As an annual pass visitor, I have witnessed several times costumed actors on stilts purposely sneaking up behind guests and snarling loudly in order to startle them. This occurs near the entrance to the ride and have not seen it occur in the line que. -- Submitted by geryogery on 8/29/2009

In 1993, my friend's daughter died of [what was later determined to be] a brain aneurysm, suffered while on this ride during a family vacation. It was two days after her 12th birthday. "A blood vessel burst in her brain, and she quit breathing, and was resuscitated, but was brain dead." She died one day later in ICU while on "life support". I do not know if this was ever mentioned in a news article, or if it was "dealt with quietly" by Universal, without publicity. The mother told me that "...the Universal Studio rep was...very understanding and compassionate. They paid for the hospital charges...the emergency room, etc." No lawsuit was ever filed against Universal.

This incident has not been confirmed. Click here if you can verify it, or have additional information.

Follow-up:
I know only what the prior report stated--that a young girl died of a previously undiscovered aneurysm. This did occur. -- Submitted by Name Withheld on 9/5/2002

i WORKED AT UNIVERSAL AND THE STORY OF THE GIRL WHO DIED IN THE PARK IS TRUE. alTOUHGH THERE IS SPECULATION THAT SHE HAUNTS THE RIDE -- Submitted by tinamed on 3/16/2005

This one is true. I was one of the supervisors on duty at BTTF that day. My manager, Steve, dealt directly with the family, along with upper management. It happened in dome 2 (I seem to recall it was vehicle 9, but it was some years ago - I could be mistaken as to the vehicle number). She was not pronounced dead at the scene, but was rushed to a nearby hospital - St. Joseph's, I believe. -- Submitted by outlawpoet on 3/16/2007

If you have additional information that can confirm, clarify or refute any of these reports, please e-mail the editor! (Please don't forget to include the attraction's name in your message.)

Search Theme Park Insider

Reader Reviews, by Theme Park

United States/Canada Top 20 ^*

• Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom
• Disneyland
• Epcot
• Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Disney's Animal Kingdom
• Universal Studios Florida
• SeaWorld Orlando
• Disney's California Adventure
• Universal's Islands of Adventure
• Universal Studios Hollywood
• Busch Gardens Tampa
• SeaWorld San Diego
• Knott's Berry Farm
• Canada's Wonderland
• Cedar Point
• Kings Island
• Busch Gardens Williamsburg
• Hersheypark
• Six Flags Great Adventure
• Six Flags Great America
• ^* By 2008 attendance

Other U.S. parks

• Holiday World
• Kings Dominion
• Legoland California
• Silver Dollar City
• Six Flags Magic Mountain

International parks

• Tokyo Disneyland
• Disneyland Paris
• Tokyo DisneySea
• Universal Studios Japan
• Hong Kong Disneyland

Water parks

• Aquatica
• Blizzard Beach
• Typhoon Lagoon

Theme Park Insider on Twitter

• Subscribe to our Twitter feed
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Watch our videos on YouTube

Theme Park Reviews, Features, Advice

• How to plan your vacation on a budget
• Theme Park Insider's 'four-hour' tour plans
• How to stay safe when visiting theme parks
• What's under construction for 2009/10
• TPI at the Tournament of Roses Parade

Theme Park News Archive

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004-2005