Florida man sues Universal over alleged malfunction of 'Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey' ride
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ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida man has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $50,000 in damages against Universal Orlando Resort, alleging he was injured during a ride malfunction.
'Unreasonable risk of harm’
What we know:
A St. Johns County man has filed a lawsuit against Universal Orlando Resort, seeking more than $50,000 in damages. The suit stems from a July 2, 2023, incident involving the "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" ride.
The plaintiff claims the ride came to a sudden halt, leaving him stranded in a tilted cart for approximately an hour before being repositioned. He alleges the malfunction resulted in injuries and emotional distress.
What we don't know:
Universal Orlando has not yet issued a public response or comment on the allegations. It is unclear whether the park has conducted an internal investigation or made technical changes to the ride following the incident.
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There is also no information available about whether similar lawsuits have been filed or whether regulatory authorities were involved.
The backstory:
According to the complaint, the ride was operating as intended when it unexpectedly stopped. The plaintiff argues that the ride has a history of issues and that Universal continued to run it despite known risks.
The lawsuit alleges a failure to repair or warn about the potential for power-related stoppages, which the plaintiff claims were foreseeable and avoidable.
What is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey?
Dig deeper:
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is an indoor thrill ride at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure theme park and part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The attraction includes robotic arm technology, motion simulation and 3D/4D imagery. Guests ride in secure seats attached to the robotic arm which pivots, drops, spins, and twists above its track.
"Enter through the towering castle gates and make your way down the familiar passageways and corridors of Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then soar above the castle grounds as you join Harry Potter™ and his friends on a thrilling adventure," Universal explains. "Groundbreaking, state-of-the-art technology (and a little magic) creates a one-of-a-kind ride."
Universal has an identical ride at its parks in California, Japan, and China.
Timeline:
The incident occurred on July 2, 2023. The plaintiff was allegedly stuck in the ride for nearly an hour that day. The legal complaint was filed in Orange County, Florida, on May 28, 2025.
What they're saying:
The suit includes two counts: premises liability and general negligence. It argues that Universal breached its duty of care by failing to implement proper safety protocols, conduct timely inspections, maintain backup systems, and communicate warnings about ongoing risks — including rolling power outages. The plaintiff argues that this created "unreasonable risk of harm."
Universal was "aware that the rollercoaster had similar problems in the past and failed to take adequate or reasonable steps to remedy this known problem," the complaint alleges.
It further claims the theme park acted "with wanton, willful, and reckless disregard for the safety and health of the plaintiff," citing a profit motive for continuing to operate the ride despite the risks.
As a result, the plaintiff claims he suffered "bodily injury, resulting in pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, scarring, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, loss of earnings, loss of ability to earn money, damage to property, inconvenience, and aggravation of a previously existing condition. Such losses are either permanent or continuing in nature."
As of Monday, June 2, 2025, Universal had not responded publicly.
Read The Lawsuit:
Below is the full text of the lawsuit, which you can also find at this link (PDF).
What's next:
The complaint demands a jury trial and seeks damages, court costs, and additional relief as allowed by law. The plaintiff is represented by Rob Cook, Attorney at Law, P.A., based in St. Augustine.
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The Source: This story was written based on information from documents filed in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in and for Orange County.