Tourist sues Disney over scooter injury from 2016

A woman who contends she was injured after being run over by another Walt Disney World visitor on a motorized scooter at the theme park has filed a lawsuit against the company.

While on vacation from Ohio, Vicki Denton perused items in a Hollywood Studios gift shop when the alleged incident occured in 2016, the lawsuit said. The action, filed earlier this month against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Orange Circuit Court, is seeking more than $15,000 in damages.

The woman on the scooter tried to reverse but mistakenly moved forward instead. She hit Denton, pinning her against a checkout counter, and Denton fell over the scooter, said her Orlando attorney Michael Sanchez. Denton was taken to the hospital, said Sanchez, who declined to release details about her injuries, although the lawsuit said they were permanent in nature.

“This happens a lot. It’s becoming more of a problem as Disney gets crowded,” he said about scooters running into pedestrians. “When they hit someone, they do damage.”

He pointed to a 2015 lawsuit filed by his Orlando firm where a visitor was allegedly hit by a scooter in the line for Magic Kingdom’s Splash Mountain ride in 2013. The alleged incident broke the man’s femur, the lawsuit said. It is still pending.

In response, Disney released a statement saying, “Both of these lawsuits center on incidents from several years ago between guests, and both involved personally owned motorized scooters. We will respond to the allegations as appropriate in court.

“Our focus is on providing a safe environment for our guests and cast members,” the statement added.