Epic Universe Sees Its First Major Park Death Incident, And It Involves A Popular Ride

Thrill rides at theme parks are meant to create the illusion of danger. Unfortunately, sometimes that danger can become far too real. Such was the case yesterday when a man died following a ride on one of the roller coasters at the brand new Epic Universe theme park, the first such incident in the park that we're aware of.

A Man Has Died After Riding An Epic Universe Roller Coaster

According to Spectrum News 13 in Orlando, a man was found unresponsive after a ride on Stardust Racers, a dual-track roller coaster which is seen as the park's top thrill experience and one of the best rides at Epic Universe. He was taken to an area hospital upon being discovered, where he later passed away. His name has not been released, but the Sheriff's Office confirms the man was in his 30s.

This is obviously a terrible tragedy. In a statement published by Spectrum, Universal said it was cooperating with the Sheriff's department's investigation and is "devastated" by the event. Stardust Racers is now closed, with no estimated reopening date.

Epic Universe fans had noticed the closure of Stardust Racers yesterday, which at the time seemed to occur without cause. The exact timing of the incident is unclear, but the man had been at Epic Universe on Wednesday and apparently rode Stardust Racers in the evening. The ride was closed immediately after the man was found.

Stardust Racers Is The Latest Thrilling Universal Orlando Roller Coaster

Stardust Racers is the top thrill ride experience at Epic Universe. The dual-track coaster sees two trains launching simultaneously along parallel tracks that run alongside and past each other at various points. One side is seen as more intense than the other, in a design meant to give guests a choice of thrill level, though both are among the most intense coasters found at Universal Orlando.

The coaster reaches speeds of 62 miles per hour, featuring a 133-foot vertical climb along 5,000 feet of track. The coaster's premier moment is called the Celestial Spin, which sees both coasters fall into a spinning dive while each ride vehicle is just feet from the other.

Stardust Racers follows the construction of the Jurassic World Velocicoaster and Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, marking three top-tier roller coasters at the resort, which has made Universal Orlando a destination for coaster enthusiasts. Stardust was built by attraction construction company Mack Rides, which also built the Curse of the Werewolf, another roller coaster found at Epic Universe.

Stardust Racers has run for four months since Epic Universe opened, and for several weeks before that during extensive previews, without incident. We can be sure Stardust Racers will undergo an extensive examination. While there's no indication of mechanical issues with the coaster, everybody, including Universal, will want to be sure everything is working perfectly.