Stardust Racers Resumes Operation with Enhanced Safety Protocols Following Guest Fatality—Find Out What’s New

ORLANDO, Fla. – Universal Orlando is set to reopen Stardust Racers on Saturday, and the safety and accessibility guides for Epic Universe and its associated Central Florida theme parks have been revised as of last night.

Stardust Racers has remained closed since September 17, after 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala passed away in the hospital. He was discovered unresponsive in his restraint during a ride.

The medical examiner’s report declared that Rodriguez Zavala died from “multiple blunt impact injuries” and deemed the death accidental. An incident report acquired by News 6 mentioned that Rodriguez Zavala had a “preexisting spinal injury,” though its impact on the event is unspecified.

In correspondence with staff, Universal Orlando Resort President Karen Irwin conveyed that Stardust Racers was operating correctly prior to the incident. This message was reinforced in a subsequent letter she released on Friday, announcing the ride’s reopening.

Prior to this incident, the Epic Universe safety and accessibility guide clearly stated that Stardust Racers is “not allowed for Guests with back, neck, or similar physical conditions.”

The updated safety and accessibility guides, as of October 4, feature a revised symbol legend for all attractions, additional rider requirements for rides including Stardust Racers, and new provisions for issues such as guests using wheelchairs.

Guests who review the “Stardust Racers” section of the latest Epic Universe safety guide will see a red circle with a diagonal line crossing it. This symbol means that guests should not board an attraction if they have “weakened bones or muscles,” if they have ”the inability to independently maintain an upright position,” or if they have “any other conditions which may be aggravated” by the ride.

The same symbol now appears for Constellation Carousel, Dragon Racer’s Rally, Fyre Drill, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, Curse of the Werewolf, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Mine-Cart Madness and Yoshi’s Adventure.

Additionally, the same symbol appears in the same context in the safety and accessibility guide for Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, which was also updated Oct. 4.

In the past, both it and a version with a stethoscope in the center were used interchangeably to identify attractions unsuitable for guests with unhealed or recent surgery. Now though, only the stethoscope refers to the surgery clause while the empty red circle with a line crossing it bears the same meaning as it does in the Epic Universe guide.

In the “Guests Using Wheelchairs” section of the latest version of the Epic Universe safety and accessibility guide, an updated line in the second paragraph states that those capable of transferring themselves to attraction seating will be allowed to do so “at most attractions” and invites readers to review a new list of ”attractions which require Guests to walk independently.”

That list contains three rides: Dragon Racer’s Rally, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, and Stardust Racers. Those three rides had previously appeared in a list of attractions “designed to accommodate those transferring from their wheelchair to the ride vehicle,” but no longer.

Returning to the “Stardust Racers” section of the safety guide, the updated version has added and removed the following language:

ADDED: “Guests using mobility devices must be able to walk independently.”

REMOVED: “You must be able to take a small step into the ride vehicle compartment, either independently or with assistance from your companion.”

Other aspects of the “Stardust Racers” section remain the same, such as a rider requirement that guests must be able to independently “maintain an upright position,” “support (their) torso, neck, and head while absorbing sudden and dramatic movements,” and “brace (their) body with at least one natural upper extremity.”

News 6 has requested comment on these changes from Universal Orlando and is awaiting a response.

[WATCH: When will Stardust Racers reopen?]

Tim Hayden, who visited Epic Universe from Miami with his family on Saturday, said Rodriguez Zavala’s death is a tragic event.

“It’s not something you want to hear about for anybody. I think everybody has to take precautions and understand the issues they may have,” he said. “If they reopened it, I imagine they did their due diligence. If they think it’s safe to reopen, we have to trust the system.”

Returning guest Paul Mulherin from Virginia told News 6 he wasn’t going to ride Stardust Racers.

“I didn’t get on it the first time weeks ago. I’m not getting on it again and the kids are not getting on it. We’re a little nervous. Probably everything is OK. I don’t think Universal will do anything unsafe,” he said. “It’s a tough call — turn away a lot of people who could ride it and have fun vs. the off chance that something bad could happen.”

Rodriguez Zavala’s family and legal team have since issued statements in response to the ride’s reopening, as they sought to have it remain closed while investigations into the death progressed.

“By rushing to reopen this ride as if nothing happened, Universal is showing great disregard for Kevin’s life, our family’s pain, and the safety of every rider who steps onto that coaster. We are horrified that Universal would put the ride back into operation so quickly,” said Zavala’s parents, Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz and Ana Zavala.

The family’s legal team, which includes attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson, lambasted the plan to reopen Stardust Racers.

“Stardust Racers is evidence in an active death investigation. Reopening the ride before our experts can examine every component is unadulterated spoliation of evidence, a grave risk to public safety, and puts profit over people’s lives,” Crump said in a statement. “Universal reportedly told employees the ride functioned as intended. If that is accurate, then the design itself is deadly. We are demanding that Universal pause the reopening, preserve all evidence, and allow our experts to inspect it. If they refuse, we will address Universal’s callous actions in court.”

Crump is expected to hold a news conference with Rodriguez Zavala’s family on Monday.