Sources are reporting that Stardust Racers is set to reopen tomorrow after over two weeks, when the roller coaster was closed due to an incident wherein a guest died shortly after riding.
Stardust Racers Reopening
Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude) first reported the news on X:
His caption reads:
NEW: Stardust Racers is planned to reopen tomorrow afternoon, October 4, at Universal Epic Universe.
This was additionally verified to us by our own anonymous support.
Universal has not issued a statement about the reopening. This is a developing story; stay tuned for further updates.
Stardust Racers Closure
The Stardust Racers roller coaster has been closed since September 17 after the death of 32-year-old Kevin Rodríguez Zavala, who passed away from “multiple blunt impact injuries” after riding Stardust Racers that same day.
Universal issued a statement to Team Members saying they had completed their own internal investigation and found that Stardust Racers “functioned as intended.”
Zavala’s family has publicly requested that Stardust Racers remain closed until all investigations are complete. The family has retained famous civil rights attorney Ben Crump to represent them, and Orange County officials revealed the investigation into the incident is being carried out under Florida’s manslaughter statute.
A GoFundMe has been set up for Kevin, and his family is kindly asking for support to cover funeral and memorial expenses.
On September 25, another guest sued Universal claiming injury from Stardust Racers; the case was quickly settled.
About Stardust Racers
Stardust Racers is a dual launched coaster manufactured by Mack Rides. Both sides have 5,000 feet of track and a maximum height of 133 feet. It reaches 62 mph. The height requirement is 48 inches.
After rumors that trim brakes were added to the roller coaster during testing, Universal began warning guests that their shoes must be worn at all times. Stardust Racers is also adding modified seats to accommodate larger guests.
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