Stardust Racers at Epic Universe has been seen testing at full speed with Team Members on board ahead of the attraction’s planned reopening.
Stardust Racers
Stardust Racers at Epic Universe has been closed since the evening of September 17, when when 32-year-old Kevin Rodríguez Zavala was rushed to a nearby hospital after riding and passed away shortly afterward. Multiple investigations were carried out on the attraction to determine the possible cause of Zavala’s “multiple blunt impact injuries.”
However, a message from Universal to Team Members revealed that, “Our internal findings to date confirm that the ride systems functioned as intended, equipment was intact at the ride’s start, throughout the duration of the ride and upon the ride vehicle’s return to the station, and our Team Members followed procedures.”
In a more recent message, it was confirmed that Universal plans to reopen Stardust Racers sometime in the afternoon on October 4.
Our extensive review was conducted working closely with local officials, and the State of Florida observed the testing and reviewed the results. In addition, the ride system manufacturer of record and an independent, third-party roller coaster engineering expert conducted their own on-site testing and validated our findings. I am thankful for their participation throughout this important process.
Safety, as always, is our top priority. To further assist guests in determining whether they can or cannot ride an attraction, we are updating operational procedures and attraction signage to reinforce existing ride warnings and physical eligibility requirements at Stardust Racers and other rides.
This means we are prepared to reopen Stardust Racers at Universal Epic Universe on Saturday afternoon, October 4.
Karen Irwin
President & Chief Operating Officer
Universal Orlando Resort
As hinted by Irwin, Universal Orlando Resort has since posted a new Guide for Safety and Accessibility that outlines various safety procedures, attraction requirements, and much more. Interestingly, the guide for Epic Universe added a new requirement for select attractions, including Stardust Racers, that says “Guests using mobility devices must be able to walk independently.”
Both Zavala’s family and their attorney Ben Crump have since responded to the reopening news, calling Stardust Racers, “evidence in an active death investigation” and describing the decision “a grave risk to public safety.”
Attraction Testing with Team Members
As of the morning of October 4, Team Members have now been spotted riding Stardust Racers in both of the dueling ride vehicles. The riders are all wearing the classic Universal blue Team Member shirts with a patch on the chest.
The attraction seems to be operating as it would normally, with both vehicles running at the same time with what appears to be their regular speed. However, Team Members are not yet allowing guests into the queue, so the attraction may not reopen until later this afternoon. The reopening plans could also be effected by local weather conditions.
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