Photo by @HanneyYoung on X
The ride had started barely 4 months ago.
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A 32-year-old man died while riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal’s Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, September 17. Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive after riding the attraction and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident, and the attraction remains closed until further notice.
Universal Epic Universe, which opened in May 2025, is the newest theme park at Universal Orlando Resort. The park has been a major addition to Central Florida’s theme park landscape, featuring five immersive worlds and 11 different rides. Stardust Racers is located in Celestial Park, the main hub of the new theme park, and has been one of its most popular attractions since opening.
The Orange County Medical Examiner determined that Zavala died from multiple blunt impact injuries, ruling his death as an accident, according to WFTV and WESH. The finding comes after an autopsy was performed on Thursday morning following the incident. Off-duty deputies who were already at the park responded to a “man down” call and found Zavala unresponsive on the ride vehicle. Despite emergency response efforts, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Stardust Racers features advanced safety systems and extensive testing
The roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 62 miles per hour and climbs to heights of 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track. The attraction is a dual-launch racing coaster featuring two tracks, yellow and green, that compete against each other in what Universal calls a cosmic adventure. The ride includes a signature element called the “Celestial Spin,” where the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross maneuver.
Before opening to the public, Stardust Racers underwent extensive safety testing as required by industry standards. The ride had to operate for 80 consecutive hours without any issues before being cleared to open. Universal Orlando’s safety guidelines warn that the coaster includes sudden and dramatic acceleration, climbing, tilting, inversion and dropping. The attraction has a 48-inch height requirement, the tallest at Epic Universe, and requires guests to store loose items in lockers and pass through metal detectors before boarding.
Trim brakes were added to the roller coaster before opening due to safety concerns about G-force transitions. Reports indicated that the transition from negative to positive G-forces was happening too quickly, particularly in car 5 on each train. This led Universal to install the braking system to slow down the force transitions and meet safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials.
According to witnesses on the ride, a female passenger began screaming for help when the ride came to a stop. Fellow guest Maria Fernandez told local media that Zavala appeared to be slumped over and bleeding, with what looked like a broken leg. “I don’t know if he was dead in that moment, but I think yes,” Fernandez said. Fire officials confirmed that Zavala had not fallen from the roller coaster during the incident.
International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions states that criteria for theme park rides include detailed risk assessment, hazard mitigation, rider restraint and dimensions, biomechanical considerations including acceleration limits, and mechanical loads. Regular inspections are conducted by park staff, state regulatory officials, and third-party inspectors to ensure ongoing safety compliance at theme parks. Universal issued a statement saying they are “devastated by this tragic event” and are “fully cooperating with Orange County and the ongoing investigation.” The company has not announced when Stardust Racers is expected to reopen.
Published: Sep 19, 2025 04:47 am