Passenger sues Disney Cruise Line over theater fall aboard Disney Wish
A federal complaint alleges bright stage lighting and staircase conditions contributed to injuries during a four-night Bahamas cruise.
Florida resident Cynthia Manning has filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was injured after falling down stairs in the Walt Disney Theater aboard Disney Wish. The civil complaint was filed in federal court in Orlando.
According to the complaint, Manning was walking to her seat on the second night of a four-night Thanksgiving voyage to the Bahamas when a production crew member directed an excessively bright stage light toward the audience. She alleges the light temporarily blinded and disoriented her as she descended the theater stairs.
The lawsuit also attributes the fall in part to alleged conditions on the staircase, including uneven alternating steps, inadequate lighting and absent handrails. Manning’s filing accuses Disney of negligence related to the design, construction, approval or selection of the theater’s stage lights and staircase.
The complaint says Manning suffered severe injuries to both ankles and both feet but does not detail their extent. She is seeking a jury-determined monetary award for economic and non-economic damages, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, disability and other claimed losses, as well as court costs. Disney Cruise Line did not respond Thursday to a request for comment.