Universal Orlando Resort sadly saw a tragic event transpire at one of its parks in September. A park attendee unfortunately died after riding Stardust Racers, one of the more popular attractions at Epic Universe. Since then, Universal has provided updates as it has sought to look into the matter. Now, nearly three weeks after the incident, the roller coaster is set to be reopened to the general public. Ahead of that, one of Universal’s top executives penned a letter, and it sheds light on how the company has been preparing for the reopening.
The incident took place on September 17, at which point the attendee – who was later identified as 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala – was found to be unresponsive after riding Stardust Racers. According to Fox 35, Zavala was still in ride restraints and had no pulse when paramedics arrived on the scene. Zavala was eventually transported to a hospital where he died. Ultimately, the Orange County Medical Examiner ruled that the death was accidental and caused by “multiple blunt force injuries.”
Ahead of Stardust’s reopening on Saturday, October 4, Universal Orlando President Karen Irwin penned a letter that was sent out to employees. Fox 35 obtained the message, and it includes condolences for the Zavala family. Irwin also reiterated the findings that resulted from reviews, which provided some answers in the aftermath of the incident:
As one Universal Orlando family, we continue to extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to Mr. Rodriguez Zavala’s family and loved ones for their loss. I am very grateful for the professionalism, compassion, and care our team has shown during and since this tragic event took place. As I previously indicated, our comprehensive technical and operational review confirmed the ride systems functioned properly throughout the boarding process, the duration of the ride, and upon the ride vehicle’s return to the station, and our Team Members followed procedures throughout.
Those aforementioned findings were revealed in late September. At the time, the ride systems for Stardust Racers – a dual-launch roller coaster – “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”. Via her statement, Karen Irwin shared more insight into the “extensive” measures that were taken after the incident occurred:
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.
In the aftermath of Kevin Zavala’s death, there’s also the matter of what kind of changes will be made to Stardust moving forward. Irwin provided some insight into that as well:
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.
Considering the incident and Stardust Racers’ popularity at the much-visited Epic Universe, it seems Universal is taking steps to improve safety accordingly. It should also be mentioned that this situation marks the first death to have occurred at EU since it opened its doors in May 2025. As of this writing, the state of Florida has not initiated an investigation into this roller coaster death, as it’s not legally required to due to a law passed in 1992. Of course, despite that, Universal still invited investigators to look into the matter.
With Stardust Racers opening back up this weekend, all who ride the attraction will be safe while doing so. Karen Irwin seems confident that there won’t be another serious incident, as closed out her letter saying she was “confident [Universal] will continue to deliver extraordinary guest experiences that make our Destination so special.”