Theme Park Resort and Hotel in Central Florida Halt Drone Shows After Accident

A theme park resort and a huge hotel in central Florida have made the decision to either stop using drones or cancel their drone-based shows after a recent incident during a holiday celebration in downtown Orlando. The accident resulted in several drones colliding and falling from the sky, injuring a young boy who required surgery.

Universal Orlando announced this week that they would be pausing the drone component of their CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular show, while Orlando World Center Marriott confirmed that they would be cancelling their scheduled drone light shows during the holiday week.

The decision to halt the drone shows comes after a frightening incident on Saturday, where drones fell into a crowd of thousands of people who were gathered to watch a holiday show at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. Tragically, a seven-year-old boy was struck in the chest by one of the drones and had to undergo heart surgery, as reported by his mother.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently conducting an investigation into the accident to determine the cause of the drone malfunction.

Despite the cancellation of the drone light shows, Orlando World Center Marriott reassured guests that other activities for its 12 Days of Seasonal Fun celebration would continue as planned. These activities include visits from Santa Claus, family games, and a spectacular fireworks show on New Year’s Eve.

Meanwhile, Universal Orlando stated that the non-drone elements of their CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular show, which includes fireworks, projections, synchronized fountains, and a movie soundtrack, will still be offered at the end of each night. Guests can enjoy the show nightly at Universal Studios Florida, according to theme park officials.