The fright of your life

While Dorney Park may be advertised as an amazing place to visit, some may argue that the amusement park is also dangerous.  At the end of January 2019, a Pennsylvania mother, Shannon Sacco, filed a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of her daughter, against the Lehigh Valley, PA based Dorney Park and the parent company, Cedar Fair.  According to court documents, the young girl attended the park, with friends, for the Halloween Haunt festivities in September 2017.  She was scared so intensely by an employee, that she fell to the ground, causing serious injuries. 

As a first sign of caution, Dorney Park’s website warns that the Halloween Haunt is restricted to visitors over the age of 13.  A particularly frightening feature of the attraction is the presence of people roaming the park in monster costumes.  If getting scared is not your preference, there is an option to wear a glow-in-the-dark “No Boo” necklace, which is meant to ward off the monsters. In the lawsuit, Sacco argues that neither she nor her daughter were made aware that she could purchase the necklace. Since she was not wearing “No Boo,” monsters approached the child and her friends. Sacco’s daughter begged the monsters to stay away, because she did not want to be scared.  The monsters obeyed her pleas; but as she was walking away, a monster returned to scare her while her back was turned.

This starling surprise caused the young girl to fall. She is now not able to find employment due to the injuries sustained, which required medical treatment.  Although the injuries are not explicitly stated in the lawsuit, the effect of the injuries is described as “permanent.” Sacco is seeking $150,000 in damages for the incident. In addition to physical injuries, Shannon Sacco is also suing for compensation for her daughter’s emotional pain.