ORLANDO, Fla. — In the aftermath of a recent incident involving drones, a major theme park and a large hotel in central Florida have either halted their drone operations or canceled planned drone shows. This decision comes after several drones collided and fell during a separate holiday event in downtown Orlando, resulting in injuries to a child who required surgery.
Universal Orlando announced this week that it would temporarily suspend the drone features of its “CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular” show. Meanwhile, the Orlando World Center Marriott shared that it would cancel its drone shows scheduled for the holiday week.
This development follows an unfortunate event last Saturday, when drones plummeted into a large crowd gathered to enjoy a holiday performance at Lake Eola Park. A 7-year-old boy sustained a chest injury from one of the falling drones and underwent heart surgery, as reported by his mother.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently looking into the incident to determine what happened.
Despite these cancellations, the Orlando World Center Marriott assured guests that other festive activities would still take place as part of its “12 Days of Seasonal Fun” celebration. These activities include visits with Santa Claus, family-oriented games, and a fireworks display scheduled for New Year’s Eve.
Similarly, Universal Orlando confirmed that the non-drone aspects of its “CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular” show would continue as planned. Attendees can still enjoy fireworks, themed projections, and synchronized fountain displays, all set to iconic movie soundtracks, according to park officials.
The theme park added, “Guests can still enjoy the show nightly at Universal Studios Florida,” maintaining that elements of the entertainment experience will remain intact despite the absence of drones.
