Park notes: Disney Skyliner 911 call / Universal drink lawsuit / Jillycakes at Icon Park

The Orlando Sentinel has obtained 911 calls made by guests who are stuck on the Disney Skyliner on Oct. 5.

The Disney-run Reedy Creek Improvement District that covers Walt Disney World released the calls in response to a public records request from the Sentinel. In the audio, guests are heard crying, asking for help from emergency services and expressing serious concern about health problems of those on board the gondolas.

In one notable call, an 11-year-old Lakeland girl asked for help for her Spanish-speaking mother who did not have her seizure medication. The call lasted for nearly an hour before emergency services arrived.

One man told the 911 dispatcher than his wife had a fever and was slipping in and out of consciosuness.

“My wife just passed out and came back … I’m just getting really concerned now, it’s near two hours … she’s breathing, she’s just in a lot of pain … oh gosh, she’s burning up,” the man said on the audio obtained by the Sentinel. “This is bad. She’s not going to last long.”

Disney has not said what caused the Oct. 5 accident that led to a nine-day shutdown of the new Skyliner system, and has continued to refer the problem as a “malfunction.” The system began running again on Oct. 14, transporting guests between Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and four Disney hotels.

Universal Orlando being sued over ‘unlimited’ drink refills

A New York has filed a lawsuit against Universal Orlando, claiming the parks’ offer of “unlimited” soda refills amounts to “false advertising” because of certain restrictions.

For $17, Universal guests can buy a cup good for refills all day long at Coca-Cola Freestyle machines inside the theme parks. To keep guests from gaming the system with other cups, the “unlimited refill” cups have a RFID chip. This chip also tracks how often a guests is filling up — and limits refills to once every 10 minutes.

According to Arnaud’s suit, he wouldn’t have bought the deal if he knew about these restrictions, calling it a “unconscionable trade and business practice.”

The lawsuit was first reported by the New York Post. Universal declined to comment to the Post on the case.

‘Cupcake Wars’ winner bringing bakery to Icon Park

Icon Park on International Drive is getting a new addition to its Wheelhouse Market food hall.

Jillian Hopke, the season six season winner of the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars,” is moving her Jillycakes bakery to the market beginning Nov. 9. According to a press release, she’ll also be teaching baking classes there during the holiday season.

“We are thrilled Hopke chose Icon Park as a base for her entire operation,” said Icon Park CEO Chris Jaskiewicz. “Jillycakes already has a local following. International Drive gives Central Florida businesses, like Jillycakes, the chance for global exposure.”

Icon Park is the current name for the complex surrounding the 40-story Orlando Eye, which was redubbed The Wheel at Icon Park earlier this year.

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