Amusement Parks

If you have a family member who was recently injured at an amusement park, you might want to get them help by seeking compensation. But in order to file a personal injury claim, there are certain things that you need to know about where you were and what happened. “Amusement park” is a loose term that can apply to several different things. But how is an amusement park actually defined? And what regulations apply to amusement parks as opposed to carnivals, theme parks, and other similar locations? You can find out here.

What is an Amusement Park?

An amusement park is defined as a park that has many different types of attractions, such as games, rides, and events. One important characteristic of an amusement park is the fact that it is built for long lasting operation. This means that the rides are stationary and do not change frequently. An amusement park does not change location.

The fact that the amusement park’s rides are stationary and that the park does not move is what separates it from other locations with rides, such as festivals, fairs, and carnivals. Festivals, fairs, and carnivals tend to be temporary and have moveable rides, unlike the amusement park.

Another similar and common venue is the theme park. A theme park could fall under the category of amusement park, since these parks tend to be stationary. The difference is that an amusement park is a random collection of rides and games, while a theme park’s events and rides center on one theme. For example, Disneyland is considered a theme park because all of the rides and games revolve around Disney. This park is even broken up into smaller themed “destination” parks, such as Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, etc.

Legal Differences

Sometimes, it can be difficult to differentiate an amusement park from a theme park. The good news is that this does not really matter from a legal standpoint. There aren’t any federal guidelines to distinguish these types of parks. However, amusement parks and theme parks differ from carnivals, fairs, and festivals to a greater extent. This is due to differences in ride type (fixed vs. moveable), regulations, and employment standards. For this reason, you should differentiate between a park and a fair or carnival if you are going to take legal action against a location.

Getting Help

If your child or another loved one was injured while on a ride or playing a game, it is important to get them help as soon as possible. The first step in getting them help is determining the type of venue that they were injured at. Hopefully this page will provide the answers that you need. If you still have questions, or want to take further action to protect a loved one, you can contact my office. I am happy to help.