A Mom Is Warning Parents About SeaWorld After A Terrifying Roller Coaster Experience

On July 9, Salina Higgins of Arizona took her daughter and niece on a special trip to SeaWorld San Diego. She and her 10 year old were excited to ride the Electric Eel, one of the parks tallest and fastest rides, which boasts 135-foot drop and speeds reaching up to 62 miles per hour. But Higgins says the experience went from thrilling to terrifying when one of her daughter’s restraints came undone while the child was upside-down. “Scariest day of my life and worst fear ever,” she wrote in a now-viral TikTok detailing the rollercoaster experience.

First thing’s first: everybody is physically OK. Higgins, her daughter, her niece, and all the other Electric Eel riders. But it’s clear, both from the initial video (which, as of press time, has been viewed nearly eight million times) and follow-ups, that Higgins is still shaken up from her experience.

“As we got to the first upside-down part of the ride, my daughter screamed in terror cause [sic] she saw her shoulder straps dangling in front of her,” she wrote over a still of a video taken by her niece. She continued, “I was able to secure the strap and held onto my daughter the best I could in absolute fear.”

It’s important to note that the Electric Eel does not rely on the “shoulder straps” — officially called “comfort collars” — for restraint, but rather a lap bar that remained secured throughout the duration of ride. In fact, a SeaWorld ride in Orlando, Ice Breaker, even removed the comfort collars last year. Though, I don’t know about you, but if any sort of device meant to be holding me in place comes loose during a ride, I’m absolutely going to panic.

Moreover, a sign displayed ahead of the Electric Eel instructs riders must keep the comfort collars secured at all times. Higgins also told NBC 7 San Diego that all restraints had been checked prior to the ride starting, both by her and an Electric Eel attendant, so the fact that one restraint came undone did not fill her with much confidence for the primary safety feature, either.

When the ride ended, Higgins explained to NBC 7 San Diego that she told an attendant what happened. The attendant, she said, apologized, but continued to load people onto the rollercoaster. she addressed her concerns with the SeaWorld employees staffing the ride, who apologized but loaded more people on nevertheless. Higgins went on to report her experience to guest services, who offered a pass to return. (“NO THANK YOU!”) She went on to speak to upper management.

“Instead of an apology or sympathy, he asked us if we read the disclaimer before riding the ride,” Higgins wrote in her TikTok. “I asked if that disclaimer stated the shoulder straps were optional. He chuckled and said ‘probably not.’”

She went on to say that management, whom she identified as Jeff Stein, called security and had her escorted out of the park.

CBS 8 San Diego reached out to Sea World for a statement. The park wrote,

We take safety very seriously and understand that this guest perceived a risk that caused her concern. There was not, however, a safety issue during the ride. All rides and attractions, including Electric Eel, are designed, operated and inspected daily in accordance with all applicable standards and manufacturer specifications. The “harness” this family is referencing is called a “comfort collar,” which is intended for the rider’s comfort and is not a restraining device. The lap bar and shin bar are the only restraining devices on the coaster, and they remained securely in place throughout the entire ride. Signage at the entrance of the ride indicates that the comfort collar is for rider comfort only."

But in a follow-up video, Higgins notes that “The truth is, an apology would have gone a long way and in all honesty probably would have made 99% of everything that I’ve done thus far not happen.” Instead, she explains, she felt SeaWorld management belittled her concerns and had her escorted off the property. “If they just would have shut it down for two seconds, double check that strap... I’m not saying shut it down for days, months, get rid of it entirely. I’m talking about maybe 20 minutes. Do a couple of test runs, check all the straps. I don’t think that’s asking too much.”

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), whom Higgins has been in contact with in the aftermath of her experience, are investigating the matter.