Disney Rides -- Safe or Not

[piasabird]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,159706,00.html

Death at Disney Concerns Consumer Group

But after 4-year-old Daudi Bamuwamye (search) died on a popular ride at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center, some people may consider getting their thrills elsewhere. As well, the incident has parents and lawmakers questioning amusement park regulation and safety standards.

Since the "Mission: Space" attraction opened in 2003, seven people have been taken to the hospital for chest pains, fainting or nausea. The intense attraction simulates a rocket and spins riders around in a centrifuge. So how is the park assuring patrons' safety?

I can not imagine any rides at Epcott Center being all that dangerous. I dont recall if I have been on this ride or not. However, Epcott tends to attract a lot of older people because it is one of the oldest parks of Disney World. I can see how old people die standing in line forever with no food or water trying to get on a 5-10 minute ride.

What do you think? Have you ever been on this ride? I have been on the old ride in the big white globe, and my kids have been on the race car ride, but I am not sure about this ride. I didnt see any safety problems, but taking an infant on an amusement ride may be taking an unnecessary risk. Maybe they need a minimum height requriement like they use to use for roller coasters.

I think that disney gets so many visitors that there are bound to be a few deaths just based on the law of averages.

PS My daughter is working for disney right now.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: piasabird
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,159706,00.html

Death at Disney Concerns Consumer Group

But after 4-year-old Daudi Bamuwamye (search) died on a popular ride at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center, some people may consider getting their thrills elsewhere. As well, the incident has parents and lawmakers questioning amusement park regulation and safety standards.

Since the "Mission: Space" attraction opened in 2003, seven people have been taken to the hospital for chest pains, fainting or nausea. The intense attraction simulates a rocket and spins riders around in a centrifuge. So how is the park assuring patrons' safety?

I can not imagine any rides at Epcott Center being all that dangerous. I dont recall if I have been on this ride or not. However, Epcott tends to attract a lot of older people because it is one of the oldest parks of Disney World. I can see how old people die standing in line forever with no food or water trying to get on a 5-10 minute ride.

What do you think? Have you ever been on this ride? I have been on the old ride in the big white globe, and my kids have been on the race car ride, but I am not sure about this ride. I didnt see any safety problems, but taking an infant on an amusement ride may be taking an unnecessary risk. Maybe they need a minimum height requriement like they use to use for roller coasters.

There is a minimum height requirement of 44" for Mission: Space. There are also numerous warnings, both visual and verbal that stress this ride is not for everyone.

Seeing as 100s of thousands of people have ridden Mission: Space, including children, with nobody dying, one would have to believe that this child had some unknown health problem that attributed to his death. Has it made people dizzy? Sure. Some folks don't take well to spinning rides. Which is why there are multiple warnings this is a spinning ride and that people who don't like spinning rides should avoid it.

And yes, I've ridden this ride a number of times. It's a multiple-armed centrifuge with a mocked-up space capsule attached to the ends of each arm that simulates a space launch. At liftoff there is a sustained 2.5Gs for approximately 8 to 10 seconds and it's very realistic and it's one of Disney's best rides, imo. It's nothing outrageous though as there are roller-coasters that frequently reach 4Gs or higher during operation.

 

[Queasy]

8.5 million people have ridden the ride since it opened 2 years ago. Only 6 people have gotten sick enough to require medical attention. Only 1 person has died and the cause is unknown. Statistically, this ride is far safer than the majority of our daily activities.

The last thing needed is for this to be used as an excuse for more federal regulation in our lives. Theme Parks and Amusement Parks are extremely safe just by the virtue of the fact that a death can kill a ride and severely damage a Park's reputation.

There are very few things that the Federal Govt. does well. Most it can barely do decent. I'd hate to see what "federally regulated" theme parks look like.

 

[CaptnKirk]

I'm hoping that they will soon introduce the 'Giant Veg-A-Matic' and use it to introduce
people to the "Wonderful World of the Salad Shooters'.

Maybe they can acquire the rights to 'Logan's Run' and have it as a substitute for the Carosel - as a chance for old gezers to 'Renew'

Come on Disney, you've got all those 'Imagineers' - surely they can come up with a fun ride that rivals Abu Grahaib in all it's mythical splendor.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: Queasy
8.5 million people have ridden the ride since it opened 2 years ago. Only 6 people have gotten sick enough to require medical attention. Only 1 person has died and the cause is unknown. Statistically, this ride is far safer than the majority of our daily activities.

The last thing needed is for this to be used as an excuse for more federal regulation in our lives. Theme Parks and Amusement Parks are extremely safe just by the virtue of the fact that a death can kill a ride and severely damage a Park's reputation.

There are very few things that the Federal Govt. does well. Most it can barely do decent. I'd hate to see what "federally regulated" theme parks look like.

:thumbsup: for common sense.
I rode Mission:Space in 2003, shortly after it opened. While M:S is more intense than say, It's a Small World, it's certainly not as intense as the coasters across Orlando at Universal/IOA. Interestingly, the week we were at Disneyworld in 2003, the local news had a 'big' story about a mid-30's woman having a heart attack (non-fatal at the time of the report) on the Hulk coaster at IOA. People, if you don't think you can handle the ride, then don't go on it! In the case of this child who died, I'd be very surprised if there wasn't some pre-existing medical condition present.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Mursilis
In the case of this child who died, I'd be very surprised if there wasn't some pre-existing medical condition present.

Exactly.

I was going to post on this.

It is tragic to lose any child but it is not Disney or the rides fault.

He was experiencing life and I bet he was very happy at the time.

 

[spaceman]

ill let you know when i return from disney next friday!

 

[Vic]

1 death in 8.5 million rides = OMG shut it down now!! :roll:

You're more likely to die in a plane crash than on a Disney ride. Shall we outlaw airplanes? No, what we should do is outlaw "consumer groups" that are actually ambulance-chasing class action-seeking lobbyists.