Ride Dangers

[calisota]

I just posted a story on the Disney News page of the site about a 16 year old girl who is in critical condition after riding the "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" at WDW. It comes close on the heels of a 4 year old dying in the park a little while ago.

It really emphasizes that the warning signs at the entrance to rides and the height restrictions are there for a reason. I can remember refusing entry to undersize kids on to the ThunderBolt when I worked at Dreamworld. Unfortunately I would then end up in an argument with the parents who would say "but they are almost the right height and they really want to go on it". Sometimes the parents would bring the same kid back a little while later after having stuffed their shoes with socks or toilet paper to make them taller. I guess they just don't realise they are actually risking their childs life. I'm not saying that this is what happened in either of the cases at WDW, it's just a thing I have that i wanted to get off my chest.

Greg

[KeithS]

These instances of people collapsing after rides is an unfortunate thing for everybody involved. Some of these rides can be stress inducing (otherwise we wouldn't see all these warning signs) but the rides themselves are generally safe (otherwise we wouldn't get them built!). It does go to show however, that you have to be of good health. Unfortunately, some people have undiagnosed problems, feel fine, yet suffer terribly under the rides conditions.

How can this be addressed? Well, I don't think it can - just as it is impossible to stop car accidents etc - bad things will happen. The best we can do is educate people to the fact that the rides are stressful, and if in bad health, avoid them (just like telling people that drink driving is a bad thing.) I hope we never get to the point where theme parks ask for doctors clearances before allowing entry - but if the attorneys keep getting their lawsuits through, that may be the ultimate outcome.

As for parents trying to get kids on to rides who are too short - that is just plain crazy!

I see one of the rides in the new Hong Kong Disneyland has a MAXIMUM height limit too - that's a first in my books. Can't remember which one it is - I think it may be their Indiana Jones coaster.




KeithS

[calisota]

I see one of the rides in the new Hong Kong Disneyland has a MAXIMUM height limit too - that's a first in my books. Can't remember which one it is - I think it may be their Indiana Jones coaster.KeithS

I actually had to refuse someone on the Thunderbolt for being too tall. He was an American basketball player as it turned out and he was so tall that I couldn't get the shoulder harness to go down and lock into place.

Greg

[calisota]

I just posted another story on the news page about a man who died in WDW back in April. It seems that the newspaper has gone back through the records looking for anyone who may have died in the park for any reason just to make a story. The even admit in the article "An investigative report indicated that the April 30 ride didn't play a role in Norman's death since he had a history of heart problems, said Sheri Blanton, senior program manager at the medical examiner's office."

How many people go through Disney parks every day? With that many there is little doubt that there will be deaths of any number of natural causes and it's hard to pin them on Disney.

There was always that story that "no one ever dies at Disneyland" and that the unfortunate person would be removed from the park before they were pronounced dead. I don't know how much truth there is in that.

Greg

[calisota]

Just went to snopes.com (who have been on the net as long as I can remember and that's a long time) and found this reference to deaths at disney parks.

http://www.snopes.com/disney/parks/declare.htm

If you do a search on "disney" there are lots of interesting items that come up. It seems that Walt is a magnet for urban legends.

Greg

[KeithS]

Yeah, the death rate at Disney parks is probably no greater (in fact, it is probably less) than the standard rate per 100,000 for the rest of the community.

When you have thousands of people visiting your premises everyday, you are eventually going to have the law of averages catch up with you. There is probably just as many people drop dead in buses each day on the way to work. It is just that it is a Disney park that makes these deaths more news worthy.



KeithS

[calisota]

Yep, stories like these must make Walt roll over in his cryogenic chamber.

Greg

[calisota]

I hate to be the constant bearer of bad news but I just posted another news story, this time it's California Adventure and the "California Screamin".

I can just imagine the lawyers chasing the ambulances and a few lawsuits coming out of this one. It must have been an amazing scene if the number of ambulances and firefighters is true.

Greg

[KeithS]

Seems like they are having a really bad run of this at the moment.

I got up on Sunday, and as usual went to my usual Disney websites and got bombarded by this news story.

From the sound of it, they were operating at full capacity with 5 coaster sets online at once. They activated an full stop, and one of the cars failed to brake in its block. The ride will probably be down for some time - I'm glad I got to ride it recently

Disney must think they are cursed at the moment.

[calisota]

I'm glad I got to ride it recently

Disney must think they are cursed at the moment.

I remember you saying that you are as enthusiastic about thrill rides as I am but that you did go on this one.

Just how fast was it and how long was the ride? I remember from the Thunderbolt that at it's busiest we only ever had 2 going at the same time and, even though the incoming would have been stopped, we were under pressure constantly to get one lot of people off and the next lot on and out before the next car arrived. I can only imagine what it would be like with 5.

Greg

[calisota]

Another tragedy with the death of a young girl at Typhoon Lagoon. Is this an unusual amount of events or just that I'm starting to take more notice? Of course the really tragic part is the age of some of the people involved.

Thoughts go out to the families involved.

Greg

[calisota]

Just posted another couple of stories on the news page.

I'd really like to have some good news to post.

Greg

[KeithS]

I'd really like to have some good news to post.

It is not all bad news in the Parks, with Talking Turtle opening, Space Mountain reopening, Finding Nemo announced, Monsters Inc opening soon in DCA - and now there is a rumour of an Incredibles attraction to be announced soon for DCA.

Of course HK Disneyland opens in a couple of weeks too - so there is lots of good news



KeithS