Woman Injured When Disney Ferry, Boat Collide

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

http://www.wftv.com/news/23279516/detail.html

[skiingfast]

This is unfortunate. I can see some discrempancies in the story. In my opinion the crash was intended by the rented boat operator.

I have a lot of experience boating and have used a sea raycer at WDW and been on the Sassalouga river a few times. The boats themselves are really easy to manuever and when I rented them was clearly instructed on their use. This is too bad that it took place.

[CanadianGuy]

I've ridden those ferries.. they go MUCH slower than a SeaRaycer typically.

And there only way I see this as possible is if either a) the boater was grossly negligent.. or b) the boater was (even worse) intentionally negligent..

Either way..?

[Cheshire Figment]

I have seen a lot more detail on another board which is frequented by CMs.

First of all, it was not a Ferry Boat, it was one of the boats which runs between DTD and POR/OKW. If it had been one of the ferry boats there would have been fatalities.

Second, was the Captain saw the Sea Racer and had gone into reverse to try to stop. However, boats do not have brakes and the laws of physics tend to outweigh stupidity.

[CanadianGuy]

boats do not have brakes and the laws of physics tend to outweigh stupidity.

Yeah.. physics is funny like that.. a real prankster.

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I just watched video clips of this story on both the WFTV and WESH websites and noticed something I thought was weird. On the WFTV broadcast they said this accident happened last Thursday but only new details came out when they started asking questions about it. Now I am wondering how would WFTV even know about it and when they claim they started asking questions what happened, does that add onto their we hate Disney World theme and want to have more stories about accidents which happen there.

On the WESH broadcast all they mention was the details of what we all know, however they were reporting from the hospital where this woman is being treated. On the WFTV broadcast the reporter said she was reporting from Walt Disney World, however that was a lie because she was standing along side Lake Buena Vista/535 by the Crossroads plaza.

[Dznefreek]

On the WFTV broadcast the reporter said she was reporting from Walt Disney World, however that was a lie because she was standing along side Lake Buena Vista/535 by the Crossroads plaza.All the local stations report from that intersection. WDW is private property and they are reporting from a public right of way.

[WebmasterCricket]

What charges are pending against the Husband?

[Maistre Gracey]

What charges are pending against the Husband?

That's what I was wondering. He was driving the boat so perhaps they have determined fault.

MG

[skiingfast]

All the local stations report from that intersection. WDW is private property and they are reporting from a public right of way.

I thought it was funny how they use a lot of stock footage and pics of different boats than the ones involved in the incident.

[ROEDISNEY]

From the way I 'm reading this it sounds like it was the husband's fault. He was probably clowing around and probably wants to blame Disney for him being stupid. I feel bad for the wife and the driver of the ferry.

[Abby's Dad]

Given the fact that any of the Disney transport boats, in this case the water taxis to DTD, are pretty darn easy to see (one would almost be able to say impossible to miss seeing) and the fact that under any circumstances one of these Sea Racers is incredibly more maneuverable than the larger (and slower) craft, it is pretty much impossible for it to be the fault of anyone but the operator of the Sea Raycer. Money grab or a husband trying to get rid of a wife (and hopefully get rich at the same time?)?

[skiingfast]

Sea Racers is incredibly more maneuverable than the larger (and slower) craft, it is pretty much impossible for it to be the fault of anyone but the operator of the Sea Raycer. Money grab or a husband trying to get rid of a wife (and hopefully get rich at the same time?)?

I agree it seems that this was a purposeful action and not an accicent. It one thing to want to harm another but to do it at WDW seems to push a money motive.

[Maistre Gracey]

I highly doubt it was an intentional act. Death is far from certain (if this was the plan), plus the supposed attacker was subject to the same outcome.

MG

[Lewisc]

We don't have any facts.

Was the guest paying a "game of chicken" with the Disney CM? Maybe. Was there a mechanical problem with the boat? Possibly. Was there some kind of health issue? We don't have the slightest idea.

[WebmasterCricket]

I'm not even remotely saying this was intentional but if he was trying to off his wife, do you really think death by Disney riverboat collision was in his top 100?

I'd list a few things slightly higher and more easily written off as an accident first such as:
Accidental deplaning at 30k feet
Freak chainsaw accident at circus
Lumber pallet fall at (insert local home center here)
Oops, she just jumped out of the car officer...
etc.

I have others but I don't want to give anybody any real ideas ;)

[skiingfast]

Well just at a glance it doesn't sound like the guy was terribly smart. Maybe despite it not making you top 100, it's just the best he could do.

I'm curious if he (the driver) stayed in the boat or bailed.

[melly]

This is unfortunate. I can see some discrempancies in the story. In my opinion the crash was intended by the rented boat operator.
.

Amazing how you can come to that conclusion with no facts and without being there.

[JoShan1719]

I don't really think it was intentional. I do think the driver made a mistake and rather than take responsibility for his actions and say he messed up he's going to blame Disney for the "big" ferry that ran him down. I know you have to sign some kind of waiver when you rent those boats, hopefully that will hold up and he'll be held responsible.

[skiingfast]

It's been a couple days, has anyone heard if charges have been files?

[Tink9721]

I like how in the video they say the woman's name is Joan Wormald but in the article they say it's Barbara Wormald :rotfl:

Personally, I think this guy is full of it. How can you not see one of those ferries coming? And how did he think that the ferry was going to get out of his way when it's about five times bigger and much less easy to manuever. He could've easily gotten out of the way if he hadn't kept going in the same direction assuming that the ferry would move. I don't think it was intentional, but I still think he's an idiot.

I also hate how that website is trying so hard to make Disney the villain. How is it Disney's fault if a kid runs his bike into the side of a bus? Accidents happen all the time, but no one cares about them unless they happen at Disney.

[skiingfast]

Amazing how you can come to that conclusion with no facts and without being there.

It's easy to come to the conculsion that there are discrempancies in the stroy. I know what the boats are, I have operated the same rental units, I have captained large pasenger boats. I know simple boating rules were broken. I also know left from right and right from left.

[rebecca06261]

To date, no person by the name of "Michael Wormald" has had charges filed against them in reference to this incident. This, according to FLCCIS.

[GrnMtnMan]

Surprise...surpise.....

Woman sues Disney for negligence in collision with ferry (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-disney-lawsuit-ferry-crash-20110630,0,6124801.story)
In her suit, Barbara Wormald claims that her husband was not given any instruction, had no experience piloting such a craft and should not have been allowed to rent and use it.

[JoShan1719]

:sad2: It's sad when somebody suing Disney isn't a surprise anymore. On the bright side, I don't think they'll get anything out of this, but we'll see.

[DizCaptain]

I've ridden the sea raycers before and when you rent them rule number one is pretty much stay away from larger boats, they have the right away. I dont know about DTD area boat patrol, but on Bay Lake and SSL if you get within 50 feet of the large ferry or smaller ferries, or 30 feet within a pontoon boat, life patrol is all over you.

[coloneldebugger]

surprise...surpise.....

woman sues disney for negligence in collision with ferry (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-disney-lawsuit-ferry-crash-20110630,0,6124801.story)

then why the hell are you getting in the boat with him??!?!!?!?

[ParrotBill]

I find it curious that an adult couple was in one Sea Raycer. Total weight is supposed to be what.. 300? I don't know many couples that come in under 300. If they were over weight there could be fault in renting to them. You could argue the boat was hard to maneuver.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I rented one of those small boats at DTD a couple months ago and headed up the Sasagoula River (sorry for spelling). These rental boats cannot go very fast. But up near the Tree House Villas there is a golf cart path overpass and the river gets very narrow. The river also splits just north of that bridge with one branch heading left towards OKW and the other right towards PO. As I was headed towards the center of the river to go under that bridge, around the bend came a quick moving ferry boat coming from PO. I had just enough time to move to the far right and come to an almost complete stop. It really is a dangerous situation. There were two Disney security boats in the river at the split but they did not send out any warning to me that a ferry was coming around the bend. I can see how someone much slower than me could get caught in a crash situation. I don't think it's Disney's fault; there is an inherent risk in boating just like there is in driving. You have to be vigilant.

BobK/Orlando

[sandym718]

I find it curious that an adult couple was in one Sea Raycer. Total weight is supposed to be what.. 300? I don't know many couples that come in under 300. If they were over weight there could be fault in renting to them. You could argue the boat was hard to maneuver.

Very possible, I know several. Tiny ladies who weigh in the 110-120 range, and then average males probably in the 160-180 range. My DH and I would not, but I'm sure some would.