Can't believe what I saw on BTM

[DisneyFan2013]

My thing is that the train shouldn't be able to leave the loading area with bars not latched! That would eliminate the problem all together!

I agree and I thought all the rides were set up that way. It concerns me to discover that isn't the case because I'm always paranoid that maybe my restraint isn't 100% secured.

 

[minniemous]

I agree and I thought all the rides were set up that way. It concerns me to discover that isn't the case because I'm always paranoid that maybe my restraint isn't 100% secured.

I agree, and feel the same way. It is scary. I hope there is another explanation, like it was latched but very loose. I always felt like Disney rides were so safe compared to other parks.

 

[maxiesmom]

I dont believe the OP at all. This didnt really happen the way they are describing. The entire tower cast would have been immediately terminated had such an event occured (ignoring standing guests) and if the boys had stood the ride would have been stopped.

Me either. I don't doubt something happened, but I think the OP has embellished it in her own mind so much that she doesn't remember what actually happened. It could be that one set of boys had a lose lap bar and now she mis-remembers it as them hopping all over the place.

At any rate it is none of the OP's business if the group was reprimanded by WDW or not. It would be highly inappropriate for them to say "Oh yeah, we found those kids and now they have been kicked out of the park and banned for life" or whatever they did.

 

[minniemous]

The boys DID harass my family about mentioning it to the CM and security. They followed us around the park, yelling profanities,etc. until I finally said something to them. It was ridiculous behavior, and totally uncalled for. Like I said, this post. Isn't about the boys' behaviors after the fact, it was about the safety issue of that ride.

Well, I think those boys should not have had the opportunity to follow you around the park because when you told that security guard they should have been escorted out of the park after a review of the tapes.

 

[doconeill]

There are a few things that trouble me with this post.

I dont believe the OP at all. This didnt really happen the way they are describing. The entire tower cast would have been immediately terminated had such an event occured (ignoring standing guests) and if the boys had stood the ride would have been stopped.

That's one...Disney takes safety VERY seriously. I don't know if BTM has it, but a lot of rides have safety interlocks, so that if something like a lap bar isn't in place, the system won't allow it to leave the platform and the CMs have to check it. If it doesn't have it, I thought they DID have to physically check.

Second, I've never seen Disney not take a safety report seriously.

Third, yes, the rides are watched. Although BTM is a rollercoaster and you can't just stop it instantly, there should be a "failsafe" stop, and they would have had them removed from the attraction and the park.

Fourth, the OP says the headmaster had all six kids write her letters of apology - for that, they would have had to have known exactly which six kids it was - either it wasn't a large group so they were easily identified, or they already knew they were a problem, perhaps because Disney DID take action already, just not known to the OP.

I could be wrong about this, and it could have happened as the OP says...it just seems highly, highly unusual.

 

[conniehar90]

My opinion is clearly in the minority here but I am entitled to my opinion just as you are entitled to yours.

While this is true, I find your opinions on this thread downright mean. Whether the story is embellished or not, something obviously happened that upset the OP. To me, it is just mean the way you had to keep coming back on this thread and insulting the OP's feelings and actions. I never get involved in drama on this board but this one really bothers me. I don't know why people can't just be compassionate and nice.

 

[flutterby3744]

There are a few things that trouble me with this post.



That's one...Disney takes safety VERY seriously. I don't know if BTM has it, but a lot of rides have safety interlocks, so that if something like a lap bar isn't in place, the system won't allow it to leave the platform and the CMs have to check it. If it doesn't have it, I thought they DID have to physically check.

Yes. This. Unless something has changed, I distinctly remember some rides being slightly delayed, and then a CM walking down and checking all the lap bars...usually stopping at one to fix it. On more than one occasion too.


Fourth, the OP says the headmaster had all six kids write her letters of apology - for that, they would have had to have known exactly which six kids it was - either it wasn't a large group so they were easily identified, or they already knew they were a problem, perhaps because Disney DID take action already, just not known to the OP.

I didn't even think about this, but you are exactly right. How would they know exactly who it was - after the fact.

I could be wrong about this, and it could have happened as the OP says...it just seems highly, highly unusual.

Folks, I think we have a case of embellishment here....

 

[minniemous]

While this is true, I find your opinions on this thread downright mean. Whether the story is embellished or not, something obviously happened that upset the OP. To me, it is just mean the way you had to keep coming back on this thread and insulting the OP's feelings and actions. I never get involved in drama on this board but this one really bothers me. I don't know why people can't just be compassionate and nice.

 

[Fantaluminishes]

I dont believe the OP at all. This didnt really happen the way they are describing. The entire tower cast would have been immediately terminated had such an event occured (ignoring standing guests) and if the boys had stood the ride would have been stopped.

This is where I fall, too. If this actually happened, the OP would have posted it months ago, and not waited until... today to share this story. And after all this trauma, their family is going back in April? Wow! I wonder if they'll ride BTMRR?

Four pages of comments in one day. At least this story has us talking.

 

[mousehockey37]

Fourth, the OP says the headmaster had all six kids write her letters of apology - for that, they would have had to have known exactly which six kids it was - either it wasn't a large group so they were easily identified, or they already knew they were a problem, perhaps because Disney DID take action already, just not known to the OP.

Also, don't forget, kids are kids. When they can accomplish something like this, they're going to tell their friends. Depending on who they were telling and/or who was in earshot, etc. others were notified and discipline progressed from there. That's another possibility.

 

[morethananyonex]

I'm glad I wasn't the first one to question the story in the OP. I find it very hard to believe things happened exactly as described and Disney did nothing while the ride was in progress. They can see what people are doing almost everywhere in WDW, but somehow a group of teenage boys was able to stand up through an entire roller coaster ride and climb around? I doubt it. Could you imagine the lawsuits? The lack of response by Disney when the situation was occurring is very strange.

Sounds like there's lots of embellishing going on, whether intentional or not. OP could very possibly be remembering what happened with some "extra details" thrown in. Especially since it sounds like her and her daughter were traumatized by this.

 

[EMode]

So she contacted the school? What's the problem with that?

She went ahead and took initiative to report to the school as to how these individuals acted and how it was detrimental to the school's image. There is nothing wrong with that.

Now I put it to the OP that next time she sees something positive being done by a school group somewhere, that she contacts the school and reports the positive behavior.

There is nothing "wrong" with it but it is a bit extreme IMO. She reported the incident to Disney I really don't think she needed to do anything else about it that is all.

Just a quick thought, she said the kids wrote her a note to apologize. If she was reporting the incident to the principal as an FYI just thought you should know some of your students were ............., why would they need to write a letter to apologize personally to the OP. That tells me she made it a personal reason, if she didn't the principal probably would have just gotten back to her with "thank you, I will take care of the matter".
Unless of course she is making the whole thing up.

Just saw this post upthread so I take back what I said this is a reason to apologize to the OP.
Originally Posted by maj42169 View Post
The boys DID harass my family about mentioning it to the CM and security. They followed us around the park, yelling profanities,etc. until I finally said something to them. It was ridiculous behavior, and totally uncalled for. Like I said, this post. Isn't about the boys' behaviors after the fact, it was about the safety issue of that ride.

 

[minniemous]

This is where I fall, too. If this actually happened, the OP would have posted it months ago, and not waited until... today to share this story. And after all this trauma, their family is going back in April? Wow! I wonder if they'll ride BTMRR?

Four pages of comments in one day. At least this story has us talking.

This is where I take fault with this argument.

I had an incident at Disney World nothing too crazy, but Disney staff at my hotel totally manipulated a situation to achieve their own goal. It happened months ago. Am I still upset about it....YES. Do I get more angry when I think about it...YES.

I can see how this would be something that would fester and get her angrier and angrier. Am I still going back to Disney, yes because my daughter loves Disney World and we do to. I am so not happy with our experience but I will get over it and I am sure she will too.

But for now I guess she is still really upset about what happened and I know other people who have had similar circumstances and it is hard to get over something when you feel your valid concern has not been validated.

 

[mousehockey37]

There is nothing "wrong" with it but it is a bit extreme IMO. She reported the incident to Disney I really don't think she needed to do anything else about it that is all.

Just a quick thought, she said the kids wrote her a note to apologize. If she was reporting the incident to the principal as an FYI just thought you should know some of your students were ............., why would they need to write a letter to apologize personally to the OP. That tells me she made it a personal reason, if she didn't the principal probably would have just gotten back to her with "thank you, I will take care of the matter".
Unless of course she is making the whole thing up.

No quit here, I admire that.

This is the integrity of the administrator coming out that they made those students write apology letters. They could have just said thank you, we'll handle it, like you said, but this principal saw to it that they went the extra mile, just like the OP did.

Nothing extra personal there. That's an administrator of a private school showing that even though the students were inconsiderate, he upholds higher standards. The principal showed that they were a true professional in handling the matter.

 

[ols386]

I would have reported the incident to Disney and then been done with it.

It was a stupid thing for the kids to do, but kids do some stupid things.

I have to admit though, I would have felt extreme fear for the boys.

 

[EMode]

No quit here, I admire that.

This is the integrity of the administrator coming out that they made those students write apology letters. They could have just said thank you, we'll handle it, like you said, but this principal saw to it that they went the extra mile, just like the OP did.

Nothing extra personal there. That's an administrator of a private school showing that even though the students were inconsiderate, he upholds higher standards. The principal showed that they were a true professional in handling the matter.

I just added to that post because I saw something posted by the OP (that I must have missed earlier) about those boys harrassing her after she had reported the incident. That definitely makes it personal and something that they should have apologized for. I don't think they needed to apologize to her for standing on the ride which is what I figured they wrote her about.
I wouldn't have gone as far as the OP, I would have reported the incident with Disney and let them handle it the way they felt it was right.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Well, to each his own on this one. No 2 people are going to see eye to eye with this. My high school band went and performed in Dublin's St. Patrick's Day parade, that was THE most awesome band experience EVER, anyway, we all had our chaperones. When I took my middle schoolers, yes MIDDLE SCHOOLERS to NYC to see Broadway shows, they all had chaperones, as one would expect.

We did Dublin's parade too, but it was my choir not the band We HAD chaperones, but they were not with us all the time. I'm certainly not saying we didn't have chaperones at all. We were, however, allowed to go off (at times, not the entire trip) in groups without chaperones.

And yes, of course I would expect middle schoolers to be chaperoned at all times wherever they are.

Even on the high school trips, we were told that if you break the rules, you're out and paying to get home. Just because Disney allows 14 year old patrons to enter without an adult, doesn't mean that the 14 year old is capable of making adult decisions. That's up to PARENTING to decide that

We were told the same thing. Break the rules, you go home. But it was the student's responsibility to know those rules and abide by them. It happened on one overseas trip...student broke the rules on New Year's Eve, and she was sent home (we were performing in the New Year's Day parade). It wasn't adults apologizing for the students' behavior, which is how your earlier post came across. If that's not what you meant, I apologize.

To be entirely clear, I was *never* referring to high schoolers not having chaperones at all.

 

[rutgers1]

I don't see anything wrong with the OP's response. If I were in that situation, I would feel it was my responsibility to report it.

Now, some have responded that the OP's involvement should have ended when he/she mentioned it to the person running the ride. However, considering many of the people running the rides are low-paid kids with little training, I would also feel compelled to elevate the issue to management if the kid running the ride blew it off. I would do this for the following reasons:

1) I know that teenagers do stupid things. If they did this once, they might do it again. And if someone died doing this hours after I witnessed it, I would feel horrible.

2) Somewhere down the line, there HAS to be a Disney employee with a sense of right/wrong, and an appreciation for the trouble that Disney could get into if an accident were to happen. I would want my complaint to reach this person.

3) If I were a betting man, I would say that the senior manager that I would eventually reach would have no idea that BTM doesn't have a mechanism to check that the bars are secured. One can't expect them to be an expert on every ride. However, one CAN expect them to hold the employees to a high standard of customer safety.

From there, I am unsure whether I would elevate it to the headmaster of the school. Probably not....but I would be tempted. Even though I was once a stupid kid who did stupid things (and lived to tell about it), I do feel that part of the growing up process is having your stupid acts catch up to you every so often. So, getting in trouble and realizing that you can't just do what you want at all times would be a good lesson for just about anyone.

 

[Kristine316]

Hmmm.....I guess the private school my child attends is that "rare" place that actually does bug parents about problems. They don't allow the students, regardless of who their parents are, or how much money they have to get away with nonsense.

Agreed with your last point.

I have two teenage sons who also attend a private HS. I also work as a volunteer at the HS so I am very aware of how these students behave as I see it for myself. I guess our HS is also that rare private school that actually demands accountability and good behavior from their students.

Some teens are not always well behaved by nature and if you get them in a group out comes the pack mentality.. this is true no matter what socio economic group they fall under. I just hate it when someone makes a broad sweeping generalization about an entire group of people based of their experience alone... for every school that allows the "rich" kids to get away with any and all behaviors, you will more than likely find a school that follows a strict code of ethics and rules for all students.

I am not saying I don't believe the OP in this case, as someone else has come right out and written but, I do not understand how if you weren't strapped in tight you wouldn't come flying out on the fast curves on BTMRR. This isn't a slow ride like the People Mover or POTC... I don't see how it would even be possible to stand up on BTMRR during the ride. Did I misunderstand what happened? Can someone explain that?

 

[HereForMinnie]

During our Thanksgiving trip, we witnessed a group of boys sporting a respectable private school letter jackets on the BTMR ride. These boys pretended to have their lap bars clasped, even acted like they were trying to lift up the bars as the workers went past to check. But, then once we started out onto the track these three rows of boys all started to stand up on the. Ride. They pretended the lap bars were closed but really were planning to try and stand the entire ride. One of them even climbed up and was standing on the seat. I was scared to death that these kids were going to get severely injured or worse. One boy was standing up trying to pull the bats off as we. Went through the cave. He nearly go this head knocked on the bones as we went by. I kept yelling at them to sit down, they didn't seem to care or listen. When the ride was over the happened to be a security man waiting where we exited the seats. I approached both the worker and security am. And told them what had happened. Their response to me was, and I quote, "that is not what he is here for!"

I went to the main hall to file an official complaint. They didn't seem the least bit interested I. What I had to report. Now, I know they have cameras on all of the rides. It would have been easy for the to check out what I was saying. It was pretty much brushed off, and I was never contacted in any way from the company.

I was stunned. I can't even believe with all the technology today that the train would even be able to go out onto the track if there were seats not secured. If that is the case, the workers need to by physically pulling every single bar themselves!

Surely Disney should have taken that seriously. I took it seriously enough to contact the school that those boys were representing! They happened to be on a school trip. Thankfully, their headmaster took it seriously enough to actually contact me back! Too bad Disney didn't seem to care that there could have been a serious accident that evening, and probably potential lawsuits.

Hmmmmm.

A couple of years ago CMs stopped a ride because my son dropped a bag of chips on the side of a track. You want me to believe Disney did that for a fun size bag of Cheetos but allowed six bodies to stand the entire time on a rollercoaster? The other thing is, BTMRR has low caves in certain areas. How were these boys standing but not beheaded? Was this a private school for little people? And you found out their names how? Not buying it. It's a Saturday, surely there's something else you could be doing.