Child's Death at Epcot

[slk537]

My heart breaks for this family. I lost my mom to an accident three years ago and I know the shock and panic and disbelief that accompanies potentially preventable accidents - preventable if we only had 20/20 foresight, that is. There is nothing that changes your life like a sudden loss of someone you love more than anything.

That said...

I know that a big part of why we all love the DIS boards is the ability to share information and our opinions. And my opinion, while important to me and to my family, is no more valuable here than anyone else's. And for this reason, I rarely write anything that is flammable. But now...please - argue about refillable mugs and pool hopping and which resort/restaurant/ride is best - but until all the facts are in (and maybe not even then), hold off on arguments stemming from a child's tragic death. We don't know the details, but we do know that there is a mother and a sister and most likely more family members who are shocked and beginning to grieve right now.

Maybe if someone starts another thread called "safety for children on rides" or something similar that is not a direct result of this child's death...I don't know. But not here. Please.

 

[safetymom]

I think everyone needs to wait for the facts and then make the decision whether or not you will ride MS.

There have been many many people that have ridden MS without having a problem.

 

[Beachangel]

Anyone, child or adult can have an unknown pre-existing condition that results in death. My heart aches for the family. I've ridden Mission Space numerous times including several weeks ago. While the ride is intense, I cannot imagaine that it could kill a healthy person. There are lots of unanswered questions, but my prayers are for that poor little boy. God Bless him and his family.

 

[lillygator]

Why is it NOT Disney's fault? This is shameful and Disney is 110% responsible! If this attraction was too intense for adults, then little children should not be allowed on it at all. They need to shut it down all together! I let my 6 year olds ride it, NEVER EVER EVER again! If this is going to cause deaths, they need to SHUT IT DOWN!

Yup I know what they say about assumptions, and you are assuming that I am writing this in anger, and I wasn't. It was more out of sadness and the fact that people tend to immediately stick up for Disney and say it's not their fault, they need to take resposibility and I know they will. I use capitals and exclamation point, not to be mean, but just to emphasize on my stance. So, you're right, we should all not use assumptions.

Wow - your first post didn't really scream with empathy as you are suggesting in your later post. Well, it surely doesn't look like it is written that way, anyway.

 

[tn_disney_addict]

It seems to me that at this point "whos fault it is" is irrelavent. A child has died. A mother and sibling have lost someone. Nothing, at this point can bring him back. No one should be blamed and no one should be blaming anyone, but simply keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[LoriZH]

Just curious: If the results show that this child suffered from some pre-existing condition or was dehydrated, would you still feel Disney was 110% at fault? Would you still feel Disney needed to close the ride down?

You are jumping to conclusions. Nobody knows for sure why this poor family lost their son yesterday. However, the fact remains that MANY, MANY children ride MS every single day and they are fine.

Lisa

Well maybe not shutting it down, but since a toddler most likely cannot tell you that he or she has a pre-existing heart condition, then I think that Disney should change their policy. Either way, if Disney is going to allow a ride that allows toddlers on it, then they need and will take responsibilty. However, if it was from dehydration, then yes they are 100% responsible, I don't recall any signs stating that if you are dehydrated do not go on this attraction. I don't believe for one second that Disney is sitting there trying to shift the responsibility, I believe they will take it. This is my opinion, you go to Disney World to have fun and I know bad things can happen anywhere, but you just don't expect your child to get on a ride at Disney and pass out then you have to carry them out of the attraction by yourself and have them die. Once again, if it's too intense they need to do something about it or shut it down. So yes I am an extremist, but one child's life is worth 100,000 people's 6 minutes of fun.

 

[LoriZH]

Wow - your first post didn't really scream with empathy as you are suggesting in your later post. Well, it surely doesn't look like it is written that way, anyway.

Well it was...anyway...

 

[mking624]

This truly is so tragic.

I don't believe Disney is to blame in this. They warn the people several times of the intensity of this ride...people are WELL aware of way before they sit down. They have minimum height requirements which the boy did meet. They have absolutely no way of knowing who is and is not going to pass out during the ride. It doesn't shock me that he passed out on the ride, but people don't die from passing out...it sounds like there was some sort of uundetected condition going on in him.

I'm simply amazed that with all the adults who have trouble with this ride, that parents would allow their 4 year old to ride it. I do not believe this is the parents fault. No one knows when it's their time to go, no one knows exactly what's going to happen. We can't predict the future. But I do hope this sends a message to parents everywhere. I REALLY hope this gets a message across to parents who "force" a scared child onto a thrill ride (which I see way too often at WDW)...it's just not worth it. I'm not saying that's what these parents did...I have no idea...but I do hope it's makes those type of parents open their eyes.

 

[married@wdw]

I think it's terribly unfair to blame Disney for this tradgedy, which is exactly what news outlets such as yahoo are trying to do with statements like

Because I work for a news organization I feel the need to clarify. Yahoo does not write news stories!!! They simply post stories written by news organizations. They are in no way blaming anyone here for anything. Check the "source" at the top or bottom of the story -- it's usually AP, Reuters or a newspaper or TV station.

 

[JimFitz]

I can not even imagine the pain that the family must be going through. I just keep seeing my kids faces and can not imagine what I would do if it were them.

It does not matter whose fault it is at this point. Bottom line is that a mother had to watch her son die today.

 

[disneyholic family]

What scares me about this incident is the idea of an "unknown pre-existing condition" in the boy--I worry about my kids all the time when I read about teenage athletes collapsing during soccer games, etc.

You never know. Which is why we all should appreciate every day we have with our loved ones. We never know when it might be the last.

 

[emememem]

Very Very Sad.......

 

[WDWBetsy]

Why is it NOT Disney's fault? This is shameful and Disney is 110% responsible! If this attraction was too intense for adults, then little children should not be allowed on it at all. They need to shut it down all together! I let my 6 year olds ride it, NEVER EVER EVER again! If this is going to cause deaths, they need to SHUT IT DOWN!

I respectfully disagree with you. Until all the facts are in, there is no reason to blame anyone. Accidents can happen anytime. How many people die from senseless freak accidents every single day? I work for an organization where people die suddenly and often due to weird, freak circumstances. Like others have said, unknown pre-existing conditions can surface without any notice.

If warnings are clearly posted, then parents have to make the decision whether their child can ride something - regardless if the child is tall enough or not. How many posts have we seen where the parent is thinking about fibbing about their child's age? How is Disney responsible for determining how old a child is?

My DH and I thought the ride was awesome and only felt a little lightheaded. Nothing that didn't go away after a few minutes. No bad side effects here.

My heart goes out to the mother and her family over this horrible loss. But level heads have to prevail and not make rash decisions when the facts are not known. If you choose to keep your children off this ride, that is your decision. Sadly, chances are good that this poor child died due to a unknown pre-existing condition and it could have possibly happened during any ride or just playing on a playground.

 

[artnsonia]

How horrible! I can't imagine what the parents are going through right now. My prayers go out to the family.

 

[black562]

This is so sad, I couldn't imagine what the parants are going through.

We're planning our honeymoon in September and I'm looking forward to riding this ride, but I must admit I am a bit nervous as well. I love thrill rides and have ridden some of the biggest rides on the planet, but its the unknown that gets me every time.

Additionally, my wife has a heart murmur since birth but she's ridden every ride I have and hasn't had any problems...she's looking forward to this ride as well....but I do worry. I've heard some say this ride is intense to an extreme and others say its not a big deal. I know the G's are less than most coasters but its the duration....

So I would be curious to hear from the true thrill seekers about how intense this ride actually is? I've ridden every ride at Cedar Point as well as nearly every east coast park...how does this compare with launch coasters etc...

Again, my deepest sympathies for everyone involved in this loss....I hope the figure out what happened.

 

[meatballsmom]

oh my god I'm so affected. One of my kids is 4 years old and we are planning to go on Nov. 29, but the rides I'm scheduling must be extremely safe for him. I always thought that if the height requirement is 44' and my kid is 45', I won't let him go to the ride because he is too close to the height requirement.

All my prayers are with the family

I agree. My son is just 48 inches tall. He will be 6 in August. We are going to Disney in October and he has asked to ride both Tower or Terror and RRRC. I absolutely said no to RRRC since he just makes the requirement for that one, and am thinking twice on TOT. I just think that he is still a little small for that one too.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family as well. I can't imagine how helpless she must have felt.

 

[rnd4life]

So very very sad. My heart breaks for the family.

 

[BostonRob]

Wow, I didn't know we had so many psychic doctors here on the Dis, who could identify a pre-existing condition on a patient they'd never seen.

Until the facts are in, blaming Disney or not blaming Disney is just speculation.

What a horrible story. I can only imagine that losing a child is the most painful experince you could possibly have. It scares me to even think of it.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

so tragic. I am sick thinking of it. You know what it brings to mind to me? Just about every year there is a story of a high schooler who suddenly dies during a basketball game or football game due to a heart condition no one (including himself or his parents) knew he had.

Tell me about it. DH just recently had a string of medical appointments where the doctors were trying to figure out why the muscles in one arm were less developed than in the other (he's had this a loooong time). An MRI showed he had a spinal stenosis in his neck that wasn't causing the problem, but was so serious that if he were hit by a car going 5-10 miles an hour, he could have been paralyzed. He had no symptoms...all this time we have been skipping through amusement parks, going on launch rollercoasters (the very LAST things he should have been riding) and he had this condition. Luckily, it has since been corrected surgically, but it got me very paranoid...who really knows about such things until something freak like this occurs?

Prayers for the family involved in this tragedy.

 

[Ratpack]

There are people that have problems and die all the time related to thrill rides because of some pre-existing condtion or simply their body cannot handle it. So shutting this ride down is not the answer. Thousands of people have ridden this ride many times, myself included, without the slightest problem, why should we be punished. QUOTE]

Well I certainly think shutting down the ride temporarily is appropriate even just as a matter of respect to the family of the deceased and as a precaution while an investigation takes place. It would be unthinkable to go on as if nothing had happened. This wasn't a twisted ankle. A very young, innocent child died. That's more important than a few people being inconvenienced by the ride being closed for a couple days.

Oh, I definitely agree that it should be closed until all questions can be answered. I was merely stating that it should not be shut down for good. Sorry for the confusion.