Child's Death at Epcot

[PSamowitz]

Sad news this morning reported on local CBS here in Miami. A four year old has died on Mission Space. No news directly from Disney as of yet.

 

[alicenwonder99]

What???!!!!!

 

[PSamowitz]

I am sitting at my computer with the tv on above me on the shelf. News reporter outside of the gates of Disney reported that there are no confirmed reports but someone brought a child onto Mission Space and the child has died. News conference scheduled for this morning. That is all they said.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

I did a search in Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel and nothing. Do you have any links, perhaps to the tv station that's reporting this?
This is extremely sad.

 

[la79al]

And my boyfriend wants to buy raised shoes for DD4! I think not!!!!!!!!!!

 

[windsong]

It's true. Very, very sad day. There has been a lot of speculation on the news about if the four year old met the height restrictions for the ride. It was just announced that he did. The cause of death has not been determined. They report when mom got off the ride she was carryinging him. Paramedics were called and they tried to save his life on the way to Celebration Hospital. He died on the way according to the lastest news report.

 

[Tishke]

OMG that is sad. The ride just sounds so intense that we have always stayed away from it. How heartbreaking for a family on vacation, and a child at that

 

[abbylukesmom]

How horrific!
Saying prayers for the little ones' family.

 

[mansionfan]

Very sad to hear.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Here's a link from another thread...

http://www.wesh.com/travelgetaways/4605206/detail.html

I'm really surprised it isn't all over the news by now.
I've been scared of that ride and I can't imagine letting my 6 & 7 year olds on it! Prayers for the little boy and his family.

 

[bkhibiscus]

From Yahoo News:

4-Year-Old Dies After Riding Disney's Mission: Space 5 minutes ago



A 4-year-old died after passing out on Disney's Mission: Space attraction at the Epcot theme park in Central Florida, according to Local 6 News.


Paramedics were called to the attraction at about 3:30 p.m. Monday after the boy lost consciousness on the ride.

Sources told Local News that the boy was revived but he died on the way to the hospital.

The ride was closed after the incident Monday and it was not determined if it would be reopened Tuesday.

The high-intensity ride opened in October of 2003. It simulates the launch of a space ship that spins extremely fast, Local 6 News reported.

When the ride first opened several people became sick on the ride. Air sickness bags were included on the ride.

The ride also has a minimum height requirement of 44 inches for children.

"We are providing support to the family and are doing everything we cant o help during this difficult time, Walt Disney World spokeswoman Jacquee Pollack said.

Orange County investigators are looking into the incident.

The identity of the victim has not been released.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

And:

Child Dies On Epcot Attraction 30 minutes ago

A child visiting Disney's Epcot died on Monday.

Emergency crews were called to the Mission Space ride with a report of an unresponsive child, WESH 2 News reported.

The ride was shut down and the child transported to a hospital and pronounced dead.

Investigators from the Orange County Sheriff's Office responded to the attraction after learning of the death. A Disney representative said the park is providing support to the family and doing everything they can to help them at this time.

Stay with WESH 2 News and WESH.com for further details.

Very sad!

 

[safetymom]

They are saying now that the boy met the height requirement. The family was from Pennsylvania. A mother, sister, and the boy rode MS and the mother carried the boy off the ride.

 

[angel659]

Very shocked, but to be honest I can not see if being Disneys fault if he met the height requirements. More to the point he prob died of shock 4 years old and on that ride

I feel very sorry for the family and I hope they manage to find out what happened for there sakes.

Very sad

 

[lovethattink]

So sad. So scarry because on low crowd days, my son rides it over and over again.

 

[disney junky]

I suspect had the Michael Jackson verdict now been announced yesterday, it would be all over the news.

 

[alecam]

My 5y/o DS just rode it for the first time two weeks ago and liked it alot!! This is so sad!!

 

[safetymom]

I think it depends where you are. It is all over the news here in Orlando.

 

[Rootskate]

Oh, how sad! That poor family! My heart goes out to them.

 

[Tishke]

I'm glad that it was found that he met the height requirements, but now I am starting to wonder how reliable height measurements really are. My DS6 is 45" inches tall, he would qualify to ride most of the rides, but he weighs maybe 42lbs at the most. I worry if the sfaety retraints in a ride are going to be tight enough for him. Maybe Space Mountain will have to wait until next year. A completely heartbreaking story, though.

 

[bicker]

My wife instinct is that there was some unknown heart condition. Time will tell.