Dateline Amusement Park Safety Report

[JustBob]

Okay, I'm shocked no one has posted about this yet, but last night Dateline did a scathing report about amusement park safety - singling out Disney a number of times for the fact that none of these amusement and theme parks have to report accidents and injuries.
I guess my take on it is that yes, there have been some tragic accidents at Disney parks, some of which MIGHT have been prevented by the park, but some of which had a lot to do with the people involved and their own mistakes. What I saw on the report was a lawyer working very hard to line his pockets at Disney's expense.
Also, I thought the reporting itself was faulty. At one point they were clearly talking about the injury that the little boy sustained on Big Thunder Mountain in Disneyland, yet their establishing shot was of the huge Florida castle and Main Street. Later on they had shifted the emphasis of the report to Florida, yet they had a lovely shot of the Matterhorn Bobsleds. I guess I'm picky to point these things out, but if they can't even get basic things like that straight, how can we take any of the other stuff reported seriously.
By the way, the same show had a short report on special effects for JPIII and raved about how great it was. Is NBC affiliated with Universal?

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Its amazing that here at Disney safety is our number one priority before courtesy, show, and efficiency. 95% of all injurys are caused by guests doing stupid things or lack of parental supervision of children. When Disney does something to curb these accidents like installing long overdue airgates on Thunder Mtn and Pirates everyone on this board complains that Disney is ruining the show.

 

[D-Anna]

I saw that report also. They mentioned quite a few times that the Indy ride caused brain bleeds. What is the Indy ride and how could it do this? I have only been to WDW, never to DL so I have never seen this ride.

 

[wdwguide]

D-Anna, The Indiana Jones ride is completely identical to Dinosaur at the Animal Kingdom - they only differ by their theming, the track layout and length, as well as the motion programming is virtually identical.

 

[D-Anna]

Thanks wdwguide. But I don't understand how it could cause such serious damage. I've been on the dinosaur ride quite a few times and I didn't think it was dangerous.

 

[Testtrack321]

One of the things I HATE more than E$iner dooing a cheep job is people who are claiming that they were injured BECAUSE of DISNEY! The day of the death at DL with the boat, ET did a report on DL and safety. Half-way throught the report, they go to a family who said that there kid SAT on a RAILING ON THE MONORAIL PLATFORM AND THE BAR GAVE WAY AND HE FELL AND BROKE HIS ARM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Firs, this kid wasn't the skinnyest of kids, second, it's not like he is 99. But they are waiting for Disney to appologise (for nothing they did) or to GIVE THEM A FREE TRIP! And thats why they tell you not to sit on railings...

And thats not the only story I have of parental neglagence...

 

[Bob O]

Your alot more likely to get hurt/killed on your way to the theme parks than on a ride at a theme park. This is just part of a contuining push by big government type people to get more federal regulations/oversite of theme parks to increase theur regulatory powers and by people trying to get rich by suing a company. People will get hurt at a theme park but usually due to their own actions but their is part of a campaign by Rep. markey to pass new laws on theme parks that will make NO ONE safer but make the parks less fun.

 

[luvpooh]

JustBob, I think NBC may have some affiliation with Universal actually. The only reason I say this is because Universal Studios will soon be hosting a Soap Opera weekend much like the one at MGM, except where ABC is the (understandably) featured network at MGM, the NBC soaps will be the ones at Universal!

 

[Quentin Disney]

Hmm, it sounds like that report is just another example on how media companies have to become so one-sided in order to protect their own properties from being tarnished. It's sickening to see this. Heck, even Disney is gulity of this. I recall reading a Brills Content Article on how they tried to divert the attention of a news peice for an ABC newmag that involved heavy criticism of Disney theme parks.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I wouldn't be surprised if in the near future the peacock showed up at Universals doorstep.

 

[tinkandme]

I saw the show as well,
I thought I was a little to sensative to the story, it being about my favorite place and all.
However, the story about the boy and his injured foot bothered me, they said his foot got caught under the cart, and between the track and was torn up. Well I feel sorry the boy was seriously injured. As from what I can remember there is a "lip" "ledge" "edge" whatever we should call it that comes out from the bottom of the cart to cover the track, it is difficult to explain this layout if you haven't seen it, but I can't understand how if he was just about to get off the ride (befoe it stopped) his foot would end up down there? I'm sorry for saying this but, as sorry as I am about his foot, I'm just as sorry he didn't have a parent to pay attention to what he was doing, he had to be squirming around to get his foot in that position. The mother who was so quick to blame disney for her sons actions took no responsibility at all.
She claimed Disney is not safe. Does she send her children to school by bus? Where I'm from there aren't even seatbelts on the bus for kids, Id say Disney has one up on the dangers she sends her kids to every day.

Thanks.

 

[mrgoofy]

The discussion has come up before on one of these boards about how people's IQ must drop 50 points the instant they enter a disney park, because they do things that are so stupid, they would have never done it in the real world.

I did see the dateline story and definately felt like that lawyer suing disney is out for nothing but to line his pockets. Did anybody else notice how they tried to make disney out to be at fault for the man who climbed out of the splash mtn. log, and then jumped into the water and was hit by another log. How this could be disney's fault I don't know. I seem to always hear people saying that there should be lap bars in splash mtn., but if they did their homework, they would realize that lapbars are the worst thing they could do. By nature log flume boats are not very stable because they are so narrow round. This is why there are no lap bars on any log flume, if the log capsizes the bars would keep the people from getting out.

I have never been to DL, but I have ridden Dinosaur many times, and I don't think that could cause head trauma unless there was a pre-existing condition.

And where was the expose on Magic Mountain??? Remeber the woman that had an brain anyurism on one of their rollercoasters and died?? I think that is something to be more woried about than people's own stupidity on theme park attractions.

 

[D-Anna]

I don't understand why people keep getting rewarded with huge settlements for their stupidity. I mean why can't they just pay attention to the warning signs and to the instructions of the CM's? I mean how many times do you need to be told not to stand up while a ride is in motion? And as a parent, I tell my children everytime we get on a ride to keep their hands and feet inside the ride. I tell them not to get up until the CM tells them to. But if you look around at people while your on the rides, you see people trying to get off before the car or boat has completely stopped, you see children reaching out to touch things, you see parents letting their children climb all over everything. And then when these people get hurt, they get rich from it. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[TSI_Fan]

...and the point for jumping out of your log on Splash Mountain is? And the point of jumping from one car on the Peoplemover to another car is? Themeparks can only control so much. Individual motivation is something that cannot be controlled aside from park warnings and guidelines.

You're all correct...the brains in some people must shut off when they get inside these parks. Posted official rules and guidelines regarding guest behavior and conduct are posted, yet when an injury happens, these guidelines seem to get overlooked and neglected.

 

[Testtrack321]

Here's some comforting thoughts...

You have a higher chance to die...

-sitting at your computer
-your airplane crashing
-getting eatin by a hippo

than dieing at a ammusement park!

 

[JustBob]

Well, since I think my chances of getting eaten by a hippo are fairly slim, I'll feel pretty safe the next time I'm in the parks!

 

[Baileymouse]

The report was extremely one-sided, and people never seem to take responsibility for their own stupid actions. Maybe NBC was lobbing one over at Disney because of ABC ownership.

Most amusement park injuries happen at the lower echelon places. I'm talking carnivals, Jersey Shore amusements, etc. Then you have the accidents at the regional parks like Six Flags. Some kid was killed in the late 80s at SFGAdv when he put the bar down and sat on top of it.

The worst amusement park disaster was the fire at SFGAdv in 84. Too many people needlessly died and that WAS the park's fault. Haunted houses just don't burn down.

I would think that Disney is a much safer destination than many of the regional parks or local carnivals. There should be an end to nuisance lawsuits from people who are stupid. Getting stupid out of the gene pool doesn't justify a reward.

 

[mrgoofy]

I think people are lulled into a false sense of security, they think that because they are at Disney World nothing bad can happen to them. I have news for these people: Pixie dust doesn't replace common sense!!

I have seen some people do stupid things, but I heard from a friend that she actually saw a pair of little children peeing in the fountain outside the exit for Its a Small World. She said the kids were with there grandmother, and she asked if they had to go to the bathroom and then proceeded to walk them over to the fountain. What makes this story all the funnier is that if they didn't stop at the fountain, and crossed to the other side of the walkway, there are the bathrooms!!!

When a CM approached the grandmother and told her that they couldn't go to the bathroom in the fountain, she replied "Well they can't stop now, they've already started." It was then that they children's parents came over to look at what the commotion was, and they were horrified, they took the children and ran them over to the bathroom. Atleast they realized the error in what the kids were doing.

I wonder what goes through these people's minds. I would never think of going to the bathroom in a fountain, especially one in such a high traffic area. I know that everyone has to go really bad every once in a while, but that is why they print maps in 10 different languages with all the restrooms clearly marked.

 

[CaseyJr]

You know the *warning* signs that are posted at some of the rides? (WARNING: do not ride if you are pregnant, have a neck or back injury, etc....)

Maybe these should be revised:

WARNING: DO NOT RIDE THIS RIDE IF YOU OR ANY MEMBER
OF YOUR PARTY / FAMILY SUFFER FROM TERMINAL
STUPIDITY!!




CaseyJr
"All aboard! Let's go!"

 

[pax_65]

I saw this report too, and I couldn't help but feel that NBC was unfairly targeting Disney in the report. Sure, you have to mention Disney since the woman who is lobbying so hard for change is the mother of a boy injured at Disneyland. But the truth is that Disney parks (and all major parks, I'm sure) are a lot safer than smaller parks, travelling carnivals, etc. In the story, they should have looked at the industry as a whole, not focused on Disney so much.

If you haven't noticed, all of the networks (ABC included) try so hard to appear objective while going to great lengths to promote their own shows, movies, and entertainment venues. Sometimes watching "news" programs feels more like watching advertising for the network! At the same time, they are quick to attack the venues owned or related to their competing networks.