Death at DW today

[mamaminnie]

So sad. Praying for that poor family.

 

[sistertrip]

CNN article has another major error currently:

One month ago, another child died on the Disney ride "Mission Space" at the Epcot Center.

I assume they are refering to the ADULT incident. It would be nice if they got basic facts straight when going for the sensationalistic

There was a child who died after riding mission space, wasn't there?

Many prayers for all those involved today.

 

[Feralpeg]

Very sad. I really think it is a mistake to compare Disney and Universal. Not only does Disney have a much larger number of guests a year, but not as many children ride the intense rides at Universal. Since The Hulk and Dueling Dragons are so intense, I see very few children riding. I realize that this child was 12 and some 12 year olds probably ride the Universal rides. From my personal observations, parents seem to be a little less willing to let their children ride the Universal intense rides. Disney's rides don't seem as intense and therefore, parents don't seem as concerned about letting children ride. JMHO.

My heart goes out to this family.

 

[WillCAD]

Once more information is released about the family, us Dis'ers should find out where they live or a way to contact them and have an address to send cards and letters and let us Dis'ers flood those family members with love and condolences.

I dont know. IM sure that's a stupid idea but, I just feel so bad for that family. I think about my mom and how I'd feel as a parent, and think that I'd just want to stop living myself.

I don't think it's a stupid idea at all.

There are many cases in the news where someone suffers a tragic loss and the community rallys to send the family cards and letters, and often there are impromptu memorials set up. There were dozens near the site of the WTC - places where people came to lay candles, wreathes, cards, photos, and other gifts of sympathy and memorial.

If someone comes up with a way to do this online for families who lose loved ones, I'd certainly be willing to participate.

And I wonder if there are any tests that can be added to little kids' routine checkups that might gve a clue when they have hidden heart ailments. It's gut-wrentching to see someone lose a child, doubly so when it happens during what is supposed to be the happiest time of their lives, the family vacation.

 

[madge62]

I just got a call from my CM daughter, who is working on site at RRC today. She's quite upset, she was actually outside at the time, finishing up her assessment as she's in training. She was heartbroken for the family, just keeps seeing the look on their faces. They had a grief session and are currently being debriefed. Hard to believe these things happen in the "happiest place...."

 

[J&J]

So sorry to hear about this. wonder did he have a health problem the parents knew about? So many think that all rides are safe and don't read the signs. We read all safey signs and notice others did not.

The other person that said you never hear about universal problems is so true. Their rides are rougher. Wonder why also.

 

[Squidrific]

There was a child who died after riding mission space, wasn't there?

Many prayers for all those involved today.

There was a 4-year old who died last summer. The person that died recently was an adult.

 

[Miranda Danda]

So sad.

RnR is one of my most favoritest rides. Poor family and kid. Prayers go out to them.

 

[Cass]

Wow, I just heard... so sad we love RNR (especially my 12 year old)

Me head always gets banged from side to side though, I only ride it once and then wait for DD12 to ride it again (and again)

 

[figmentfan704]

WOW- that is so sad!


I feel so sorry for the family! My thoughts and prayers are with them.

 

[sconnell]

Oh my. I hardly have words.
I am so heartbroken for this family.

Also, I'm wondering what's being said at the news conference. Someone report back please. I'm at work.
I wish CNN wasn't saying, "another youngster was killed a few months ago on another attraction at Epcot Center" "not a good year for Disney"
When actually, the last incident was the older lady on Mission Space in April, right?
This might scare off some of the crowd! (Which I guess isn't totally bad.)

My kids aren't old enough to ride things like that. But, I have worried about those underlying heart conditions, as I knew people in HS that died from them. Is there any kind of testing for them?

 

[tmarquez]

Although it doesn't make it any easier on anyone involved, I agree with you. With the technology and medications we have today I think alot more people with some potentially serious health conditions are able to be out doing everything a healthy person does.

In addition, I think we may hear alot more about these things at Disney and elsewhere due to all the different methods of modern communication. Look...we all logged on to the boards to find out more...that couldn't have happened even 15 years ago.

Anyway...thoughts and prayers to the family...I couldn't even imagine.

Someone said earlier that these types of things (people dying suddenly from an unknown condition) seem to be happening more lately. I think one explanation is there are children living now who years ago would not be. For instance, the little boy who died after riding MS. I believe it was reported he had been a preemie. 20-30 years ago he may not have lived to reach the age of 4, the age when he died. I know even with my own DS16, if he had been born 50 years ago he and I both probably would have died. Not that we had any big emergency but with modern technology he and many other children are alive now who would not have been years ago.

 

[sconnell]

Associated Press on the other incidents

Two other people have died after going on another Disney ride: Epcot's "Mission: Space." The space simulator spins riders in a centrifuge that subjects them to twice the normal force of gravity.

Daudi Bamuwamye, 4, of Sellersville, Pa., died June 13, 2005. An autopsy determined he died of an irregular heartbeat linked to an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle that can cause sudden death.

In April, a 49-year-old woman from Germany became ill and died after the ride. A medical examiner's report said she died from bleeding of the brain and had severe high blood pressure.

The ride has signs warning people with heart, back and neck problems not to ride. Epcot now offers a tamer version of the ride that does not include centrifugal force.

 

[beachblanket]

It's all in the numbers. Last year WDW had 42.8 million visitors, compared to Universal's 11.9 million. The more people there are, the higher the chance that one of them will have some sort of an accident or what have you.

You are absolutely correct, any actuary would tell you the statistical likelihood of injury or death increases as the population grows.

That stated, I still stand by my point that there's no conspiracy afoot to cover up "safety problems" at Universal -- they are just as much a cable news overblown disaster-du-jour target as Disney. The reality is they for whatever reason ([partly but not solely statistical risk) haven't seen guest deaths recently while Disney unfortunately has. I'm not implying one park company is substantively "safer" than the other, just that Disney has drawn some bad cards while Universal hasn't.

 

[tacomaranch]

I truly am so very sorry and a prayer has been said. How absolutely awful. I feel like crying for the poor family. Please do say a prayer for the family and all those around who are affected.

 

[smep013]

A very sad incident.

What I don't understand is why there is such a rise in tragedies like this.
Were they not reported before - and why does it seem like it's just WDW recently? Are these just unfortunate coincidences?

So sad.

 

[kellypooh]

I feel just awful for the family .... my prayers are with them.

But am I the only one wondering how long it will take them to sue Disney? I heard last week that the family of the little boy who died on MS last summer had filed a lawsuit.

 

[nicdanh]

I just saw it on the news here in Massachusetts. So, so sad.

 

[beachblanket]

The other person that said you never hear about universal problems is so true. Their rides are rougher. Wonder why also.

Uh-oh - here comes the "conspiracy crowd."

Yep, Universal controls all the major newspapers and cable news networks. Child snatching at IOA and deaths on the Hulk are rampant, but you never hear about any of that because of "media coverups." And the online blogs/bulletin boards never report on thall those horrible events because Al Gore controls them (after all, he invented the internet... ) Yep, it's all an anti-Disney conspiracy run by a big eastern syndicate......

 

[doombuggy]

The thing that confuses me though is, why does Universal not have any reports like this (or do they)?

My boss here at the office called be a couple of hours ago to tell me about this incident and I said the exact same thing! I don't thihnk there is a cover up - just that a) less people attend those parks and b) they break down on stop opperating in the rain. Case in point, I was over thre Sunday and we waited for about an hour to get on the Seuss Trolley, which was not running due to lightning in the area. We rode it (Hunk was not operating), and then went over to ride Spiderman & it was broken down! Just a thought...

and to the family.