Death on Mission: Space at Epcot

[Geoff_M]

My local news claims a number of people have gone to the hospital after this ride, but it appears most are older

"During an eight-month period that ended last year, six people over age 55 were taken to the hospital for chest pain and nausea after riding Mission: Space, a $100 million attraction that is one of Disney World's most popular."

What that report, conveniently, leaves out is the fact that the hospital didn't find any medical problems with them once at the hospital.

 

[HollyJoy]

Such a sad story..

 

[LoriZH]

The mother said that during the ride the boy got rigged, his legs were straight out and she thought he was just scared so she held his hand. When the ride was over, she noticed he went limp and that's when she carried him out.

I don't know if that means anything or not regarding a medical condition, but boy I feel for that woman. It's a horrible horrible thing to happen on vacation or anytime for that matter.

 

[sugermouse]

I absolutely love this ride and as an adult find it extremely intense. In a million years I would never let my four year old ride any of the extreme attractions in Disney or any theme park........

 

[kangaroodle]

The mother said that during the ride the boy got rigged, his legs were straight out and she thought he was just scared so she held his hand. When the ride was over, she noticed he went limp and that's when she carried him out.

I am a nurse and it sounds like the boy may have had a seizure. My first thought was that he had an undetected brain anuerysm.

What ever the cause, it's very, very sad.

 

[Viki]

I live in Souderton, just a few miles from Sellersville. I can't even imagine the grief of this family, all set to enjoy one of the best experiences of their lives and finding the opposite.

Maria's right. Our newscasts aren't giving us much.

I'm glad for the community of this board where we can ask questions, get some answers, and share our grief at this tragic event.

 

[bubba73]

I hadn't heard of this happening but it is a tragedy. My DS(11) rode MS last year when he was 10 and is looking forward to riding it again. My DD(9) was on it too and it really had no effects on her as well. This is a girl that hates anything that moves faster than JII with Figmnet. I will be there next week and if it is open, we will be on it.


Leaving in 3 days and dancing all the way to POP

 

[kilee]

There are several threads on this topic. A search can take you there.

As for going on the ride. Well people still ride Big Thunder- even after the accident at Disneyland. And that was Disney error. So, I think people will continue to ride Mission Space. Especially if it turns out the ride itself wasn't the cause of death.

Either way, my thoughts and prayers are with this family and the little life that ended too soon.

 

[TN Traveler]

I too agree w/everyone on how sad this truly is. Last year we went and my youngest DD was 4 at the time. She rode Splash Mtn, Thunder RR, Space Mtn and even Tower of Terror. She was exactly 44" then. Now she is 47".
I honestly can't remember what the height restrictions were for MS but I knew she couldn't handle it....nor could my almost 8 yr old or 49 yr old DH!!
However, she said she didn't want to ride it and I supported that decision--actually encouraged her not riding!! On the other hand she cried like crazy b/c I wouldn't let her ride RNRC despite the fact she practically BEGGED me to ride it. Our oldest daughter (2 mths from turning 13 at the time) and I went on MS and loved it....loved it so much we got right back in line to ride it again!! Of course we loved Kraken at SeaWorld too so take this w/a grain of salt!!
My deepest sympathy and prayers go out to this family. I could not begin to imagine the pain they are going through right now.

Karen aka TN Traveler

 

[Aneille]

No, i dont think its the end of MS however if a 4 yo was 44" tall (or w/e the height requirement is) i find that hard to believe....

Its not hard to believe. I just came back from Disney with my neice and nephew. My neice made the height of 44" at 4 but choose not to ride. She was turning 5 within 2 months of the trip. She is tall for her age but not that tall.

My nephew who had just turned 6, 2 months before the trip was exactly 48" and was able to ride RNR. He loved it. His favorite ride. He choose not to ride MS as well.

My 3.5 year old is 40". Its not hard for me to believe that at almost 5 she could make 44". I don't think she will since she is on the more average size but kids do grow in spurts.

I am sure there are plenty of 4 year olds tall enough to ride MS.

 

[LegoMom3]

Why am I thinking that 4 is awfully young to be on this ride??...I thought this was one of those with the higher height restriction? We didn't do it last year but I didn't even think my then-7-yr. old was even big enough to go on it. Anybody have the details on that??

 

[PatriciaH]

A four-year old died after riding Mission Space. I know the autopsy report is pending, however I would like to hear about this ride from people who have been on it. It is the ride that my 11 yr. old son is the most excited to ride. Should I be worried? Is it really that bad?

I was right next to this family in the load room on Monday and I saw her get off the ride with her child in her arms. So so sad.

 

[Lorelai]

Maybe they should extend the height requirement to 48 inches. I too thought that 4 was a bit young for this ride. Considering that human beings have their most dramatic change in physical growth between birth and five years, there must still be quite a few things that could possibly not be developed enough intercranially by four. It would be interesting to get some opinions from a neurodevelopmental ped. on aspects of the brain that could be at risk sustaining 2 g's at 48 months of age.

 

[leanne11]

lfkfklfllflfllf

 

[leanne11]

maybe since some of us in this thread only live a few miles from this boy, that is why we are taking it sooo hard.. it seems very real to us
Here is the ap report:

Boy, 4, Dies After Spin on Disney Ride By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press Writer

A 4-year-old boy died after a spin on a Walt Disney World spaceship ride so intense that some riders have been taken to the hospital with chest pain.

Daudi Bamuwamye lost consciousness Monday aboard "Mission: Space," which spins riders in a giant centrifuge that subjects them to twice the normal force of gravity. The boy's mother carried him off the ride, and paramedics and a theme park worker tried to revive him, but he died at a hospital.

An autopsy was scheduled Tuesday to determine the cause of death.

The sheriff's office said the boy met the minimum 44-inch height requirement for the ride.

The $100 million ride, one of Disney World's most popular, was closed after the death but reopened Tuesday after company engineers concluded that it was operating normally.

Disney officials said in a statement that they were "providing support to the family and are doing everything we can to help them during this difficult time."

The ride recreates a rocket launch and a trip to Mars. A clock counts down before a simulated blastoff that includes smoke and flame and the sound of roaring rocket engines. The G-forces twist and distort riders' faces.

An audio recording and a video warn of the risks. Signs advise pregnant women not to go on the ride. Motion sickness bags are offered to riders. One warning sign posted last year read: "For safety you should be in good health, and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness or other conditions that can be aggravated by this adventure."

Since the attraction opened in 2003, seven people have been taken to the hospital for chest pains, fainting or nausea. That is the most hospital visits for a single ride since Florida's major theme parks agreed in 2001 to report any serious incidents to the state. The most recent case was last summer, when a 40-year-old woman was taken to a hospital after fainting.

"Two Gs is not that big a deal," said Houston-based theme park consultant Randy King, a former safety director at Six Flags, which operates 30 amusement parks.

The boy from Sellersville, Pa., was on the ride with his mother and a sister. During the ride, the mother noticed that Daudi's body was rigid and his legs were stretched straight out. She told detectives that she thought he was frightened, so she took his hand. When the ride was over, he had gone limp.

One other death was reported at Disney World this year. A 77-year-old woman who was in poor health from diabetes and several ministrokes died in February after going on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. A medical examiner's report said her death "was not unexpected."

Florida's major theme parks not directly regulated by the state, and instead have their own inspectors.

 

[Daxx]

Why am I thinking that 4 is awfully young to be on this ride?

I also think that 4 yo is young to ride M:S. However ... that is me and I say this w/my child in mind, knowing what he was capable of handling at age 4. I wouldn't have put him on that ride at age 4 b/c it would have been way too intense for him. I know what my child can handle ... just as everyone else knows what their child can handle.

That doesn't mean people who allow their child to ride M:S at age 4 are wrong. I do not sit in judgement of what rides people allow their children on b/c they know their child better than I do. I just know that M:S would've been too much for my child at 4 yo.

DS8 and rode M:S in Oct and in May. He loved it ... but I know at age 4, he would have been miserable on it!

 

[mickeymom629]

This is so sad. PatriciaH, that must have been devastating for you to have witnessed; I can't even think about what the family is going through, and that mother . . .

My oldest (DS- 17) went on it last year and was ill the entire day. But my other two sons (11 and 15) have been on it a few times every trip we've made since it opened. When I heard this story, I thought 4 was way too young to go on this ride. You are supposed to feel like an astronaut, for goodness sake. But who would've ever thought this would happen.

A young boy died on the soccer field in our area last year. Tragic. No one can prevent everything. But we want to know WHY????!!! I'm already a worry-wart. I try my hardest to not think of the worst. My oldest (son) right now is in Myrtle Beach with two families and a few boys for their high school graduation trip. I try not to think too much.

 

[mousefansmom]

There is a very rare heart condition which may cause a person to literally be scared to death. It usually goes undetected until the death occurs. Obviously I don't know if this is the case with this very tragic incident, but it may have absolutely nothing to do with the ride itself. Regardless, a very awful thing to happen. . .
Mousefansmom

 

[mickeymom629]

Well, let me clarify. I try not to think of the WORST, too much. I DO try to think.

 

[tiggersthebest]

I Went on Mission Space two years ago- when it first opened and it was a mistake for me. I get Migraines and since they don't let you see what the ride really is I went on it and my head suffered. My father however, loved it and had no problems so I guess it depends on the person. Based on my experience I will not go on it again.

Mom of two princesses