Disney accidents: Are you concerned about safety

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

http://thedailydisney.com/blog/2010/04/disney-accidents-are-you-concerned-about-safety/

 

[Goopy]

Simply put, No I'm not.

 

[Stumpy]

Considering the overwhelming volume of guests each year versus the number of accidents, absolutely not. I can see how injuries occur, though, because many people do not follow rules and guidelines while at Disney, almost as if they leave their brains behind when they visit. I see kids running around in the parking lots, buses, etc. Honestly, I think it's a testament to Disney's focus on safety that there aren't more accidents.

Think about it: The world's 7th largest naval fleet and I don't know how many buses running, but probably as many as a major city. Not to mention you've got tourists who do things like cut in front of the buses and slam on their brakes because thy don't know the roads (that's happened to me twice while riding a Disney bus), crazy cab drivers and tons of other buses on the road.

As far as the tragedy with the 9 year old child that brought this up, despite mom and dad blaming Disney (of course, how could it be anyone else?), the cops and eyewitnesses have corroborated the story that the kid ran into the bus, not the other way around. The only person saying otherwise is the 11 year old friend who was there and she admitted to the police that she KNOWS the bus hit her friend despite the fact that she never saw what happened.

 

[safetymom]

http://thedailydisney.com/blog/2010/04/disney-accidents-are-you-concerned-about-safety/

How do you feel about it?

I think Disney is like anywhere else and you need to be careful.

 

[Goopy]

I agree totally its like anywhere else in that you need to be careful however people tend to blame Disney for every little thing that goes wrong. Honestly looking at the big picture for close to 40 years of having on most days at least 100,000 people each day on their property I honestly feel that overall they do a very good job.

Bus drivers do an amazing job, they are out on the road everyday in force surrounded by tourists that are too busy gawking at the sights rather than paying attention to driving, It's a miracle that there haven't been more accidents involving them for that very reason alone.

Any incident be it a fatality or injury is unacceptable however compared to the airline industry or any other major transportation industry Disney is simply in a league of its own as far as safeD goes.

Disney has made a lot of money from being in Florida and in turn the people of Florida have made a lot of money from them being here. I say to the locals who are bashing the company where would you be now if it wasn't for Disney?

 

[CandyMandy]

We don't feel unsafe at Disney and while most accidents there are the fault of guests who ignore rules and throw caution to the wind, not all are.

Notwithstanding the recent example of the Epcot bus crash (where seven people were injured due to no fault of their own whatsoever), let's look at some history:

July 29, 2005: 25 riders are injured when a coaster train on California Screamin at the California Adventure Park rear ends another train. Subsequent state investigation concludes accident was the result of a faulty brake installed by Disney.

September 5, 2003: a male passenger is killed and eleven others are injured on Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland when a train derails into a rear-end crash. Subsequent state investigation concludes the accident was the result of both improper maintenance and improper employee training.

Christmas Eve, 1998: a male guest is killed and his wife is seriously injured when a cleat from the Columbia sailing ship at Disneyland tears loose when sujected to the stress of a taut line, shearing across a group of waiting passengers. Subsequent state investigation concludes improper employee training was at fault. Disney eventually settles a lawsuit from the survivors of the deceased guest for a figure experts believe approached $25 million.

January 3, 1984: a woman riding the Matterhorn Bobsleds is thrown from her car and killed when struck by another ride vehicle. Subsequent state investigation shows her seat belt had come unbuckled, but was not able to determine whether it malfunctioned or was accidently/deliberately opened.

 

[Chuck S]

I am not overly concerned with accidents at Disney, or anywhere else, for that matter. I do try to stay away from things that I know are dangerous, but accidents can happen any where, and one can't live life secured in bubble wrap.

I think when it is our our time, it is simply our time...like the unfortunate man that was hit by an airplane while jogging along the beach at Vero. Freakish things happen, no matter how careful you are.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Let's see.

There are over 50 Million entries to the WDW Parks in a year.

Disney has about 62,000 full and part time employees.

There is some large number of "Participant" employees

Disney has over 30,000 hotel rooms on property, plus the Hotel Plaza hotels.

Statistically the injuries and deaths are exremely low.

 

[Micca]

I'm fine with the safety precautions at WDW. I do hope they are able to lessen the accidents.

 

[iwrbnd]

Doesn't worry me in the slightest. I take the chance of getting injured every time I get out of bed!

 

[dclfun]

I'm not worried. It's actually amazing that with all the tourists who disobey the rules ( consider the "No Stopping" signs prominently displayed by the WDW entrance signs that regularly have several car-loads of tourists taking photos there, having stopped their cars) since they have either left their brains at home or figure the rules don't apply to them, that there aren't more accidents either by WDW transportation or other drivers. I've seen people exit trams while they are moving, stand up on attractions where it is clearly stated at all times to remain in your seat, climb over seats, put their arms out on the moving vehicles to try and touch something, etc. With this recent tragedy it's appalling to me that the boy's parents are blaming Disney. It's clear that there's NO WAY the driver hit their child since the impact took place in the center of the bus and the kid was in the street vs. on the sidewalk. I'm sure his parents are distraught but they don't stand to gain from their stance which is illogical at best.---Kathy

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

How do you feel about it?

I think Disney is like anywhere else and you need to be careful.

Well no matter where I am weather it be at home in Toronto or in WDW, I always try to remain as safe as I possibly can by always knowing what's around me and watching what I do.

I also think with the recent accidents at WDW it's easy for someone to write this type of artical, when the reality is danger can happen to anyone no matter where they are in the world.

 

[1osfan]

Are you concerned about safety at WDW? Absolutely! And so sure every parent who takes their children there. As Cheshire Figment pointed out, there are 30,000 hotel rooms on Disney property alone not to mention all of the other rooms in the area. Combine 100,000 park guests with 60,000 cast members and you have 5 times the number of people that live in my town! Of course I worry about safety!

With that said, I think Disney does a great job trying to keep people safe. As a parent, I worry about safety everywhere - even in my own home. Being concerned about my family's safety does not mean that Disney is doing something wrong - it means I am a concerned parent. I worry more about our safety when we visit other vacation areas. The recent incidents are tragic but accidents happen everywhere.

 

[zulemara]

Considering the overwhelming volume of guests each year versus the number of accidents, absolutely not. I can see how injuries occur, though, because many people do not follow rules and guidelines while at Disney, almost as if they leave their brains behind when they visit. I see kids running around in the parking lots, buses, etc. Honestly, I think it's a testament to Disney's focus on safety that there aren't more accidents.

Think about it: The world's 7th largest naval fleet and I don't know how many buses running, but probably as many as a major city. Not to mention you've got tourists who do things like cut in front of the buses and slam on their brakes because thy don't know the roads (that's happened to me twice while riding a Disney bus), crazy cab drivers and tons of other buses on the road.

As far as the tragedy with the 9 year old child that brought this up, despite mom and dad blaming Disney (of course, how could it be anyone else?), the cops and eyewitnesses have corroborated the story that the kid ran into the bus, not the other way around. The only person saying otherwise is the 11 year old friend who was there and she admitted to the police that she KNOWS the bus hit her friend despite the fact that she never saw what happened.

shucks we used to be the 3rd largest

To say people leave their brains at home and act like idiots is an understatement, but I know what you meant.

Disney runs between 275 an 300 buses everyday, certainly as many as some larger cities I think.

Disney has made mistakes, yes, most of them were at DL during its dark ages, but we put in place many safety policies that guests will break becaues they think it's dumb. PP brought up the thing about the cleat, well that's why we do things a certain way on the boats, to prevent something like that from happening, but people will disregard the rules anyway. People jump gates when boats are docking, jump over the bow of a 66 ft cruiser, dangle their kids over the railing of a launch with 2 ft of water between the dock and the boat(I thought MJ was dead??), run and try to hurdle ropes, only to fall, or duck under and get clothes lined, the list goes on and on and on. A split second, literally .01 seconds is all it takes for someone to get in an unsafe position. With spring break around, the number guests goes up and as such, the % of stupid people also increases. I have had multiple times since mid March where I was looking down at the cleat doing my job, either tying up or casting off a boat, only to look up and see some idiot where he/she shouldn't be.

For a place that, as far as I know, maintains the status of the #1 vacation destination in the world, putting 25 million people into MK alone each year, there is a pretty stellar track record. One airline crash is still more people than have died at Disney, be it guests or CMs.

Maybe if the guests would stop acting like they are the only ones in the universe and pay attention to what is going on around them, it would help the CMs increase safety.

Note I am not saying this in response to one particular incident, just in general.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Am I concerned? No more than I'd be concerned ANYWHERE else.

I was wondering when we would see a thread something like this--and it's hardly a suprise that the Sentinel would stir the pot this way.

Everyone so far who has posted is absolutely correct--contrary to what the Sentinel is trying to suggest, given the massive # of people, cars, boats, rides etec etc, WDW is VERY safe.

 

[mitros]

We have been visiting WDW since 1987, and we have never, NEVER heard of so many accidents on Property in such a short time span. Go ahead and blame the newspapers and the news media, but this stuff IS happening, and it's not good. There was another accident involving a Disney bus today {Saturday} around noon.

 

[FireDancer]

I'm no more concerned with safety there then anywhere else. The people I am more afraid of on the roads are the tourists. In any area that has a high tourist population you have roads full of people who don't know where they are going. While this wouldn't be a problem if they noticed they made a mistake, went to a safe place to turn around, and backtracked, that isn't what often happens. I lived in FL for two years and witnessed so many people on property make 3 lane changes without looking because they were about to miss an exit. Of course this happens everywhere but it happens a lot more when people are not used to the area.

Having those people on buses is much safer then having them in cars on the road. While the recent accidents are tragic they involved exactly 2 deaths, the monorail driver and the little boy on the bike. One was not even Disney's fault according to the police report. Had all of the people who ride the buses and monorails, or even a large number of them, been on the roads in cars does anyone think that over the same amount of time there would be less accidents or less injuries/fatalities?

Like anywhere you can do some easy things to stay safer but some things are out of control and statistics dictate there will be accidents and there will be injuries/fatalities. People can make sure they are driving safely, make sure they look both ways before crossing a street, make sure they ride their bikes safely, and be cautious. When you are on a bus or subway anywhere, Disney or not, what the driver does is out of your control. Accidents will happen but they will happen everywhere. In many cities their bus system handles less people per day then Disney and I'm sure many of them have more accidents. When anything happens at Disney it gets more press then the same accident anywhere else. A bus accident that happens here in Cleveland with the same outcome as the one today would get a 5 minute blurb on the local news and nothing more. It wouldn't show up on the national media.

I would not think twice about riding on any Disney boat, bus, or monorail. While any of the drivers can make a mistake and cause an injury I have a much higher chance of getting hurt on my 40 mile round trip daily commute to work then on Disney transportation.

 

[JoShan1719]

Like everyone else I'm not anymore concerned for my safety at Disney than anywhere else. I usually tend to feel a little safer only because I'm not doing any actual driving, they are, so I don't have to be out on the roads. I'm not afraid of ride malfunctions or anything because, well, I have to trust they they are taking the proper precautions to maintain their attractions.

 

[bookwormde]

I have 30+ year in emergency services, and any "city" the size of WDW would give anything to to have only the number of serious incendents that WDW has. With that said even in as magical place as WDW is completly letting your gaurd down is never wise.

bookwormde

 

[Magicbus]

With almost 300 buses, there have been bus accidents almost everyday. But previously they didn't make the news. Now, when there is one, the media jumps on it.