Girl Critical After Riding Disney's 'Tower Of Terror' Ride

[safetymom]

Girl Critical After Riding Disney's 'Tower Of Terror' Ride

http://www.local6.com/news/4713504/detail.html

A 16-year-old girl is in critical condition after riding the "Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror" ride at Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World, according to Local 6 News.

 

[Bob P]

Here's a similar story from the OrSen:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...wer071205,0,7381735.story?coll=orl-home-promo

 

[julia & nicks mom]

scary - but I can't imagine what type of malfunction on this ride would cause such a reaction - unless she hit her head on something?

I hope this doesn't lead to calls that ToT should be closed as well!!!

My prayers go out to her and her family!

 

[lillygator]

wow - hope she is ok.

 

[civileng68]

Well honestly,
I'll give my honest opinion, and please dont flame me for this.

TOT is among my top 2 favorite rides. However, as Disneyholics and with as much as we know, when someone on these boards asks about TOT, we should always tell them how much we love it, but we also should, as responsible people, let them know that it isn't something that everyone may like.

i've seen people on here talking it up as no big deal. I did that as well until now. I was one that even told my 52 year old dad last week that it was nothing, no big deal. I really didnt think it was. My dad was having trouble breathing after it was over and was seriously concerned for his health, and he's healthy. He said he really started worrying that if the ride didn't end before it did that he was going to have some big problems. I think he would have serioulsy had a heart attack.

Some people do well on rollercoasters but may not do well free-falling. It's a totally different experience. Some people may do every single thrill ride, but some people's bodies react differently when they free fall. Some people's minds take over their own sense of control and go sort of into instinct mode and the body reacts differently.

I think the heat can have alot to do with overall reactions. People's bodies if not well hydrated and without proper nutrition can react harshly to even small effects on the body and mind.

It could be anything, but after this and after my dad's experience, I hope well all realize that anyone can react to things incredibly different than we do and we should properly give our opinion of the ride, along with reactions that others, different than ourselves may experience.

 

[DisneyTrippin]

Does anybody know what actually killed the boy on Mission Space? The last I read, they ruled out trauma from the ride.

 

[DisneyTrippin]

Well honestly,
I'll give my honest opinion, and please dont flame me for this.

TOT is among my top 2 favorite rides. However, as Disneyholics and with as much as we know, when someone on these boards asks about TOT, we should always tell them how much we love it, but we also should, as responsible people, let them know that it isn't something that everyone may like.

i've seen people on here talking it up as no big deal. I did that as well until now. I was one that even told my 52 year old dad last week that it was nothing, no big deal. I really didnt think it was. My dad was having trouble breathing after it was over and was seriously concerned for his health, and he's healthy. He said he really started worrying that if the ride didn't end before it did that he was going to have some big problems. I think he would have serioulsy had a heart attack.

Some people do well on rollercoasters but may not do well free-falling. It's a totally different experience. Some people may do every single thrill ride, but some people's bodies react differently when they free fall. Some people's minds take over their own sense of control and go sort of into instinct mode and the body reacts differently.

I think the heat can have alot to do with overall reactions. People's bodies if not well hydrated and without proper nutrition can react harshly to even small effects on the body and mind.

It could be anything, but after this and after my dad's experience, I hope well all realize that anyone can react to things incredibly different than we do and we should properly give our opinion of the ride, along with reactions that others, different than ourselves may experience.

I can agree with that. When I was a kid, between 11 - 14, I was at Six Flags and held my breath on the parachutes before it dropped. I passed out on that drop (which is nothing) and was still "weirded out" (as I always call it) when I got to the bottom. My daddy was asking me if I was okay and calling my name, I could hear him, but could not respond. It took me a few minutes to come to. My eyes were open, I could hear and see, but I could not move my limbs, nor could I speak. Don't know if you have ever ridden the parachutes at Six Flag, but they are much much more tame than TOT could ever be.

 

[Toni300z]

WOW, i HOPE SHE IS OK.
Thanks for posting the story

 

[daisy_77]

She may have health issues that were aggravated by the ride. She could have been very dehydrated...There can be more explanations to her injury than this ride being dangerous. I've been on the DCA ToT and IMO it was not that bad. But that is just my opinion.
I just hope she comes out of it and gets well.

 

[Toni300z]

I can agree with that. When I was a kid, between 11 - 14, I was at Six Flags and held my breath on the parachutes before it dropped. I passed out on that drop (which is nothing) and was still "weirded out" (as I always call it) when I got to the bottom. My daddy was asking me if I was okay and calling my name, I could hear him, but could not respond. It took me a few minutes to come to. My eyes were open, I could hear and see, but I could not move my limbs, nor could I speak. Don't know if you have ever ridden the parachutes at Six Flag, but they are much much more tame than TOT could ever be.

Wow, sounds like some kind of temporary catatonic moment. It's amazing what your body does sometimes, or how it reacts to certain events. Everyone is different though.

 

[lillygator]

OT - daisy 77 are you on OUL too?

 

[kizmac]

Wow....thanks for posting this. I hope she's ok

 

[kupperman]

Oh no! I hope she's ok. I wonder what Disney is going to do.. First Mission Space now Tower of Terror. I just hope everything works out ok.

 

[Tinkim]

Well honestly,
I'll give my honest opinion, and please dont flame me for this.

TOT is among my top 2 favorite rides. However, as Disneyholics and with as much as we know, when someone on these boards asks about TOT, we should always tell them how much we love it, but we also should, as responsible people, let them know that it isn't something that everyone may like.

i've seen people on here talking it up as no big deal. I did that as well until now. I was one that even told my 52 year old dad last week that it was nothing, no big deal. I really didnt think it was. My dad was having trouble breathing after it was over and was seriously concerned for his health, and he's healthy. He said he really started worrying that if the ride didn't end before it did that he was going to have some big problems. I think he would have serioulsy had a heart attack.

Some people do well on rollercoasters but may not do well free-falling. It's a totally different experience. Some people may do every single thrill ride, but some people's bodies react differently when they free fall. Some people's minds take over their own sense of control and go sort of into instinct mode and the body reacts differently.

I think the heat can have alot to do with overall reactions. People's bodies if not well hydrated and without proper nutrition can react harshly to even small effects on the body and mind.

It could be anything, but after this and after my dad's experience, I hope well all realize that anyone can react to things incredibly different than we do and we should properly give our opinion of the ride, along with reactions that others, different than ourselves may experience.

I think you're right. I have a tendency to downplay ride intensity at WDW because I think they are fine and I forgot other people have different tolerances. My youngest child DD was 7 last time we went and she is a daredevil. Our friends were with us and I kept saying "it's a baby ride" jokingly because they were pretty fearful of every ride and her DD14 at the time freaked about going on Splash Moutain. I am very careful with my mom because I know she is fearful of a lot of rides and I am able to think about a ride from her perspective but I have to remember that everyone is different and I should try to give a more honest objective opinion on any ride's intensity. Thanks for the reminder. Glad your dad was okay and hoping this young girl will be okay as well.

 

[Kristina]

She may have health issues that were aggravated by the ride. She could have been very dehydrated...There can be more explanations to her injury than this ride being dangerous.

I agree with the above wholeheartedly. Isn't it true however that Disney doesn't have to report accidents on property, that the state can't even investigate without Disney's permission? I mean, that is just nuts! I can't understand how that can be possible at all, no matter how powerful a company Disney is.

My prayers go out to the girl and her family! Civileng68, very well said.

 

[civileng68]

I agree with the above wholeheartedly. Isn't it true however that Disney doesn't have to report accidents on property, that the state can't even investigate without Disney's permission? I mean, that is just nuts! I can't understand how that can be possible at all, no matter how powerful a company Disney is.

My prayers go out to the girl and her family! Civileng68, very well said.

I dont know their policies or laws on investigation. Im pretty sure the property is fully private property and would fall under all of the private property rules. However, Im sure the law for investigation varies depending on "type" of incident.

Maybe if it's an accident it doesnt have to be reported (I dont know at all) but Im sure something criminal would have to be reported.

However, Im sure it will always be reported as it seems Disney has gotten so big that they likely couldn't keep anything like that from leaking anyways.

 

[Kristina]

The article I read is on the following site http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/229955_ridesed.asp

Otherwise I don't know much the subject either, but I would think even if they wern't required to have a serious accident investigated it would be good sense to do so. Especially if any said accident were not the fault of the company. What boggles is that according to this article, Disney could decide what is and isn't investigated, and that just can't be right.

 

[deelam]

Just wondering what the temp was in the parks when this happened. I wonder if the heat was a factor.

I do love this ride. One time I rode it with a headache, what a mistake. I felt like my head was going to explode.

 

[Feralpeg]

Just wondering what the temp was in the parks when this happened. I wonder if the heat was a factor.

I do love this ride. One time I rode it with a headache, what a mistake. I felt like my head was going to explode.

The temperature when this happened this morning was mid-80s.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Isn't it true however that Disney doesn't have to report accidents on property, that the state can't even investigate without Disney's permission? I mean, that is just nuts! I can't understand how that can be possible at all, no matter how powerful a company Disney is

No, accidents can be investigated, I think what you are thinking of is ride inspections. In the state of Florida (it varies by state) permanent amusement or theme parks do not have to submit to state ride inspections. In other words, Disney is responsible for and inspects it's own rides...along with Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens, ect....

There is a group that is pushing for state inspections, but I honestly don't believe that a state inspector could inspect a ride any better than Disney who created and knows the ride best. It is in Disney's own best interests to make sure their rides are safe, so I don't worry about them slacking off on ride safety just because they aren't inspected by someone from the goverment.