Listing of injuresi in FLA that required a hosp. visit

[Bob O]

Visitor injuries at Florida's major theme parks

May 6, 2004

Visitor theme park injuries that required hospital visits as reported to Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services since January 2003. They are listed by park, ride, date, injury and age and sex of rider.

January through March 2004

Universal Studios, Men in Black, Jan. 8, 2004, fractured toe, 12-year-old boy

Disney's Epcot, Mission: Space, Feb. 5, 2004, didn't feel well, 68-year-old man

Disney's Epcot, Mission: Space, March 24, 2004, chest pains, 59-year-old woman

Disney's Epcot, Mission: Space, March 30, 2004, nausea, 59-year-old man

October through December 2003

Wet 'N Wild, Knee Ski, Oct. 5, 2003, fractured right leg, 29-year-old man

Disney's Epcot, Mission: Space, Oct. 21, 2003, chest pain, 61-year-old man

Disney's Magic Kingdom, Riverboat, Nov. 8, 2003, fell and hit head, 71-year-old woman

Disney's Epcot, Mission: Space, Nov. 17, 2003, chest pain, 67-year-old man

Disney's Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain, Dec. 24, 2003, knee injury, 23-year-old man

July through September 2003

Busch Gardens' Adventure Island, Tampa Typhoon Slide, July 12, 2003, ******l tear, 12-year-old girl

Disney's Magic Kingdom, Liberty Riverboat, July 16, 2003, tripped and injured pelvis, 83-year-old woman

Disney's Animal Kingdom, Dinosaur, July 17, 2003, passed out, 64-year-old woman

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Wave Pool, July 17, 2003, stroke, 46-year-old man

Disney's Epcot, Mission: Space, Aug. 10, 2003, nausea, 55-year-old man

Wet 'N Wild, Knee Ski, Aug. 14, 2003, left leg fracture, 24-year-old man

Universal's Islands of Adventure, Hulk ride, Sept. 23, 2003, fatality unrelated to ride, 34-year-old female

April through June 2003

Universal's Islands of Adventure, Dr. Doom, April 15, 2003, laceration/tear of genitalia, 9-year-old girl

Disney's Magic Kingdom, Buzz Lightyear, May 11, 2003, knee injury, 75-year-old woman

Disney's Magic Kingdom, Buzz Lightyear, May 14, 2003, lacerated ankle, 12-year-old girl

Busch Gardens' Adventure Island, Tampa Typhoon Slide, May 20, 2003, arm fracture, 13-year-old girl

Busch Gardens' Adventure Island, Gulfscream Slide, June 1, 2003, ******l tear, 21-year-old woman

Disney's Animal Kingdom, Dinosaur, June 24, 2003, chest pain, 14-year-old girl

Disney's MGM Studios, Tower of Terror, June 29, 2003, chest pain, 45-year-old woman

January through March 2003

Disney's Magic Kingdom, Space Mountain, Feb. 3, 2003, memory loss, 75-year-old woman

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park, Feb. 7, 2003, fell on steps leading to pool, fractured ankle, died of pulmonary embolism weeks later, 31-year-old woman

Disney's Epcot, Universe of Energy, March 28, 2003, heart attack and later died, 81-year-old woman

Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel


I didnt guess some dont read the ride warnings for MS. Most reported problems seemed to be from older guests.
I also didnt realize memory loss was a injury or that some or these water slides were that dangerous.
Any other thoughts.comments??

 

[Planogirl]

Just that I don't see Universal listed very often. And the Barney show not even once. Seriously, how does someone fracture a toe on MIB?

Most of these don't look like the fault of the ride IMO.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Along with memory loss, I didnt realize nausea could be considered an injury. Water slides are typically safe when you follow the directions give by the cast members (at least at the Disney parks). It is the people who dont listen and go down backwards, fail to cross their legs, etc that end up injuried. The only injuries I was present for at Typhoon was a boy who was running and fell and broke his leg, a boy who received a severe laceration from a damage slide (which was repaired same day). And a woman who triped on a section of the sidewalk at the bus loop that was slightly raised and had a slight cut to the head and a concussion (which was repaired 10 minutes after the accident).

If the fatality at Universal is unrelated to the ride, why is it reported?

 

[Planogirl]

The fatality happened while the individual was on the ride which is why it's listed. It was determined that the fatality would have occurred regardless of where the individual was.

 

[Bob O]

I think this list shows that alot of accidents are in fact caused by either rider error or riders that dont properly read warnings that are posted for the riders benefit. I havent ridden MS yet but i have read that they have 13 signs warning about the ride so it would be hqard for one to claim that they werent aware that we are dealing with a intense ride.

 

[ShadowWind]

What fascinates me if you look at the list as a whole is that the tame rides seem to injure people the most, more than a known gutwrencher like M:S. In fact, I had no idea Typhoon Lagoon could kill me quicker than M:S statistically.

I think it's not a fair assumption to assume just because they warn you that it's intense, you are aware that you will have such a problem. I've often said the last place you want to find out you have a heart condition is on a ride that says, "Do not ride if you have a heart condition." Many people are unaware of such things, or maybe perfectly fine on other such thrill rides.

The list does show as well that some things are inevitable no matter where you are and you just happen to be at Disney. Considering the amount of traffic that goes through the parks daily, monthly and yearly, the chance of going to the hospital is fairly slim and would call the above a pretty darn good safety record.

 

[DC7800]

Originally posted by Bob O
I think this list shows that alot of accidents are in fact caused by either rider error or riders that dont properly read warnings that are posted for the riders benefit. I havent ridden MS yet but i have read that they have 13 signs warning about the ride so it would be hqard for one to claim that they werent aware that we are dealing with a intense ride.

Many "injuries" obviously occur where the person just so happens to be at the time, such as the heart attack at Universe of Energy. Some of the chest pain cases reported for Mission Space concievably might have happened anyway, perhaps back home weeks later, had the attraction not been just instense enough to push a person over the edge. However, the number of incidents at Mission Space merits watching, if for no other reason than to document the true cause of the reported injuries.

I say this having yet to even see the competed attraction, but I wonder just how seriously guests take all those warning signs. There's a perception that since it's a Disney ride, how extreme can it be? People who would never participate in physically extreme activities (bungee jump or something) will ride everything at a Disney park, or maybe just to avoid disappointing their kids. I'm not necessairily equating M:S as quite so intense, but people do tend to push the limits. Kids get special shoes to lift their height a couple inches to meet the requirement for a given ride, and their parents with very minor (or unknown) health issues, or who simply do not tolerate thrill rides well, disregard warning signs. I'm sure, 99% of the time they are fine, but M:S is a new experience, and it exceeds the tolerance of a larger segment of the population than other theme park attractions.

 

[Chuck S]

Seeing the problems some young ladies are having with tearing on some of the coasters (haven't been on the rides in question...I'm assuming they are a straddle seat stand up type coaster), I'm surprised they haven't re-designed the seats or restraints to minimize this problem.

 

[Planogirl]

Originally posted by Chuck S
Seeing the problems some young ladies are having with tearing on some of the coasters (haven't been on the rides in question...I'm assuming they are a straddle seat stand up type coaster), I'm surprised they haven't re-designed the seats or restraints to minimize this problem.

Isn't Adventure Island a waterpark so wouldn't those be waterslides?

Dr. Doom is just a freefall ride a la Tower of Terror so I don't see how the ride could cause this.

 

[johare]

Originally posted by Planogirl
The fatality happened while the individual was on the ride which is why it's listed. It was determined that the fatality would have occurred regardless of where the individual was.

That may be true, but shouldn't the same have been said about the 75 year old woman who suffered memory loss on Space Mountain? If she really did have memory loss, how can she blame Space Mountain? Maybe it was the ride she rode before Space Mountain and she just can't remember.

Or the 81 year old who dropped dead on Universe of Energy. In this case did they determine that the ride did in fact kill her and she'd be alive today had she not taken the risk of going on that ride.

 

[trola2]

Are you comparing apples to oranges when you compare MS to other rides that have been operating the full length of time covered in the post? Shouldn't you ONLY look at the injury list since Mission Space opened if you are comparing the saftey record of MS to other rides??

Just a thought.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Dr Doom is like the Mailboomer in DCA. (And many parks have this same ride -- even Adventureland in Des Moines, IA.)

I have only riden Hulk once and had an odd experience.
If I recall correct, that ride buckles guests between their legs and into the harness that pulls down. (Pull down padded harness like Dr Doom and RnRC)
When I went to get off, the buckle was not fastened.
Thank goodness for the solid harness. I heard the buckle click into place. But obviously it was not secure. Not a good feeling of well being when you realize that as you are getting off.

 

[johare]

When I went to get off, the buckle was not fastened.

I'm pretty sure that buckle is only there as a backup in case the main harness were to somehow release. Many coasters I've seen outside of IOA don't even use the buckles. Still, they usually come around and give each belt a tug to make sure the buckle has fastened.

 

[Luv2Roam]

johare -- agree.
But it did leave me feeling very thankful the harness worked.
Still unsettling. Just shows we *assume* a lot.

 

[Phoebesaturn]

Originally posted by Luv2Roam

When I went to get off, the buckle was not fastened.
Thank goodness for the solid harness. I heard the buckle click into place. But obviously it was not secure. Not a good feeling of well being when you realize that as you are getting off.

The horse collar harness on Hulk and DD at IOA are just like Rocking Roller Coaster at MGM in the sense they don't need the buckle. The harnesses lock in place. Universal had the buckles added special to each of those coasters. (for added sense of secuirty) They are not normally part of the B&M coaster.

 

[johare]

Originally posted by Phoebesaturn
The horse collar harness on Hulk and DD at IOA are just like Rocking Roller Coaster at MGM in the sense they don't need the buckle. The harnesses lock in place. Universal had the buckles added special to each of those coasters. (for added sense of secuirty) They are not normally part of the B&M coaster.

Exactly, Seaworld uses the buckles on Kraken, but if you look at Kumba over at Busch Garden's you'll see that it doesn't use the buckles. All are B&M coasters, in fact Hulk, Kumba and Kraken all pretty much have the exact same elements, just in a different order.

 

[Bob O]

I was also surprised about the female inuries of a private nature that were listed. I have never heard of those type of injuries happening on a roller coaster and escpecially a drop ride.

 

[Phoebesaturn]

Originally posted by Bob O
I was also surprised about the female inuries of a private nature that were listed. I have never heard of those type of injuries happening on a roller coaster and escpecially a drop ride.

Yeah I know seems odd...maybe they were not sitting correctly in the seat ??