Man sues Disneyland after getting stuck on 'Small World'

[marie1203]

Was wondering what the dis thinks?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41482014/ns/travel-news/?gt1=43001

 

[LaurenT]

What do I think? Hmmm...
I think Mr. Marines likes money. I would be willing to bet this isn't his first frivolous lawsuit.

 

[nytimez]

Not enough detail there to form an opinion. Was he stuck 10 or 15 minutes longer than everyone else... or hours and hours?

There are scenarios in which a suit might be reasonable and scenarios in which it's an outrageous moneygrab, but I can't tell which this is based on the info in the story.

 

[bytheblood]

Another frivilous lawsuit. Sue-happy person in this sue-happy country. GREED! That is all it comes down to. Sad and pathetic.

I am sorry that he is a quadrapelgic and I wish that on nobody; but when I read that my thought was that he is unhappy with his life and is looking for some money and somebody to blame.

 

[KPeveler]

Not enough detail there to form an opinion. Was he stuck 10 or 15 minutes longer than everyone else... or hours and hours?

There are scenarios in which a suit might be reasonable and scenarios in which it's an outrageous moneygrab, but I can't tell which this is based on the info in the story.

He was stuck for 40 minutes. The practice in place is standard - if he has a powerchair on Small World in Disneyland, then it is actually safer NOT to unload him unless there is an emergency in the building (i.e. fire, ride not going to operate again that day). They had a CM ride with him, which is also standard practice.

As someone who got stuck in my powerchair for 35 minutes on Pooh Bear, I can sympathize with the hassle but not the lawsuit!

 

[nytimez]

He was stuck for 40 minutes. The practice in place is standard - if he has a powerchair on Small World in Disneyland, then it is actually safer NOT to unload him unless there is an emergency in the building (i.e. fire, ride not going to operate again that day). They had a CM ride with him, which is also standard practice.

As someone who got stuck in my powerchair for 35 minutes on Pooh Bear, I can sympathize with the hassle but not the lawsuit!

I skipped right over that, thanks for pointing it out. I agree - hassle here. But definitely not lawsuit-worthy.

The problem with these lawsuits isn't just that he could win a (pun alert) boatload of cash. It's that it could lead to unnecessary and awful changes.

I already find the ugly, decaying suspended ceiling (at least at WDW's small world ride) to be a consistently ugly reminder of reality throughout the ride... an emergency exit ramp in each scene would really destroy it completely.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Nothing seems to have happened to him--he just had to sit for awhile.

$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Barnhill9586]

Valid cause of action imo...just having to listen to that song for 40 straight minutes would cause me severe emotional distress and should be worth punitives or treble damages at a minimum. I'm stressed now just thinking about it.

 

[waynesgirl]

That's the best part of the articles on MSN...

The comments after it. Wonder how many of those people are on DISBoards?

 

[blueshog2001]

I would settle out of court for lifetime passes for me and my family

 

[Robo]

Valid cause of action imo...just having to listen to that song for 40 straight minutes would cause me severe emotional distress and should be worth punitives or treble damages at a minimum. I'm stressed now just thinking about it.

Plaintiff's (yours in this case) Contributory Negligence of choosing to ride this attraction would likely cancel any defendant Comparative Negligence for any recoverable damages.





BTW, I wonder if I should sue the DISBOARDS for the S-L-O-W refresh times we've been experiencing lately.





.

 

[KPeveler]

I skipped right over that, thanks for pointing it out. I agree - hassle here. But definitely not lawsuit-worthy.

The problem with these lawsuits isn't just that he could win a (pun alert) boatload of cash. It's that it could lead to unnecessary and awful changes.

I already find the ugly, decaying suspended ceiling (at least at WDW's small world ride) to be a consistently ugly reminder of reality throughout the ride... an emergency exit ramp in each scene would really destroy it completely.

I skipped right over that, thanks for pointing it out. I agree - hassle here. But definitely not lawsuit-worthy.

The problem with these lawsuits isn't just that he could win a (pun alert) boatload of cash. It's that it could lead to unnecessary and awful changes.

I already find the ugly, decaying suspended ceiling (at least at WDW's small world ride) to be a consistently ugly reminder of reality throughout the ride... an emergency exit ramp in each scene would really destroy it completely.

Actually it is more about the boat being locked down. In WDW you roll onto the boat from the loading dock. In DL, it has a lift like the Jungle Cruise. They raise the lift, I wheel on, and then they turn the lift so I am facing forwards and lower the lift with me on it. They do this in the loading zone because the boat is "locked" in place. The battery for the lift is contained on each boat, and there is a manual override.

It would simply be very unsafe for them to operate the lift elsewhere. If there were a fire, most likely they would have firefighters lift the person out of the wheelchair and carry him out, not try to get the wheelchair too. My wheelchair, which has a minimum of equipment on it (more would be needed for a quad) weighs 325 lbs. Not easy to get out.

Now if he requested paramedics and was refused, THAT is an issue...

 

[larryz]

Sue happy America. I think Disney's got the paperwork in place to show they meet ADA requirements.

I think this will wind up settled for a nominal amount.

 

[Barnhill9586]

Plaintiff's (yours in this case) Contributory Negligence of choosing to ride this attraction would likely cancel any defendant Comparative Negligence for any recoverable damages.





BTW, I wonder if I should sue the DISBOARDS for the S-L-O-W refresh times we've been experiencing lately.





.

Sorry Robo, I don't practice law in California but I believe it is a Comparative Fault state not a Contributory Negligence state...even so a jury of peers after having that song played over and over will be unable to find me or my client even 1% negligent! I do like the idea of settling for lifetime FP's though as another poster mentioned!

 

[AlexandAndysMom]

Oh, wow. How sad! I think this guy would have sued for anything...if he had been told he couldn't ride, if he had been taken off first, if something had happened while they were taking him off. 40 minutes? Come on...

 

[Goofy_Mom]

I was almost stuck on the DL small world ride once. I don't know why, but I noticed the boat moving slower and slower as it went through the ride. About 3/4's the way through, it stopped. I was with my sisters and my daughter, there were others in the boat with us. My sisters and I looked at each other with kinda "***" faces, then i forced my eyes to focus around the boat (all the blinking lights make it kinda hard for me to adjust to dark fixtures) We're all fairly tall and could eaisly reach the platforms on the sides of the boat. I gave instuctions to push off the platforms, after 3 or 4 good pushes, we were at a more respectable speed.

 

[WDSearcher]

BTW, I wonder if I should sue the DISBOARDS for the S-L-O-W refresh times we've been experiencing lately.

Has it caused you great emotional distress??

 

[carly3592]

I think anyone would sue after having to listen to that song for 40 minutes straight.....................

 

[Jamie77]

I thought upon opening this thread that this guy was going to say he was emotionally tramatized by having to be stuck with all these dolls for 40 min. I know that's a running joke on these boards. Good thing he didn't say that because that would have made himself look sillier than he does already.

 

[marie1203]

I thought upon opening this thread that this guy was going to say he was emotionally tramatized by having to be stuck with all these dolls for 40 min. I know that's a running joke on these boards. Good thing he didn't say that because that would have made himself look sillier than he does already.

that is what I thought when I saw the title. Then it made me wonder if they turn off the song if they stop the ride.