Mission Space, is it safe?

[Terry S]

I really want to ride this ride but have been too chicken to do so. I told my husband this trip I am going to go for it. But now I am not so sure. I have high blood pressure but it is controlled by medication. My husband claims to me since my blood pressure is "controlled" it is no longer considered high blood pressure so I would be fine. What do you think?

 

[swoodard]

I have a question. What does this ride do. Does it spin you?
We are going in June and my wife does not want myself or our DS 11 to get on it. I do get a bit sick on the spinning rides and wanted to know for sure. Is there a website that gives info on this ride?
Thanks in advance

 

[mom2minniemouse]

Originally Posted by snowbunny
I predict that eventually this ride will be toned down, $100 million spent on it or not. Disney can't have a death attributable to Mission Space each and every year, regardless of whether blame can be pinned on the victim. Not good for business.

Actually, there has not been a death "each and every year" that MS has been open. It's been open for more than two years...

I wouldn't ride it again because it scared the pants off of me. LOL! However, I see no reason to tone down a "thrill ride." Should it just be turned into the Dumbo ride just because some people (including me) can't handle it? Of course not! If you don't like it or can't handle it, there are tons of other things to do at WDW. Oh, also, I really don't see these two accidental deaths hurting WDW's bottom line at all.

 

[missmun52]

This is what will be stopping me. I have never heard of two deaths on the same ride in LESS than one year in THE SAME park. As far as the women who died, yes i believe the ride caused it weather she was ill or not. I would rather keep my life than enjoy that ride to tell the truth. I am not against anyone who wants to ride, nor do i think anything is wrong with you wanting to do so, but as for me i will not.

 

[disneymom29]

I went on Mission Space when they had the test period.

I was 32 in good health , not overweight , & went on a bunch of thrill rides all my life .

Mission Space made me nauseous , raised my blood pressure , gave me a severe migrane headache & I felt like I was going to die .

I Had to sit on a bench for 2 hours after getting off the ride to try calm down . Giving birth to a child is a cakewalk compared to that ride !

My brother , & sister who saw the shape I was in said they wouldn't do the ride . My brother & sister know I went on every type of thrill ride , upside down rollercoasters , Star Tours , Tower Of Terror , Spinning Rides Gravitron , & Etc....

The next time we went back to Disney I refused to let my kids go on the ride !

When I Heard that someone died , I wasn't suprised at all ! I Told My DH See that why i didn't let the kids ride again !

I Also run 5 miles a day too , & I Wouldn't go on the ride Mission Space , Or let my kids ride EVEN For a Million Bucks !

 

[afcgirl]

In my opinion, it boils down to simple logic.

If you know you have the risk factors listed in the warnings, DO NOT RIDE.

If you do not think you have the risk factors, you still may have an underlying problem that you are not aware of and that may be triggered by MS (e.g., a heart defect). So you must weigh the benefits versus the very small chance that a problem will occur while riding.

I would compare it to running a marathon. Most people survive running a marathon but a very small amount of people collapse and die due to health issues that they did not know about and that is triggered by excessive exercise.

 

[beattyfamily]

It won't change a thing for my family. It's my DH's favorite at WDW. My two girls ages 6 & 9 enjoy it too. I've been on it twice. Its not my favorite (I don't like the Tea Cups either and NEVER ride them) so sometimes I'll pass but if my family begs me I'll do it again...and they certainly will ride it again.

 

[missmun52]

I really want to ride this ride but have been too chicken to do so. I told my husband this trip I am going to go for it. But now I am not so sure. I have high blood pressure but it is controlled by medication. My husband claims to me since my blood pressure is "controlled" it is no longer considered high blood pressure so I would be fine. What do you think?

My mother in law has high blood pressure and even though she takes meds some things do trigger it and she can get very sick. The signs are intended for those who have high blood pressure weather or not you have it "controlled" by taking medications. Personally i would use extreme caution when getting on the thrill rides especially the ones that are more extreme such as mission space.
Talk to your doctor and see what he/she says first. I am almost sure that they would advise against it though.

 

[JadenLayne]

Okay I'll admit it, the stories scared me. I have never ridden and I asked my family not to ride again. Of course if they push it I will probably give in but I really hope they don't. I may be irrational about it but it scares me.

 

[Girlsontour]

Last year I lost a very dear friend, Reg, to cancer. Before his death he made me promise to go on a ride every day that scared me!! His idea of a joke?! When i got on MS i was so scared that i couldn't swallow properly. As it "took" off i actually said out loud "this ride is for you Reg".......i rode it 8 times during the rest of our holiday!!! Can't wait to go on it this year!

 

[snowbunny]

If someone with an underlying health problem knowingly takes the chance on a ride and assumes the risk, why should the ride be toned down?

I didn't say the ride should be toned down. I predicted that it will be toned down, sooner or later. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people walking around with undiagnosed heart and blood pressure conditions. At some point Disney brass are going to decide it is not worth the risk, fantastic imagineering or not. It's business.

 

[Kick Save]

This is what will be stopping me. I have never heard of two deaths on the same ride in LESS than one year in THE SAME park.

There have been ZERO deaths on Mission: Space EVER. Nobody has died ON the ride, or BECAUSE the ride is unsafe. It's this type of misrepresentation of the facts that is unnessicarily scaring the snot out of some people.

You're in more danger in the car on the way to Epcot than you are on M:S once you get there.

In this sense, snowbunny is right: If the negative press continues to be associated with the ride, even if what's generating the press is no fault of Disney's, they may very well tone it down or shut it down. I think that would be wrong, but with the press and a good number of people saying that death is imminent when you ride M:S, it'll be tough for Disney to fight.

 

[Simba22]

the child that died last year, #1 did not meet the minimum height requirement for the ride, #2 was determined to have died before the ride even started. From what I heard, the mother began arguing with the attendants, saying they were discriminating against her son for not letting him ride. They made her sign an authorization form stating that if something happened, they wouldn't be held responsible...which is why she never filed a lawsuit. Also, medical examiners determined that the boy had a heart condition which was exacerbated by the tight space and the harness on the ride and he had passed away before the ride even began.

The 49-year old woman that passed away a few weeks ago, not only had a heart condition but also had high blood pressure and other problems as I recall hearing. Once again...that's why there are signs posted EVERYWHERE that say if you have any of these conditions, you should not ride.

I was terrified to go on it at first but after I did it last year for the first time I fell in love with it....I'll definetly be doing it again.

 

[brivers222]

Many people seem to be blowing this whole thing way out of proportion. Nobody has died ON the ride EVER. Two people unrelated have died due to complications in pre-existing illnesses they had BEFORE they went on the ride. It hasn't been proven without a doubt that MS did in fact cause the complications either. The same outcome could of happened had they been on the tea cups, ToT, or RNRC.

I am pretty sure many hundreds of people still ride BTMRR in Disneyland AFTER people actually did get hurt ON the ride.

MS is safe and shouldn't be blamed for the health issues that the riders already had.

18 days till LIFT OFF on MS!

 

[Arielle22]

Dh and I rode MS in 8/03 and this past Nov. I probably won't ride it again because I didn't think it was worth the wait. DH would ride it again. If my dds, 10 and 12, wanted to go on I would say yes.

 

[missmun52]

Just some info

Under Florida law, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay are responsible for their own ride safety, with no direct state oversight. Bureau of Fair Rides inspectors confer with the theme-park-ride officials annually but only inspect rides when invited.

Terence McElroy, spokesman for the state bureau, described Wednesday night's inspection as "top to bottom."

"Now understand, we don't regulate them. We're not experts on that ride. We don't routinely look at it. So their engineers and safety personnel and inspectors were the ones who actually did it. We did observe that. There did not appear to be anything, to us, that appeared to be out of the ordinary," McElroy said.


"Even before a second tourist died this week, Mission: Space was emerging as Walt Disney World's most hazardous ride, with more than twice as many reported illnesses and injuries as any other Disney attraction."

"In addition to the two deaths in the past 10 months, 10 people have reported serious illnesses or injuries since the ride opened in the summer of 2003, according to reports Disney filed with the Florida Bureau of Fair Rides Inspections. That's the worst record of all the Disney attractions and doesn't include more than 130 other Mission: Space riders who sought medical attention, according to ambulance records."

"Since its start, Mission: Space has developed a troubling reputation for making some people sick. A few months after it opened, it became the only Disney ride offering motion-sickness bags."


Many people (even on these board), have had negative effects after experiencing this ride but have not reported them, more so than the other rides.

I dont want this to turn into a big debate, its a personal choice that you as an individual will make weather you and your family will ride it but be open to, and learn all the facts so that you are able to make a logical decision.

 

[kaytieeldr]

When I Heard that someone died , I wasn't suprised at all ! I Told My DH See that why i didn't let the kids ride again !

Mm... did you hear about the eight million-plus Guests who've ridden Mission: Space and not died?

You're in more danger in the car on the way to Epcot than you are on M:S once you get there.

Heck, you're in more danger in the parking lot, or on the tram - or on the escalator in The Land pavilion.

"In addition to the two deaths in the past 10 months, 10 people have reported serious illnesses or injuries since the ride opened in the summer of 2003, according to reports Disney filed with the Florida Bureau of Fair Rides Inspections. That's the worst record of all the Disney attractions and doesn't include more than 130 other Mission: Space riders who sought medical attention, according to ambulance records."

Two plus 10 plus 130 = 142. Of the over 8,600,000 Guests who've ridden Mission Space in that time - or less than two one-thousandths of one percent.

 

[wdwguide]

the child that died last year, #1 did not meet the minimum height requirement for the ride, #2 was determined to have died before the ride even started.

Neither point is true.

 

[rwcmath]

I've riden MS twice, and didn't realize that if I was taking medication for high blood pressure, then I have high blood pressure. I figured it was under control. Well, I thought the ride was OK, and I was glad that we didn't have to go back to earth from Mars, but I probably won't ride it again.

rwc

 

[jann1033]

missmun25..interesting article, did they mention what the
"serious illness or injury were"?

personally i wonder about the effect of popular opinion is on this ride as in" my mother father best friend rode this and got motion sickness, hey i feel queasy too!"I mean, really after reading all the warnings, seeing the air sick bags, don't you almost feel like you are supposed to get sick to you stomach, like it's the thing to do? and might think any little twinge is due to MS. after all it is marketed pretty much as the scariest ride in wdw( Disney marketing does it's job well imo on a less than thrilling ride as the commercials with the screaming parents a yr or so ago showed) i am not prone to motion sickness and know some do get sick on this but i really think so many more rides are so much more intense/stressful ( and that was proven as far as the g force articles some have linked in posts)

i also wonder how many, like my normally very motion sickness prone husband ride this but would never ride the tea cups, dumbo, Aladdin's magic carpets etc., maybe assuming since "it doesn't look like it spins......" he got sick but hmm he gets sick in a boat, any ride that spins, cars , you name it pretty much at sometime in his life it's made him want to toss cookies yet he refused to take bonine before riding ms

it just seems like if it were an inherently dangerous ride, all the inspectors, whether they "inspected on their own or not" would see something wrong and some must have inspected somewhat carefully to know the G forces from basically all thrill rides in Orlando like one article said. and i don't see Disney as the kind of place that would be willing to loose millions if they were at fault. wouldn't it make more sense ecomonically is something was wrong, to fix it or change the ride( they change stuff all the time)