Playgrounds that eat children

[eeyore0062]

All of the ballpits have been removed from the Burger Kings and McDonalds in our area, as well as in Land of the Dragons in Williamsburg VA. I think it has more to do with kids jumping in and injuring other kids when they do.

 

[Synonymous]

You'd think that, after all this time, I'd get tired of being right.

Could happen to anyone, Master Grayson.

 

[StampMom]

Master Grayson, you weren't completely off the mark! The snake story is a total urban legend, and the story of the boy dying from a heroin overdose from a needle in the ball pit didn't really happen, but evidently, scary things like needles and knives have been found in ball pits.

From http://www.snopes.com/critters/snakes/ballpit.htm :

No children have been bitten by venomous snakes lurking in ball pits. Though injuries and one death have occurred in ball pits, none of them was snake-related.

and from http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/archer.htm :
Though the tragedy described in "Lauren Archer's" e-mail is fictional, the danger of a tot coming into contact with a discarded syringe in one of those play nests is surprisingly real. Ball pit play areas aren't always kept in the best condition. Before letting your child loose in one, make sure the play area's maintenance staff spot cleans the pit once a day and washes all the balls every week. Diapers come off in ball pits, and half-eaten candy is routinely found in there. More disturbingly, syringes and knives have turned up in ball pits.

 

[sanilacjack]

Oh, If I only had a dollar for everytime one of those urban legends
was circulated, I’ed be @ WDW right now! Lol

Let’s use common sense:
1. A ball pit is the last place a snake would curl up and stay.
2. I’m a R.N. It would be pretty tough to fill a syringe,(the plunger would have to be pulled all the way back and mostly out of the shaft), attach the needle, throw it some where and with it getting bummed around either a. not have it fall apart b. the needle get bent/plunger get pulled out the rest of the way. contents empty all over the place.
Not looking for a debate here. I’m a mellow sole. Just my 2cents.

I do feel that alot of gross stuff ends up in ball pits. My MIL works at a high end furniture store that has a indoor playland. The employee that mans that department has to wash everything won every night and if a child has a accident
(you know what I mean) they wash their balls. ASAP

I would think in true Disney style, that their playgrounds would be the safest in the world.

Can we all say HAND SANITIZER

-Kim
oh2b@WDW

 

[erinch]

We lost our brave, adventurous 3yo in HISTK--as in we needed to extract her if we were going to make a show. Couldn't locate her. I enlisted the aid of a couple of helpful 8 year olds, who had a ball searching for and delivering The Princess. It does help there's one exit.

We lost both her and her 10 yo brother in the Jurassic park caves, and thought we wouldn't see them until the park closed. There are multiple exits; we had cast members radioing all over till we finally located them. I would never let a child back in there, until old enough to tell time and find a meeting place.

 

[RobMax]

Hey Hey - how did my question digress into an urban legend discussion. Come on - true or false there aren't many herion needles or posioness snakes attacking kids in WDW ... but kids do disappear. I've seen parents in the park that have become victims.

Let's hear some strategy!

 

[twinmomto3boys]

I get really nervous in these kids play areas. I usually assign my older two boys to follow my little one everywhere (I follow him also - but he's quick ). One time I was chasing (literally) my 2 year old around the area and he tried to run for the exit - I'm sure he didn't realize it was the exit and the CM stopped him and would not let him out. Thank goodness because I had to catch my breath.

Strategies? Maybe you could strap a walkie talkie to the kid and if you lose him just start screaming in the thing.

 

[RobMax]

Originally posted by twinmomto3boys
Strategies? Maybe you could strap a walkie talkie to the kid and if you lose him just start screaming in the thing.

Sound like a redneck GPS system for sure

 

[Robmom]

I went in 2001 with my then 8 year old DD. I started to go in the HISTK cave with her, but I realized that I was too big, so I told her that I will wait for her outside. I was waiting a while. She couldn't find me and got upset. It's a good thing that there is good security, even though we found eachother. I doubt she'll go in there again!

 

[KickTheSky]

My friend will probably never let his kids roam in the Disney play areas like that again. His then 5 year old daughter ended up breaking her arm in the Boneyard at AK. His wife and him could not tell you how it happened because she was in a place that she couldnt be seen. Disney did everything though to make sure she got proper medical attention (wanted to avoid the lawsuit) although one of the cast members insisted their was no way it could be broken (both my friend and his wife are doctors).

I think that because of the chaotic nature of some of these playgrounds and visibility concerns that I would be very wary allowing a very young child in there.

 

[RobMax]

Originally posted by KickTheSky
My friend will probably never let his kids roam in the Disney play areas like that again. His then 5 year old daughter ended up breaking her arm in the Boneyard at AK.

Oh Kick - now I'm sick to my stomach.

Here is a hint - if you take your kids to the bone yard, take them across the bridge where the neat sand pit is. They seem to get consumed in digging up bones and you can breath for a few minutes while you can still see them.

 

[currycook]

I think this is why Disney changed the exit for the playground in MGM (Honey I shrunk the kids). It use to be on the side by the food court and if you lost your kids you would have to guard both the entrance and the exit. (Although Disney ususally had a person there). They also have a person at the entrance/exit who is suppose to only allow children in who are accompanied with a parent. I have lost my kids in there several times. Now there are old enough where I just wait, but when they were younger I was more nervous about it.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by currycook
I think this is why Disney changed the exit for the playground in MGM (Honey I shrunk the kids). It use to be on the side by the food court and if you lost your kids you would have to guard both the entrance and the exit. (Although Disney ususally had a person there). They also have a person at the entrance/exit who is suppose to only allow children in who are accompanied with a parent. I have lost my kids in there several times. Now there are old enough where I just wait, but when they were younger I was more nervous about it.

Where's the exit now? When I was there in August 2001, the exit was near the little food court that has ice cream, pretzels and drinks. ( anyone know the name of this foodcourt)

 

[currycook]

There is now only one entrance/exit now. Its where the entance was before. They combined them and closed the other exit.

 

[allie5]

We had a bad experience with HISTK playground. I went on the Backlot tour with my mother and left DH (a big chap!) with DD (then 2) to go on the playground.

DD went off at light speed then realised "whoa...this is kinda BIG" and DH had the thankless task of crawling in for rescue.

I think there should be notices up about what this play area consists of, the fact it is restricting for adults to follow their child and that isnt really suitable for under 5s, not under 3s (I realised after, that, at 2, she shouldnt have been on it anyway!).

I will never forget meeting up with DH after that episode....he was sweating like Ive never seen and quite upset that DD could have been hurt on this.

Sorry to say, it was one of our very few negative Disney experiences.

 

[heart4dis]

Here are a few suggestions:
First of all, there is risk involved in all we do. We have to accept that the children could get hurt wherever we are. Having said that, we ought to do all we can to minimize the risk. Review basic rules/boundaries for their behavior dependent on their age and capabilities (climbing, pushing, jumping, running, etc).

1. I would think I would stay right with any children age 3 and under or give them strict boundaries (which apparatus they may play on). For older children...
2. Try walkie-talkies that clip onto their belts/waistbands so you can communicate.
3. Bring a whistle for pre-arranged signal that it's time to report back to a designated spot (wouldn't work for very young children who lose their bearings.
4. Have a buddy system with siblings. They have to stay with a sibling, "or else..."
5. Maybe even have chiming watches for the kids that are set to go off when you want them to report back to you at meeting spot. Have the kids check in every 5 minutes or so.

 

[DancingBear]

Have a large steel plate sewn into your child's clothing. Then, when you want to leave, pull out one of those oversized ACME magnets like in the Roadrunner cartoons....

 

[sm4987]

LOL DancingBear. Don't you wish we could mimic some of the cartoons! My dh and I saw those playgrounds and realized that our children just couldn't go in there. I have a hard time finding them in Chuck E Cheese! So, until they are much older, we are going to skip the attraction.

 

[RobMax]

Originally posted by heart4dis
Here are a few suggestions:

Great ideas! Will employ!

 

[carene]

Yes, heart4dis Great Ideas!!!

I think that the watches and reporting back idea would work the best!

carene