The Truth about Mission Space

[kissbfm]

My friend told me that she will never go on Mission space because of a young child dying on it awhile back. Is this true? Did that really happen?


Beth

 

[WillCAD]

Earlier this year a 4-year old boy died immediately after he got off Mission: Space.

However, the boy's autopsy results have not yet been completed, so nobody knows if the ride contributed to his death or not.

My personal opinion, having ridden the ride many times myself, is that it's no worse than any other simulator or roller coaster ride I've ever experienced.

Hundreds of thousands of people have ridden Mission: Space since it opened. It is a perfectly safe ride, provided you don't get on it with health problems such as heart conditions, back conditions, or pregnancy, any of which might be triggered by any kind of roller coaster or simulator ride.

Ride it. It's a great ride and it is completely safe.

 

[Feralpeg]

It happened a few months ago. I young boy died shortly after riding Mission Space. So far, they have not determined the cause of death. The medical examiners said it could take several months if they can ever really determine what killed the boy.

You should always use good judgement before riding a thrill ride. If you have medical issues, don't ride it. If you think your children will not handle the ride well, don't let them ride it. There is no direct evidence that Mission Space caused the boys death.

 

[NerdDad]

Yep. It happened. A quick google news search should turn it up:

http://www.nbc10.com/news/5007180/detail.html

When they spin up the centrifuge, you feel 3g's of weight on your body, which could be a problem if you have some sort of condition, but for a normal healthy person is not a problem. If you are in good health, I wouldn't let it stop you.

 

[jtdl]

I've heard that people who are susceptible to motion sickness, dizziness should not go on it.

 

[hanncam]

Yes it really did happen. You can do a search and read the articles about it. I feel so bad for that family. I can't imagine what they are going through. My sympathies go out to them...

I have ridden Mission Space myself and let me tell you it is not for the faint of heart (or stomach). I upchucked everything I had ever eaten after that ride. It is extremely intense.

On the other hand my cousin rode it with me and it didn't bother her stomach at all. It is the only ride I have ever seen with barfbags ON the ride with you. And it has a warning posted like every five feet about you being in perfect health to ride the ride too.....

 

[cleo]

Initial autopsy results are in and show there was nothing about the ride in relation to the child's height, etc, that would have caused his death. Mission: Space is a safe ride for most people, and has extensive warning signs for those who should not ride. If it were a 'killer' ride, there would certainly have been more than one death.

Full autopsy results should be complete by next month. I'm betting my bottom dollar there was something going on before that sweet babe got on the ride.

 

[nativetxn]

Thanks, Cleo. I think the poor child must have had a pre-existing medical condition

 

[jann1033]

i'm in way less than perfect health but had no problems..hubby's health is way better and he got sick even following all the instructions( those with motion sickness probably should take precautions which he didn't do)

lol, not aflame but i have to wonder what kinds of thrill rides people ride who think this is so intense..the first few mins are about equal( to me) of rnr take off then it is more calm,felt like floating to me...maybe i am nuts! i had no problems and didn't even feel claustrophobic( usually an "issue" i have) unless you have preexisting serious life threatening problems, i wouldn't be scared off..which i am guessing was the little one's problem sad as it is.

 

[JDietz40]

I was hesitant to reide this on our upcoming trip but after talking to people I know that have ridden Mission: Space I have decided that I will ride it but will make sure that I do it before eating a big lunch.

 

[hanncam]

Oh I've ridden about every thrill ride there is out there and to me Mission space was the most intense of all of them.

Now having said that, maybe it was due to what I ate that day that contributed to me taking it so badly, I don't know. What I do know is that of the ten people in my family that rode it, only my one cousing didn't feel ill after riding it. (But my cousin could eat the greasiest hamburger and fill herself full of milkshakes and hang upside down for an hour or go on the fastest rollercoaster and not skip a beat.)

I think that it affects different people in different ways. I for one will never get on it again.

 

[Chuck S]

I love this ride, as does my 81 year old Mom. But, if you have pre-existing health problems the g-forces can cause problems, the forces are similar to those on coaster inversion, but they are sustained for a longer period of time. The ride itself is much smoother than a roller coaster, but can be just as intense.

 

[rayelias]

My friend told me that she will never go on Mission space because of a young child dying on it awhile back. Is this true? Did that really happen?


Beth

People die in car accidents every day. Does she avoid cars?

People drown every day. Does she avoid pools?

People have heart attacks every day. Does she avoid strenuous activities?

People choke on food every day. Does she not eat?

People slip and fall and die in the bathroom all the time. Does she not bathe?

People die. In almost all of these instances, your statistically more apt to die in any of these ways than at Walt Disney World. As a matter of fact, I believe a healthy adult has a 4 in 1000 chance of dying in any particular day. (any Actuaries on the Dis?)

Mission space spins you around. And not even THAT fast or for very long of a time. Most of the issues people have reported on are nausia/dissiness. You are warned MANY, MANY, MANY times that if you have a pre-existing condition, not to ride. I would bet that the miniscule fraction of a percent of people who were hospitalized or died while on this ride had a pre-existing condition.

I count myself as one of the tens of millions of people who safely enjoyed the ride. Even if 100 people died on this ride in the 3 or so years it's been open (which it's probably only 2 or 3 - 0.0000003%), it's still MUCH, MUCH, MUCH safer than riding in a car.

 

[TSR6]

My views on it.....

The kid had to have had an undetected, or unkown problem that they had no idea about. It was probably just waiting to be set off...

Could have been a car accident...
Could have been a rough landing in an airplane after vacation in Disney...
Could have been a fall from a couch...
Could have been 5, 10, 15 years from now on any rollercoaster...
Could have been Mission Space at age 5...

I really feel that it was something just waiting for the right moment to pop, stop, ect...

 

[vatmark]

Such a sad thing to happen but as others have said there was probably some preexisting condition that contributed to the boys death.

I tend to get car sick on long drives and my 7 year old son gets car sick as well. My whole family will be skipping Mission Space when we go. I will heed the warnings that I have heard from many. I think just seeing the many warning signs before the ride would cause me to turn around and not let my kids go on. There's plenty of other rides we will get to do while at WDW...missing one will be no big deal.

Annie

 

[kirbsam]

People die in car accidents every day. Does she avoid cars?

People drown every day. Does she avoid pools?

People have heart attacks every day. Does she avoid strenuous activities?

People choke on food every day. Does she not eat?

People slip and fall and die in the bathroom all the time. Does she not bathe?

People die. In almost all of these instances, your statistically more apt to die in any of these ways than at Walt Disney World. As a matter of fact, I believe a healthy adult has a 4 in 1000 chance of dying in any particular day. (any Actuaries on the Dis?)

Mission space spins you around. And not even THAT fast or for very long of a time. Most of the issues people have reported on are nausia/dissiness. You are warned MANY, MANY, MANY times that if you have a pre-existing condition, not to ride. I would bet that the miniscule fraction of a percent of people who were hospitalized or died while on this ride had a pre-existing condition.

I count myself as one of the tens of millions of people who safely enjoyed the ride. Even if 100 people died on this ride in the 3 or so years it's been open (which it's probably only 2 or 3 - 0.0000003%), it's still MUCH, MUCH, MUCH safer than riding in a car.

great post, great point.

 

[NerdDad]

As far as motion sickness etc. warning go, even with short lines, you will hear the warnings about a dozen times before you board.

Gotta say I am pretty lilly livered sometimes, and this is my favorite ride.

 

[Laurajean1014]

If you don't live life, then dying should not be such a problem. I agree with rayelias!

 

[Honeybehr1]

A friend of mine went in may and her DH who never gets sick/dizzy/ect. on any ride, was very green when he got off and was very nausious the rest of the day. Kind of put a damper on the day.

I for one wont go on it but will gladly wait for my Dh to go on it if he wants. My oldest son wont be riding either because he has a minor heart condition. Its my choice to not let him ride. Better safe than sorry in my book.

 

[Alice Sr.]

JMHO but I think that ride is too intense for a 4 year old. I know they have the height restrictions but 4 just seems too young to me. Sometimes it's easy to think if it's no big deal for you the same should follow for everyone else including small children. I can't tell you how many times I have seen little kids traumatized by HM, TOT, Bugs Life ect.