Would you put your 4 year old on Mission Space

[disfreak4life]

If your 4 year old met the height requirement on Mission Space, would you put him/her on the ride? Should there be a age requirement for Mission Space now that a 4 year old died on the ride?

 

[gurleym]

I have never even rode the ride yet planning to in December. But just from watching the clips from the travel channel and other shows there is no way. Even if they think they are big enough 2g's pulling down on you that is alot of force. I mean this is suppose to be one of the biggest thrill rides of its kind.

 

[robinb]

My DD is just tall enough to ride at 5 and no, I would not put her on it. I happen to love M:S, but I know my DD and she would hate it. Plus, I think it is too intense and disorienting for younger children. I have seen small children (6 and under) on M:S and I always wonder what the parents are thinking. They probably are trusting that Disney knows what is safe for their kids {shrug}.

 

[CleveRocks]

Should there be a age requirement for Mission Space now that a 4 year old died on the ride?

Only if the ride is proven to be the cause of death. Thousands and thousands of kids of similar age and size have been on the ride, with no previous deaths or SERIOUS problems.

It is quite likely that if the ride did contribute to this very sad death, it was in combination with some underlying previously undetected medical condition. If this can be known, then others could be warned off the ride.

I remember a child dying after getting hit in the chest with a pitched baseball in a Little League game a few years back. It was a freak thing -- kids have been playing ball for YEARS. It was an underlying RARE medical condition that caused the kid's heart to stop beating after the ball hit his chest. Did they raise the age for baseball? NO.

A friend of mine died while sitting in a veterinarian's waiting room; she had a massive aneurysm, died before she slumped to the floor. Did they ban 33-year-old women from waiting too long to get shots for their dogs? NO.

The boy's sad death soon after riding Mission:Space SUGGESTS the ride was involved but doesn't prove it of and by itself. My wife is a pediatrician. A few years back, a child died in the hospital about 2 days after falling out of a triple bunk bed at a friend's house. The kid was found in the morning, on the floor, alive but unresponsive. The fall from such a stupidly high bed killed him, right? Nope. He'd been running a fever even before going to the friend's house. He died of sepsis from a burst appendix, that likely occurred even before he got to the friend's house. Things aren't always what they seem, and there isn't always someone to blame. Unfortunately, a lot of times bad things happen in our bodies which can't be predicted and can't be helped. Until we learn more about this sad death in Florida, we need to reserve judgment.

Would I take my 5-year-old on Mission:Space? I explained the ride and left it up to him, and he opted out. The boy loves his roller coasters, though, just like dear old Dad.

-- Eric

 

[DisneyTeasers]

Our five year old meets the height requirement, but we had no intention of putting him on MS even before this tragedy. Now we are doubly sure we made the right decision. The only thing that's really changed now is that no one wants to ride it (I had already said I wasn't riding the thing!! I get sick on the teacups!!)

 

[Kellydelly]

I don't think I would let my young children ride MS even if they were tall enough. It's got too many warnings and disclaimers . I want to ride it, though! The last time we were at Epcot I was pregnant with twins so I had to miss out .

 

[swincha]

If your 4 year old met the height requirement on Mission Space, would you put him/her on the ride? Should there be a age requirement for Mission Space now that a 4 year old died on the ride?

my teen said this was too intense for my almost 9 year old. i would never put my 5 year old on this. now i will be more careful about rides for my young children. disney better take a look at this and the ride should be shut down until they know why.

 

[palmtreegirl]

We were just there in May and if DS(4) had been tall enough we would've let him ride. DD(8) rides it every trip and loves it.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

No, I would not let a four year old on M:S, however I think personality is dependent on my decision, not just age/height. To ride M:S, you have to be mature enough to follow directions, even when you might be frightened or disoriented. This is too much for the average four year old to do, IMHO (as one who is a certified teacher and has taught summer camp 3-6 year olds for the past 7 years.) Psychologically, a four year old is at different phases of emotional and mental development than older children. I think the ride is too disorienting to a child who has not fully distinguished fantasy from reality.

Aloha!
Lulu

 

[daisy_77]

I would not...I would have to ride it first, if I think it is too intense for a pre-schooler, then he/she will not ride. There are plenty of things for young children to do and ride at WDW.
January

 

[gary4jenn]

From what I read earlier, the boy was rigid and staring blankly before the ride even started so I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a freak thing and that he happened to be on it when he siezed or whatever happened. The preliminary autopsy said he did not die of any type of trauma so they will do a more thorough autopsy.

As far as would I let my child ride-no. Not because of this incident. But because 2 years ago when my daughter- then 5, wanted to ride and her Dad said OK, I informed DH that since Disney had been required to start reporting the number of illness/medical incidents on rides, MS had the most (mostly for nausea and chest pain).

I get nausious pretty easily and I wouldn't want to spent the rest of my day feeling that way so I say no until my kids are taller and older. My hubby loves and that's fine.

 

[libba]

I puke on the teacups so my 4 year old won't be riding this either!

 

[Hockeychic]

DH and I where discussing this last night. Him and my kids ages 15 and 12 last year loved the ride. I however can't do simulator rides so waited outside for them. All 3 have said the ride is way to intense for a child so young. I personally think on certain rides like this it should be height and age restrictions. JMHO.

Thoughts and prayers go out to this family.

 

[Acklander]

The last trip, our 5 year old did the ride for the first time,and it's one of his favorites. He also loves Test track (he rode that at age 3) He's done TOT once, and won't do that one again. He refuses to ride splash mountain, space mountain, or big thunder railroad. Everyone knows their own child and their child's limitations.

 

[newholidayx2]

DH & I rode Mission Space in Oct while DS waited in the giftshop. When we got off we told DS it wasnt that bad and would he like to try it w/us. He again said no so we didnt go back.
This Aug neither DS13 or myself will be on it!

 

[TiggerStac]

I have a DS who will be 4 on our trip in September and if he was tall enough...I would not let him ride!!! He has been tall enough for about 1 year to go on the 40 inch rides. So we have had 2 trips with that. I will not let him go onto TOT, either. I know that there are kids out there his age that love it, but it makes me nervous. I have gone on it numerous times myself, but stopped going on when he was born...I guess I'm too chicken to go on by myself, as hubby and I would need to do kid swap. He does go on splash mountain and loves it and this trip we are going to try thundermountain. I was hesitant up to this point with thundermountain because of the jerking, etc. He did do goofys barnstormer w/no problem...so we will try it this trip.

 

[disneyphanatic1911]

I won't even ride it and I'm 33 years old, so there is no way I would let my 4 year old ride it.

 

[MELSMICE]

My children are older so it's a mute point for them, however, if when my nephew turns 4, having already rode this ride myself I would have to say I would discourage it.

As far as an age requirement - unless you have a birth certificate with a picture ID of the child how can you prove age? Many kids look older or younger than their actual age.

 

[ChristyJ]

DH, DD 8, DD 5 and I all rode this last Dec. DD5 wanted to go on and we said okay-she wasn't crazy about it though (so we did not ride it again, and it was probably one of my favorites).
I hope we find out more about the little boy to see if there was an underlying condition; otherwise I'm not sure that I would take my kids on this ride again on our next trip.

Again, my thoughts and prayers go out to this family.

 

[shakespeare]

I wouldn't ride it, just because I'm a wimp! So, that said I would not allow my child to ride it either. I just couldn't imagine what that poor mother is going through right now.