Big Thunder Accident(s) Not Unique...

[Empress Room]

It seems that the negative press generated from the fatal accident late last year and subsequent accident earlier this year to WDW's sister attraction, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, at Disneyland is not unique to Disney. Another internet source is reporting that a 39-year old man died on Universal's Revenge of the Mummy ride last week. (Scroll down on this link: http://www.mouseplanet.com/parkupdates/wdw/wdw040927.htm).

This is a fairly disturbing and concerning trend to me. On one hand, it's refreshing to see that it is not just Disney and Disney's design and maintenance of attractions that are causing these tragedies, but on the other hand, it may very well be illustrative of the entire theme park industry and its quest to "out-do" the competition by building more thrilling but less safe attractions (though Big Thunder certainly falls outside of that category).

Anyone have any thoughts on this topic?

 

[MrNonacho]

Revenge of the Mummy did not kill this man. He was not in good health. In fact, he had been in a wheelchair all day but did not know that the ROTM queue was wheelchair accessible. He hoofed it through the whole thing while his wife waited outside. While the vehicle was being loaded, he lost his balance and (I believe) fell over the front of the vehicle. After being taken to the hospital, it was determined that his spleen needed to be removed. I don't know if that was related to the fall, but in any case, complications during surgery from his case of hepatitis C are what caused him to pass.

It's been ruled an accident and it really wasn't Universal's fault. I don't think the two deaths are similar at all.

 

[jcraycraft]

I would agree with MrNonacho, not the same at all.

 

[speck76]

The RotM accident was not due to the ride not being maintained, nor was it due to an "accident" on the ride.....it happened at the loading platform.

Regardless.....accidents on rollercoasters are nothing new, they happen more frequently than reported, although most are just bumps and bruises, and the vast majority are due to the rider doing something they should not.

It is funny how a Certain Park in the midwest that I had previously worked at has had a few pretty major accidents (although no deaths occured), but since they have their own real police force.....nothing ever gets any press.

 

[NemoRocks78]

It was not the ride's fault at all....I have found a few Disney sites going "oh, now Universal has a problem, haha".....*sigh*

 

[xfkirsten]

IMHO, other parks have always just as much trouble (or more) as Disney. However, accident reporting laws vary from state to state. In CA, all theme park accidents must be reported to the government, by law. In addition, news places see the name "Disney" and immediately jump on the chance to make them look bad (contrary to the clean image). Between those two factors, DL gets a lot of negative press whenever something goes wrong, whereas another park may be overlooked by the media.

 

[MichRX7]

It is funny how a Certain Park in the midwest that I had previously worked at has had a few pretty major accidents (although no deaths occured), but since they have their own real police force.....nothing ever gets any press.

Hmm...I'll be going to that Certain Park this coming weekend. Hopefully no major accidents will take place.

The RotM accident was more than likely a case of fatigue gone bad in a sick person, but honestly, a thorough investigation should take place on how he could have fallen down on the tracks and ruptured his spleen. If they find a better and safer way to setup the loading queue I'm all for it.

 

[Number_6]

At Six Flags New England, a man fell out of the restraints on the Superman:Ride of Steel coaster and died. I think it was actually earlier this year that it happened. He had cerebral palsy and had been denied access to the ride previously, but this time they let him on and something just happened with the restraints that caused him to fall out.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

At Six Flags New England, a man fell out of the restraints on the Superman:Ride of Steel coaster and died. I think it was actually earlier this year that it happened. He had cerebral palsy and had been denied access to the ride previously, but this time they let him on and something just happened with the restraints that caused him to fall out.

That was a freak accident that needed to be looked at. It had nothing to do with his medical condition. (Even if he "tried to get out"...he shouldn't be able to)

 

[ScrapIron]

In DL, there have been accidents on Big Thunder, Space Mtn and the Matterhorn going back years and years, just get copies of Mouse Tales and More Mouse Tales, and you'll see that it's nothing new (except for the fatality that is).

A lot of people on the MP boards have been freaking out because since the death, there have been two cases of trains hitting each other, which isn't a plus by any stretch. But one of those was during a procedure that doesn't happen with guests on the train, and the other was pretty minor. And incidents like that are not knew.

What is different is that the word spreads quickly over the least little incident due to cell phones, the internet, and, in Cal at least, stricter reporting laws brought about by the way DL responded to the Columbia death in 1998. And that death and the Big Thunder one were the fault of the Mouse, and obviously went beyond minor.

Cheers.