Dangerous state of the Imagination Pavilion

[POLY LOVER]

This statement is incredible. I had to post this again after I read the link lazy boy posted.

In 2000, a bolt broke on a Space Mountain wheel assembly, causing the accident that injured nine. In a deposition given in a lawsuit against Disneyland, Klostriech's supervisor, Scott Smith, described the role cost plays today in the preventive maintenance of parts.

"If the consequences of failure involve risk to health or safety, you are compelled to develop a mitigation strategy," he said. How far Disneyland goes to prevent any other "functional failure," he added, is "completely a financial question."

Smith's description echoed a comment that three workers say Pressler made in January 1998 during an impromptu visit to the Disneyland Railroad's workshop.

"He said, 'We have to ride these rides to failure to save money,' " said David O'Neill, a train operator who has worked at the park since 1957 and was among those present.

"I was surprised anyone would say that."

 

[Jwhee]

I don't think the ceiling "collapsed" but there was a major water leak problem in the ceiling.

 

[Andrew C]

I don't think the ceiling "collapsed" but there was a major water leak problem in the ceiling.

Well. That is quite a bit different.

 

[Markt]

First I'm new to the site and my concern on this topic is safety to families. Second above safety is the chance to creat a forum to advance the opportunities to create a space in many parks and perhaps mini parks to advavace the idea to OUR new youth the oppertunity to dream an advance to make a new environment to make chage, Can we fix it? Or about it?our generation

 

[Prog]

First I'm new to the site and my concern on this topic is safety to families. Second above safety is the chance to creat a forum to advance the opportunities to create a space in many parks and perhaps mini parks to advavace the idea to OUR new youth the oppertunity to dream an advance to make a new environment to make chage, Can we fix it? Or ***** about it?our generation

There was a space like this. It was called EPCOT Center.

 

[alphac2005]

This is really surprising. Usually Disney does a great job of keeping things clean. Maybe they are holding off for a big remodel?

They used to. The outside of the Imagination Pavilion has been filthy for years. They can't even manage to have the glass of the building cleaned on a not so regular basis.

 

[KDM31091]

It is very sad but honestly, I'm not surprised. The Imagination pavilion is clearly very low on their list of priories considering the dated Captain EO has now been running (for the second time) for 5+ years on its "limited time re-release" and we all know the saga of Journey that has similarly sat ignored for 10+ years.

The pavilion just doesn't pull in the crowds, so there is little reason for them to care about maintenance. It reminds me of the old rumors about 20k Leagues. Management supposedly purposely let the subs deteriorate and then took an exec around the lagoon on one of the worst subs that was leaking etc. and said "see? the ride clearly needs to be shut down!". Wouldn't surprise me one iota if that was the plan for the Imagination building. Dare I say it draws in even less crowds than Wonders of Life did before they shuttered that.

 

[copcarguyp71]

This statement is incredible. I had to post this again after I read the link lazy boy posted.

In 2000, a bolt broke on a Space Mountain wheel assembly, causing the accident that injured nine. In a deposition given in a lawsuit against Disneyland, Klostriech's supervisor, Scott Smith, described the role cost plays today in the preventive maintenance of parts.

"If the consequences of failure involve risk to health or safety, you are compelled to develop a mitigation strategy," he said. How far Disneyland goes to prevent any other "functional failure," he added, is "completely a financial question."

Smith's description echoed a comment that three workers say Pressler made in January 1998 during an impromptu visit to the Disneyland Railroad's workshop.

"He said, 'We have to ride these rides to failure to save money,' " said David O'Neill, a train operator who has worked at the park since 1957 and was among those present.

"I was surprised anyone would say that."

Wow...this is possibly one of the most egregious and horrifying things I may have ever heard!!! Yes, I realize industry tends to operate like this but a park built on the ideal of suspension of disbelief implies that we blindly entrust our well being to the company in exchange for our entry fee to the parks. Wow....just, wow.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Wow...this is possibly one of the most egregious and horrifying things I may have ever heard!!! Yes, I realize industry tends to operate like this but a park built on the ideal of suspension of disbelief implies that we blindly entrust our well being to the company in exchange for our entry fee to the parks. Wow....just, wow.

Suspension of disbelief is a reaction to storytelling. It has nothing to do with safety or trust, much less blind trust.

 

[copcarguyp71]

makes it no less horrifying knowing the wheels may very well come off the ride I am on simply because they didn't yesterday...

I leave my cares and worries of the outside world at the gate because Disney projects a Utopian stigma throughout the parks and as such the suspension of disbelief I speak of is one where your concerns over your well being are left behind as well. But...I imagine this will turn into a huge semantics argument so i will simply leave it at that. My opinion and my words...take it or leave it.

 

[ford91exploder]

Why wash and primp the cow when the udders still produce plentiful milk? Seriously, when will we learn that not going is the only real answer. As long as the theme parks are producing revenue then nothing will change and we really have no one to blame except the person in the mirror...

Not directed at you POLY LOVER in particular...just felt like the right time to add on my statement. We keep going and then posting "this and that were awful" but....we do keep going so in essence we (the fanbois) are the ones as much to blame for the condition of the parks as management.

It's why I did not renew my Premier Passport and will be renting out my DVC points (or selling them outright). By visiting we are part of the problem.

 

[ford91exploder]

Deferring maintenance for too long could be a way to "force" it to close.

They might as well just give up and make Epcot a permanent drinking festival at this point.

Like they did to 20KLeagues

 

[POLY LOVER]

makes it no less horrifying knowing the wheels may very well come off the ride I am on simply because they didn't yesterday...

I leave my cares and worries of the outside world at the gate because Disney projects a Utopian stigma throughout the parks and as such the suspension of disbelief I speak of is one where your concerns over your well being are left behind as well. But...I imagine this will turn into a huge semantics argument so i will simply leave it at that. My opinion and my words...take it or leave it.

I agree, if you polled people and asked who do you trust more safety wise, Six Flags, Universal, Kings Dominion, Disney, I would bet Disney would come out on top because of the image they have created. I have to say when I enter the gates of Disney I am more at ease than any other amusement park, may be a bad assumption but thats how I feel in Disney.

 

[ford91exploder]

I agree, if you polled people and asked who do you trust more safety wise, Six Flags, Universal, Kings Dominion, Disney, I would bet Disney would come out on top because of the image they have created. I have to say when I enter the gates of Disney I am more at ease than any other amusement park, may be a bad assumption but thats how I feel in Disney.

And the reality is that Disney is probably somewhere in the lower third of that group and Universal is probably on top because of the level of investment they are making to their parks worldwide. It's why they installed metal detectors on their coasters because a guest got hit with a metal object which was carried by another guest. Universal knows one bad incident could set back their growth for years so safety is indeed job one for them.

 

[raven]

IF there is mold in the Pavilion then it would have to be remediated, this could be the reason they don't address issues there. If they begin to touch anything there and discover mold then they would have to take action. You can not operate a building that has mold. Can you say LAWSUITS

Nearly every building in Epcot has mold, FYI. You just don't see it.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Nearly every building in Epcot has mold, FYI. You just don't see it.

You could probably make that same statement about every building in Florida.

 

[raven]

You could probably make that same statement about every building in Florida.

High humidity + cold air conditioning!

 

[POLY LOVER]

And the reality is that Disney is probably somewhere in the lower third of that group and Universal is probably on top because of the level of investment they are making to their parks worldwide. It's why they installed metal detectors on their coasters because a guest got hit with a metal object which was carried by another guest. Universal knows one bad incident could set back their growth for years so safety is indeed job one for them.

when you are on top for so long you begin to think you are Invincible and can do as you please. Many who have thought that sometimes get blindsided with a harsh reality that they are not. If you get knocked from your high perch it takes a long time to climb back. A smart company doesn't want to test that threshold.

 

[POLY LOVER]

And the reality is that Disney is probably somewhere in the lower third of that group and Universal is probably on top because of the level of investment they are making to their parks worldwide. It's why they installed metal detectors on their coasters because a guest got hit with a metal object which was carried by another guest. Universal knows one bad incident could set back their growth for years so safety is indeed job one for them.

Will the pressure from the up and coming Universal help get this all fixed?

 

[ford91exploder]

Will the pressure from the up and coming Universal help get this all fixed?

I doubt it. WDW has the same management (Georgie K) that DL did when people got killed, Unfortunately it will take some fatal accidents to change the trajectory.