Mission: Space tragedy

Gucci65

Gucci65

Well-Known Member
When we went in December 2003, my friend Anthony took his 4 yr old son and 6 yr old daughter on MS. He explained to them a million times to only look forward. Fortunately for them, no one got sick and they loved the ride.
Personally, I never eat before going on this ride just in case (after getting sick after riding the tea cups), but I can honestly say I come close to passing out every time during the launch sequence.

I cannot even begin to imagine what this family is going through. They will be in my thoughts & prayers.
 
wannab@dis

wannab@dis

Well-Known Member
WDWGuide said:
If there was no pre-existing condition it certainly looks very bad for Disney.
Click to expand...

why?

how many hundreds of thousands of people have ridden M:S and other "thrill rides" with no problems? the media love a response such as the above because they get better ratings when people don't think for themselves. It's easy to form an opinion, it's much harder to form an INFORMED opinion.

I saw this story online along with several others this morning. A child drowned at hotel pool, a women drowned, a plane crashed. Bad things happen and it's not always based on a specific reason or on negligence. Today's society seems to think that everything that happens must have a reason and a wronged party for a lawsuit. pathetic, isn't it.

It's really sad to see these types of incidents, but to me it's worse to immediately attempt to define the reason and culpability. Common sense says that if something mechanical happened, others would have been involved. But let the investigation take its couse before jumping to ANY conclusion.
 
MKCustodial

MKCustodial

Well-Known Member
WDWGuide said:
If there was no pre-existing condition it certainly looks very bad for Disney.
Click to expand...

We all know if that's the case then it'll be bad for Disney. But if you just stop and think about it for a sec, you'd find the parents have about 50% of the blame here, if not more. As many have said here, including parents of 4 year-olds who are frequent Guests, they'd never take their young kids on such an intense attraction. Like those cases when people stand up or get out of moving attraction vehicles, though, common sense doesn't have a lot of wight when it comes to a trial...
 
J

JLTraveling

New Member
This is truly awful. I really have trouble believing, though, that the ride itself could have been to blame. If you think through the mechanics of the ride, it seems almost impossible for something to go wrong with just one seat. One capsule maybe, but what could possibly have been going on in the boy's seat that wasn't happening in his mother's or his sister's seat? If it was simply that for one reason or another the boy's body couldn't handle the stresses of the ride, whether from a specific underlying condition or not, then Disney really isn't to blame.

Either way, though, it is a horrible situation. My heart goes out to the family, as well as the CMs. I also wonder, if they were a group of 3, if there is someone out there who was in their capsule as a single rider. I can't imagine what that person must be thinking or feeling right now. That would be a terrible situation too.

At least we do get the news now. Does anybody remember a few years ago, when news of injuries or deaths simply did not leak past the army of Disney attorneys?

I wouldn't worry about the fate of the ride at this point. The autopsy results will be released, the media will move on to the next tragedy, the ride will stay closed until the initial wave of gossip subsides, then it will be back to business as usual. That's the way it always goes.

Again, my heart goes out to the family, CMs, and all those affected by this tragic accident.
 
chancellor

chancellor

Member
JLTraveling said:
This is truly awful. I really have trouble believing, though, that the ride itself could have been to blame. If you think through the mechanics of the ride, it seems almost impossible for something to go wrong with just one seat. One capsule maybe, but what could possibly have been going on in the boy's seat that wasn't happening in his mother's or his sister's seat? If it was simply that for one reason or another the boy's body couldn't handle the stresses of the ride, whether from a specific underlying condition or not, then Disney really isn't to blame.
Click to expand...

As far as the news reports now, it appears that the ride did not malfunction (unlike the Big Thunder accident last year at DL). However, the legal theory will be that the ride is inherently dangerous, that the stresses caused by the ride would foreseeably result in injury or death. If they win that lawsuit, kiss M:S goodbye.
 
ssidiouss@mac.c

ssidiouss@mac.c

Well-Known Member
Very sad..but I think this has to be some type of condition the kid had before he went on the ride. Maybe he never knew he had a weak heart or whatever.. but he did.

Mission Space doesnt seem much more intense then those old gravatron rides back in 80s... there was also a ride in wildwood nj called the hell hole which was similar.. but even more intense.. and kids were riding that nonstop back then.

Anyway.. this may lead to even more of a legend for mission space.. even some new tshirts .. "I survived MISSION SPACE!!" etc
 
Dayma

Dayma

Well-Known Member
JLTraveling said:
This is truly awful. I really have trouble believing, though, that the ride itself could have been to blame. If you think through the mechanics of the ride, it seems almost impossible for something to go wrong with just one seat. One capsule maybe, but what could possibly have been going on in the boy's seat that wasn't happening in his mother's or his sister's seat? If it was simply that for one reason or another the boy's body couldn't handle the stresses of the ride, whether from a specific underlying condition or not, then Disney really isn't to blame.

Either way, though, it is a horrible situation. My heart goes out to the family, as well as the CMs. I also wonder, if they were a group of 3, if there is someone out there who was in their capsule as a single rider. I can't imagine what that person must be thinking or feeling right now. That would be a terrible situation too.

At least we do get the news now. Does anybody remember a few years ago, when news of injuries or deaths simply did not leak past the army of Disney attorneys?

I wouldn't worry about the fate of the ride at this point. The autopsy results will be released, the media will move on to the next tragedy, the ride will stay closed until the initial wave of gossip subsides, then it will be back to business as usual. That's the way it always goes.

Again, my heart goes out to the family, CMs, and all those affected by this tragic accident.
Click to expand...

Worry about the fate of the ride when there are a lot of lawsuits and it cost more money to keep open. No matter what the warning say they are going to get sued. This will cost them money wether its in lawyer fees or bad press.
 
C

coasterphil

Well-Known Member
Its sad to see how many of you turn into almost heartless ________________ when something goes wrong at Disney. I personally can't imagine what the family is feeling right now. I don't think we really need to start passing blame, as none of us know the whole story. Until we do, I just think you should keep the family in your thoughts or prayers instead of blaming them for trying to ruin Disney for you.
 
Laura

Laura

22
Premium Member
I'm very disappointed to see everyone pointing fingers at this mother saying how she lacks common sense and such. This poor family needs support and prayers, and to be blaming them and judging them when they just lost their little boy is cruel.

Would you say that to the mother's face? "You're the one who has no common sense and sent your child on this ride, it's your fault he's dead". Are you forgetting that this is a public forum? That there's a chance that someone who knew that child or even the mother herself could run into this thread?

The mother didn't do anything wrong. Some 4 year olds are thrill seekers. I know mine surely isn't, but when I was 4 I loved anything intense. She's probably sent her son on thrill rides before and he loved them, so she thought he would love this one too. Who knows. I highly doubt she sent him on the ride out of stupidity. The kid met the height requirement, he had every right to ride if he liked that sort of thing. If he had a pre-existing condition that is not the mother's fault, especially if she didnt know about it (which I doubt she knew about it or else the cause of death would be obvious).

My son will be 4 in a couple weeks and I can't even fathom the pain this family is going through. I personally think the height requirement on that ride is too low though. I know I pass out on rides that spin, but I'm able to handle MS because I look straight at the screen. I think a 44 inch kid is too little to be able to have the discipline or understanding to not look away from the screen (not that doing so would kill you, but it could cause you to get sick or pass out).
 
Laura

Laura

22
Premium Member
coasterphil said:
Its sad to see how many of you turn into almost heartless ________________ when something goes wrong at Disney. I personally can't imagine what the family is feeling right now. I don't think we really need to start passing blame, as none of us know the whole story. Until we do, I just think you should keep the family in your thoughts or prayers instead of blaming them for trying to ruin Disney for you.
Click to expand...

EXACTLY! :sohappy: We posted at the same time.

This child's life was worth so much more than a silly ride. The last thing I'm concerned about is the fate of the ride when a life has been lost.
 
R

retroeric

Active Member
WDW official statement re: 4 year old death

Official statement from WDW...

On Monday, June 13, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Reedy Creek Emergency Services was called to Mission: Space at Epcot to care for a child who was unresponsive. The ride was shut down, and the guest was transported to the hospital.

Unfortunately, we were later advised that the guest passed away. The Orange County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene and conducted an investigation before turning the attraction back over to Walt Disney World.

Engineers and ride system experts with Walt Disney World also conducted a thorough evaluation and inspection and determined that the ride is operating normally. Based on their findings, the attraction opened as scheduled today.

The safety of our guests and cast remains our top priority. On behalf of the Walt Disney World Resort and its 57,000 cast members, we are saddened by this highly unusual event. Our first concern is for the family and we are doing everything we can to help them during this difficult time.
 
brich

brich

New Member
If the ride is found to be a potential danger to one's life, I don't care how cool the ride is or how old the rider, it should be dealt with accordingly. I, personally, don't think the ride posses any great danger to a healthy person. BUT, many of us go through life thinking we're healthy when we may not know otherwise. Be honest, how many of you suffer from a bad back but still ride a ride that warns against riding if you have a back condition, thinking your back problem is not of the magnitude that the warnings are reffering to.

I also agree that maybe 4 years old is a tad young for such a ride. I won't let my 6 1/2 year old ride because I tried it out, it messed me up and I felt it's not something he should experience right now. When he's a bit older, he can decide for himself.

As for a required age to go with a required height. Does it make any sense that if this ride posts so many written warnings that maybe in order for a child to ride a ride like this they must be able to read the warnings themeselves? At least it's the start of them being able to understand what they are getting into. :(
 
bgraham34

bgraham34

Well-Known Member
I feel very sad for the family, very sad thing that has happend. But If the kid was really 4 years old he should not have been on the ride. It is a sad time but if they close the ride forever then so be it. I have to put most of the blame on the parents but Disney should also have an age restriction on some rides as well.
 
JMishy

JMishy

Member
Laura22 said:
I'm very disappointed to see everyone pointing fingers at this mother saying how she lacks common sense and such. This poor family needs support and prayers, and to be blaming them and judging them when they just lost their little boy is cruel.
Click to expand...

Well said! Thank you for that. I have two small children and my heart is breaking for the mother. :(
 
WDWGuide

WDWGuide

Active Member
"how many hundreds of thousands of people have ridden M:S and other "thrill rides" with no problems? the media love a response such as the above because they get better ratings when people don't think for themselves."

It does reflect poorly on Disney if it comes across like one of their attractions killed a healthy kid, especially because people have unrealistic expectations about Disney and the safety of their rides to begin with. There is an attitude of "if it's Disney, it MUST be safe" out there... who knows what those sort of people make out of a story like that.

What makes this case different from most past incidents is that there does not appear to be (based on what little has been reported) any obvious negligence by Disney or the victim. It sounds like the ride was doing exactly what it was supposed to do. If confirmed, (in either case, really) it'll be very interesting to see what comes of this.
 
A

Always_Disney

Member

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom