Soarin

[PorterRedkey]

I really hope the idiots involved are banned for life from all Disney parks. Disney needs to let the public know that there are consequences for breaking safety rules! I realize that Disney is not going to shout to the world that one of the most popular attractions at WDW is closed for safety concerns. Especially after the unfortunate MS deaths. I believe even the notion of Soarin' being unsafe is not something Disney wants out there. However, I do think the high cost breaking safety rule, should be known to more people that the ones who post here. Maybe after this is fixed, Disney could make people more aware of what awaits them if they try to get out of a seatbelt and walk around Dinosaur or something idiotic like that.

 

[Rob562]

Sometimes they have to release the seatbelts in sections if a guest gets an article of clothing stuck in it. The 2 guests could've simply decided not to ride while the CM was taking care of this issue.

True, but I think the CMs make at least one more pass on their walk-around after they've checked all the lap belts, even if a row has been released and re-latched.

-Rob

 

[fosse76]

Hmm.. Me thinks two idiots simply fasten their seatbelt while standing, then sat on it.

I love how everyone is calling these people idiots when no one knows for sure exactly what happened for them to be on the floor during the ride.

Personally, I have always been wary about the restraining system at Soarin'. I've always felt it to to be a little on the unsafe side since it isn't too difficult to slip out of the seatbelt.

Do CMs at Disney do test rides of the attractions? If so, then that explains OSHA's involvement. OSHA has jurisdiction over whathever the state tells them to have jurisdiction over. Doesn't California's OSHA oversee theme parks?

 

[Kramerica]

Well, atleast i got to ride it once before having to leave..

 

[draybook]

They found that two guests had gotten out of there seats somehow before the ride started and were standing in the corner while the ride was in motion.

Maybe it was the Blair Witch?

 

[wdw71fan]

I see five point-style harnesses in Soarin' future.. but that will greatly increase loading time...


Anyone that has ever fastened a baby into a baby seat knows it can be a slow lumbering process if the motor skills aren't up to the task that day..


Ironically, I think a 5 point harness would make the experience more 'realistic', it also may make the ride more accessible to a smaller crowd (see: shorter children) since it provides better restraint.

 

[lovedisney09]

Soarin'

Kinda odd to see Soarin' roped off up to the marquee area today. Usually if its down, people can still shop, or go to the bathroom or sit down near the fastpass machines. It was all closed off. Even more odd, my friend who visited DCA today said their Soarin' was also shut and doors closed and everything. Anyone know more? I wonder if they found a defect.

this is what was posted

Epcot's most popular attraction, Soarin', has been temporarily closed for urgent maintenance. Yesterday a guest managed to exit the glider prior to take off, which has now raised questions about how the guest circumvented the restraint system. Although there were no injuries, Soarin' at Disney's California Adventure has also been closed pending the investigation. No word yet on when the ride will reopen, but with Test Track also closed, you can be sure that Disney will be working flat-out to get Soarin' back in the air

 

[DisneySaint]

Sometimes they have to release the seatbelts in sections if a guest gets an article of clothing stuck in it. The 2 guests could've simply decided not to ride while the CM was taking care of this issue.

Sloppy CM'ing then. As a former Soarin' flight attendant, I know the rigorous amount of safety precautions that go into launching each and every flight. And I know those procedures have only gotten tighter since I was there in 2006. I can imagine someone squirming out of a seatbelt somehow, but I can't imagine a flight launching with people standing on the floor. There's really no crevice to stand in that a ground crew CM doesn't see and the person who sits in "Tower" (the actual ride control area) has nightvision cameras which can see every crevice.

IF the story is true about a flight launching with guests standing on the floor, the most plausible cause is that after the ground crew had cleared the flight for launch and left the room, the people somehow managed to slip out of their belts (or maybe pull them so hard they broke them) and then just stood on the floor as the flight dispatched. It is a ridiculously dangerous stunt to pull but it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

...oh and to add, as well, as a former Guest Relations CM, I don't envy those folks who had to stand outside when it closed. Typically one of your recovery options would be to maybe give a Fastpass to another attraction but with Test Track closed I wouldn't be surprised if a whole free day wasn't involved.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Just guessing here, but this was probably a small kid and their mom, I'm guessing foreigner, non-english speaking. The child was probably scared, and the Mom decided they would just wiggle out and wait by the side until it was over. Regardless, whoever it was, they're very lucky they got out of the way before the ride started, or they could have been killed.

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

Better get it fixed. We leave tonight. Will be really disappointed if both Soarin and Test track are down.

 

[BrittanyRose428]

I will never understand whats wrong with some people. :brick: What in the world would make one thing its okay to leave a ride vehicle? This is like when people leave during the Carousel of Progress (albeit that would be less dangerous)... They tell you to remain seated, and yet people take it upon themselves to get up and open the doors.

Does anyone know if anything happened to the guests? When people don't put seatbelts on during Tower of Terror they at least get reprimanded somehow, right? =/

 

[Ausdaddy]

It's just been confirmed as Open. That was quick.

 

[real mad hatter]

Soarin reopened.

Yes,just had a e-mail from my CM buddy who works at R&C at Epcot.:wave:

 

[Tom]

It's just been confirmed as Open. That was quick.

WOOT!

I bet it went something like this:

"All you CMs working that lift, raise your hands......you're fired! To the rest of you, if you EVER allow a guest to slip out of their seat prior to lift off, you're fired too. Great, now, open the damn ride!"

 

[wdw71fan]

WOOT!

I bet it went something like this:

"All you CMs working that lift, raise your hands......you're fired! To the rest of you, if you EVER allow a guest to slip out of their seat prior to lift off, you're fired too. Great, now, open the damn ride!"

might be verbatim

 

[raymusiccity]

Yes,just had a e-mail from my CM buddy who works at R&C at Epcot.:wave:

No, No, No. You don't fire a CM due to a stupid guest trick. You just reassign them permanent duty at 'It's a Small World' !

 

[redsfan4life]

I am glad it is reopened but another case of showing how some vistors ruin attractions for others to show how cool they are

 

[Crush Dude!]

Yes,just had a e-mail from my CM buddy who works at R&C at Epcot.:wave:

Which bartender??

 

[Crush Dude!]

That seems quite sudden! Any changes to ride security??

 

[wilkeliza]

Just wondering if it can be proved that the CMs followed all safety precautions and were found not at fault do they still loose their jobs?

It is like the Tower of Terror stunt where I heard at least 3 CMs probably lot their job over the stupid teenagers ridding with out seatbelts. I would imagine Disney would deal with quite a few wrongful termination lawsuits if CMs were fired on a regular basis do to a customer not following the rules.