Norfolk man survived Disney ride, barely
BY RICK FOSTER/SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
NORFOLK -- A 57-year-old local man says he became ill and passed out twice after enduring a 4 1/2 -minute ride on Mission: Space at Florida's Disney World theme park on which two tourists have died in the past 10 months.
`` They have signs before you enter the ride to warn if you have high blood pressure or dizziness, but you really don't see what you're getting into,'' said Paul Borne, a sales representative who rode Mission: Space during a Feb. 28 visit to the Orlando attraction with his wife and son. Borne said he became sick after the ride and again the next morning and passed out twice on the plane while returning to Boston.
He later underwent two days of tests at Massachusetts General Hospital.
A German woman died Wednesday after falling ill on the ride which features a spinning space flight simulator. A four-year-old boy died in June after going on the ride.
The Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday that besides the two deaths, 10 other people have reported serious illnesses or injuries since the ride's opening in 2003. Under Florida state law, theme park operators and not the state are responsible for regulating such attractions.
The Mission: Space ride remains open to the public.
Borne said he has no history of health problems and that doctors told him his illness was most likely the result of the ride. He said he did not report his experience to Disney officials.
The Norfolk resident said he was seated in a space `` capsule'' along with three other people for the ride, which he described as intense. He said he doesn't necessarily think Mission: Space should be shut down, but would like to see a better description of what it entails given to guests.
`` If I saw what it was, I probably wouldn't go on it,'' he said.
Besides state-of-the-art simulations that include videos and centrifugal force, Mission: Space also contains a feature not found on most amusement rides: throw-up bags.
Borne says the space ride isn't for everyone.
`` It's wild,'' he said.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2006/04/15/city/city1.txt
BY RICK FOSTER/SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
NORFOLK -- A 57-year-old local man says he became ill and passed out twice after enduring a 4 1/2 -minute ride on Mission: Space at Florida's Disney World theme park on which two tourists have died in the past 10 months.
`` They have signs before you enter the ride to warn if you have high blood pressure or dizziness, but you really don't see what you're getting into,'' said Paul Borne, a sales representative who rode Mission: Space during a Feb. 28 visit to the Orlando attraction with his wife and son. Borne said he became sick after the ride and again the next morning and passed out twice on the plane while returning to Boston.
He later underwent two days of tests at Massachusetts General Hospital.
A German woman died Wednesday after falling ill on the ride which features a spinning space flight simulator. A four-year-old boy died in June after going on the ride.
The Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday that besides the two deaths, 10 other people have reported serious illnesses or injuries since the ride's opening in 2003. Under Florida state law, theme park operators and not the state are responsible for regulating such attractions.
The Mission: Space ride remains open to the public.
Borne said he has no history of health problems and that doctors told him his illness was most likely the result of the ride. He said he did not report his experience to Disney officials.
The Norfolk resident said he was seated in a space `` capsule'' along with three other people for the ride, which he described as intense. He said he doesn't necessarily think Mission: Space should be shut down, but would like to see a better description of what it entails given to guests.
`` If I saw what it was, I probably wouldn't go on it,'' he said.
Besides state-of-the-art simulations that include videos and centrifugal force, Mission: Space also contains a feature not found on most amusement rides: throw-up bags.
Borne says the space ride isn't for everyone.
`` It's wild,'' he said.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2006/04/15/city/city1.txt
:fork: ime sorry but this has got too stop, just because someone says that they passed out twice after riding M:S does'nt mean that it was M:S that caused it,for all we know that guy could suffer from vertigo of something and been on soarin on the front row,does that mean that soarins a bad ride. the guy even said 'its not for everyone', well then if its not for you,DONT GO ON IT!!!.and you can see what your getting into as you get on it and you can even ask a cast member what it does.
