NEWS: Four-Year-Old Dies On Disney Ride

CULTURE: Four-Year-Old Dies On Disney Ride

On Mission: Space in Disneyworld, people are subjected to two-G’s of force in a centrifuge to simulate a lift-off. Like most rides, they have a minimum height and weight requirement, health restrictions, and warnings for pregnant women. It also claimed the life of a four-year-old boy shortly after he got off the ride.

It appears that the state of Florida does not have its own safety inspectors but relies on the individual companies to test their own equipment. Yet, recent legislation requires the amusement park companies to report to the state any serious accident. This is how we know about the four year old.

A 77-year-old woman also died riding “Pirates of Caribbean,” but fell short of her dying wish to die while riding Johnny Depp.

Pirates are scary dudes.

From the article:
Since the attraction opened in 2003, seven people have been taken to the hospital for chest pains, fainting or nausea. That is the most hospital visits for a single ride since Florida's major theme parks agreed in 2001 to report any serious incidents to the state. The most recent case was last summer, when a 40-year-old woman was taken to a hospital after fainting.
"Two Gs is not that big a deal," said Houston-based theme park consultant Randy King, a former safety director at Six Flags, which operates 30 amusement parks.

I'm sure the families of the deceased will be comforted by Mr. King' statement.

Dude, how many times does a dying kid wish to go to Disney Land? How many times do you think that wish is granted? This kid is lucky. Maybe Mickey Mouse will do the eulogy.. not speaking of course, but he could do a bunch of hand gestures.

Well he's probably going to make his parents rich, which is certainly more than I'll ever do for my parents.

I wonder what killed him, though.

"Ow, my heart!"

Not unless you have high blood pressure, a weak heart, a blood clot, an aneurism, or a plethora of other problems that may or may not have been diagnosed in a 4-year-old boy...

im just wondering, is it wrong that this actually makes me want to ride this ride? i mean i feel sorry for the family of the child and of course i send my deepest condolences, but shit if theres that much of a risk...im very enticed.

See...Disney is evil. I've been telling people that for years, but no one ever believes me....

[Edited on Jun 14, 2005 by deBreard]

I've never heard of kids getting hurt on the Neverland rides.

Now I know why there's so few four year old boys flying fighter jets.

sad . i have a 4 year old niece so that hits home .

he's not dead, Disney froze him.

thats shitty.

it is unfortunate and sad, but not unheard of nor unexpected. lots of people have undignosed or unknown heart and nerological conditions that can be triggered by something like this, even as small as a 2G spin. for instance, someone with SVT should not ride something like this, because that kind of stress can trigger an attack and send their heart into arrhythmia; while most would recover from it almost immediately after the ride stops, some would need to be shot with a defibillator to regain normal heart rhythm - and some would not make it.

they don't put all those warnings on rides just for the hell of it. people need to pay attention to them, and people need to know what's going on with their bodies *before* they subject them to unusual forces and stress like that.



[Edited on Jun 14, 2005 7:35PM]

The 4 year old had an autopsy performed, and that revealed no obvious sign as to exact cause of death. They are awaiting test results to come back, which may or may not shed light on this subject. They expect those to take as many as two weeks to come back.

Aside from whatever the autopsy reveals, I think the parents and the people in charge of running the ride that day should also be examined. How the hell did a little four year old kid get on such ride? When I was little I remember the only thing I hated about amusement parks was that I couldn't go on some of the cool rides because I had to be "at least this tall" and/or at least nine years old or something.

I rode this ride shortly after it was oppened. Aside from wanting to puke my guts out for the rest of the day it wasn't that bad. I do have a heart condition, clostrophobia, motion sickness, and a few of the other things they warn you about. But I can't pass me up a thrill ride. i have to say i may take those warnings more seriously next time.

I have to say I've been to Disney World 20 times or so (the only place my dad would and still will take us on vacation, I've been there the fewest times out of anyone in my family) and even though I find Disney to be the anti-christ, they have some of the safest rides in the world. This poor little guy had to have had something wrong with him that was undiagnosed prior to riding. I have a four year old daughter and I can't imagine what the parents are going through!

An article that I read said that he just made the height requirement. I'm thinking he was a tall 4 year old, and the ride was too much for such a young child.

Aw. Poor kid.