OT: Disney Ride - Mission to Mars

[Hey Jude]

I was in Disney World for work 2 years ago and I had some free time one evening so I went to Epcot. I was with another woman I worked with at the time and we were pounding yards of beer and then we decided to go on the Mission to Mars....BIG MISTAKE! This was the first ride I ever went on in my life where I was looking for some kind of emergency release button or a barf bag. Now I know I didn't help matters by slugging beers before hand, but this ride was insane.

Today I read this very sad story online about a little boy who was killed on the ride. I'm warning any of you who go to Epcot and are even remotely claustrophobic or sensitive to motion sickness, DO NOT GO ON THIS RIDE.


LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - A 4-year-old boy died after passing out aboard Walt Disney World’s “Mission: Space,” a ride so intense that it has motion sickness bags and several riders have been treated for chest pain.
Daudi Bamuwamye died Monday afternoon on the attraction, which simulates a rocket launch and trip to Mars.
The Orange County Sheriff’s office said the boy met the minimum 44-inch height requirement for the ride at the Epcot theme park, which uses centrifugal force to simulate twice the normal force of gravity.
An autopsy was expected later Tuesday to determine the cause of the boy’s death.
Boy was rigid, then limp
Officials said the boy, from Sellersville, Pa., was on the ride with his mother, Agnes, and a sister.
During the ride, the mother noticed that Daudi’s body was rigid and his legs were stretched straight out. She told detectives that she thought he was frightened so she took his hand.
“When the ride ended, the victim was limp and unresponsive in his seat,” according to a sheriff’s office report.
Paramedics tried to revive him, but he died at Celebration Hospital.
The $100 million ride, one of Disney World’s most popular, was closed after the death but was reopened Tuesday after company engineers concluded that it was operating normally.
Motion sickness bags
In 2003, Disney began placing motion sickness bags in the ride.
During an eight-month period in 2003-04, six people over age 55 were taken to hospitals for treatment of chest pain and nausea after riding “Mission: Space,” though none of them was found to have any serious problem.
At that time, it was the most hospital visits for a single ride since Florida’s major theme parks agreed in 2001 to report such problems to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Updated figures were not immediately available.
One other death was reported at Disney World this year. A 77-year-old woman who was in poor health from diabetes and several ministrokes died in February after going on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at the Magic Kingdom. A medical examiner’s report said her death “was not unexpected.”
Warning signs
Signs warn visitors about the intensity of the “Mission: Space” ride.
“For safety you should be in good health, and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness or other conditions that can be aggravated by this adventure,” one sign on view last year said. Signs also warn pregnant women not to go on the ride.
Florida’s major parks are not directly regulated by the Department of Agriculture; state law exempts large, permanent amusement parks that have their own inspectors from state oversight. But the parks agreed to share safety information in 2001.
Disney officials said in a statement after the boy’s death that they were “providing support to the family and are doing everything we can to help them during this difficult time.”
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[BrockVond]

I was in Disney World for work 2 years ago and I had some free time one evening so I went to Epcot. I was with another woman I worked with at the time and we were pounding yards of beer and then we decided to go on the Mission to Mars....BIG MISTAKE!

no kidding? really?

you're an idiot.


anyway, this story is a such a tragedy. 4 years old and gone. unbelievable. what this family is going through i cannot imagine.

[Hal U. Dewin]

I was in Disney World for work 2 years ago and I had some free time one evening so I went to Epcot. I was with another woman I worked with at the time and we were pounding yards of beer and then we decided to go on the Mission to Mars....BIG MISTAKE! This was the first ride I ever went on in my life where I was looking for some kind of emergency release button or a barf bag. Now I know I didn't help matters by slugging beers before hand, but this ride was insane.

Today I read this very sad story online about a little boy who was killed on the ride. I'm warning any of you who go to Epcot and are even remotely claustrophobic or sensitive to motion sickness, DO NOT GO ON THIS RIDE.


LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - A 4-year-old boy died after passing out aboard Walt Disney World’s “Mission: Space,” a ride so intense that it has motion sickness bags and several riders have been treated for chest pain.
Daudi Bamuwamye died Monday afternoon on the attraction, which simulates a rocket launch and trip to Mars.
The Orange County Sheriff’s office said the boy met the minimum 44-inch height requirement for the ride at the Epcot theme park, which uses centrifugal force to simulate twice the normal force of gravity.
An autopsy was expected later Tuesday to determine the cause of the boy’s death.
Boy was rigid, then limp
Officials said the boy, from Sellersville, Pa., was on the ride with his mother, Agnes, and a sister.
During the ride, the mother noticed that Daudi’s body was rigid and his legs were stretched straight out. She told detectives that she thought he was frightened so she took his hand.
“When the ride ended, the victim was limp and unresponsive in his seat,” according to a sheriff’s office report.
Paramedics tried to revive him, but he died at Celebration Hospital.
The $100 million ride, one of Disney World’s most popular, was closed after the death but was reopened Tuesday after company engineers concluded that it was operating normally.
Motion sickness bags
In 2003, Disney began placing motion sickness bags in the ride.
During an eight-month period in 2003-04, six people over age 55 were taken to hospitals for treatment of chest pain and nausea after riding “Mission: Space,” though none of them was found to have any serious problem.
At that time, it was the most hospital visits for a single ride since Florida’s major theme parks agreed in 2001 to report such problems to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Updated figures were not immediately available.
One other death was reported at Disney World this year. A 77-year-old woman who was in poor health from diabetes and several ministrokes died in February after going on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at the Magic Kingdom. A medical examiner’s report said her death “was not unexpected.”
Warning signs
Signs warn visitors about the intensity of the “Mission: Space” ride.
“For safety you should be in good health, and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness or other conditions that can be aggravated by this adventure,” one sign on view last year said. Signs also warn pregnant women not to go on the ride.
Florida’s major parks are not directly regulated by the Department of Agriculture; state law exempts large, permanent amusement parks that have their own inspectors from state oversight. But the parks agreed to share safety information in 2001.
Disney officials said in a statement after the boy’s death that they were “providing support to the family and are doing everything we can to help them during this difficult time.”
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

not to sound like an idiot, but was he "killed" on ( or by) the ride or did he "die" on the ride?

big difference....

[Dr. NO]

Sounds like the poor boy had a heart attack. Scared to death. I love rides, but maybe this is too much.

BUT, 2 G's? that is not very much force. A true launch is 6 to 9 G's. you can get 2 g's from a fall or other sudden impact.

Oh well, sad story.

[tyrolean_skier]

Very sad story HeyJude. I will have to remember to skip this ride when we take the kids down there.

[SkiDork]

2 Gs is (IIRC) experienced in most airliner rides at some point.

Definitely not a ride I'd want to do, as I'm terrible with motion.

AFA the "idiot" comment, let's try to be a bit more tolerant people. A little kindness goes a long way.

JMHO.

Dork

[Stormchaser]

Jude...I'm starting to wonder about you...

I was with another woman

we were pounding

This was the first ride I ever went on in my life

this ride was insane

When the ride ended...it was limp and unresponsive

[BrockVond]

AFA the "idiot" comment, let's try to be a bit more tolerant people. A little kindness goes a long way.

hmm, ok. After much reflection and constant prodding from about 10 cousins of the insultee (this place is more inbred than an Arkansas wedding, btw) I've decided that I should have said:

"that was an idiotic thing to do."

and not:

"you're an idiot."

(I'm giving the insultee the benefit of the doubt that she hasn't gotten on any rides drunk since then )

My only excuse was that last night I was out with a woman I work with and we were pounding yards of beer and when we got back to my place we decided to visit www.killingtonzone.com
and start posting. BIG MISTAKE!

[Stormchaser]

I was out with a woman I work with and we were pounding

Sounds like a Stormstory.

[Hey Jude]

Stormy, I've told you before, you always make me laugh!
thanks!

[SkiDork]

My only excuse was that last night I was out with a woman I work with and we were pounding yards of beer and when we got back to my place we decided to visit www.killingtonzone.com
and start posting. BIG MISTAKE!

good one Brock!