Yet Another Tragedy --RnR Coaster this time

[DancingBear]

first of all I didn't say i was irritated at this parent specifically, I said that reading the story thats how i felt about parents and people in general. And in terms of the signs, people ride rides at their own risk and we put up warning signs as a courtesy to expectant mothers and people with conditions that may be aggrevated. if what you say is true and signs dont matter no matter what we do or what we build the second someone gets a bloody nose they will sue and win millions. It would be the end of disney. Signs do matter. people are making me sound like an insensative jerk not even reading what i post. I'm just telling people how it is and what i see everyday. Again i send my deepest condolences to their family, I just really hate the media auto-blame disney tactics.

I read what you posted. And I read the article. Where in that article do you see the "media auto-blame disney tactics"? And just how are you attacking the media when you said:

you know reading this as a cast member I really get irratated. Honestly I wanna know how many people actually read the numerous amount of signs we have posted on our attractions and take them to heart. I feel really horrible for the family...especially if they didnt know about a preexisting condition. But if they did the parents should have read the signs or at least taken them seriously.

While it's true that these sorts of accidents at Disney will get extra exposure, it's totally untrue that Disney gets only bad press. How many glowing interviews were there in the papers about John Lasseter in connection with Cars? How many free-publicity shows are there about the parks, the cruise lines, etc.?

 

[Coach Rick]

I'd like to offer prayers and thoughts to this family first and foremost.

My comments about this topic are not directed toward this family, as I think it's way too soon to pass judgement without knowing the facts!

As a high school teacher, it is apparent that many parents will make every attempt to find someone else to blame for thier childs failures and struggles, when the buck should stop with the parent themselves. On parent teacher night it is always the parents who I really don't need to see that come by and ask what else they can do to help. Obviously they are already doing their job, and these kids have the grades to go with it. It stands to reason that when a tragedy happens these "type" of parents will look for someone or somthing to blame rather than accept that "things" happen. Why, because once again we live in a society that is unable to accept responsibility, or guilt. This past school year I had a parent come in and blame other kids cheating on why her child didn't do well. That logic totally escaped me. Regardless of the fact that I showed her the lack of homework assignments completed of her daughter, she kept bringing up that she "heard" some of the others with higher grades cheat on exams. I know this is an example totally off topic, but just an example of what is going on in families these days. Again, in no way am I saying the family of this young man is this way. Quite to the contrary. This dad was a special ops soldier, and I am quite sure they are a hands on family, and I can't even begin to imagine the pain they are going through right now.

I am also sure these things happened before, but the news media seems to LOVE tragedy, and will be all over it.

I love Disney, but I will be worrying about my kids going on these rides this August. I have also decided that I will request stress echo test for all three of my kids, 21, 16, and 12. Over reaction, maybe, but I am sure given the present circumstances these parents wish they would have "overreacted". We had a tragedy here in RI recently. The young boy involved collapsed at his jr. high baseball practice and died. It was determined that an AED would have probably saved this child. The parents and athorities reacted by raising money and placing AED's at all athletic complexes. This is the type of proactive response we should take as responsible human beings. All the money in the world will NOT ease the pain of a loss such as this. I personally would never enjoy one dime earned on the death of a child. JMO....

 

[DancingBear]

A nice anecdotal discussion of parental responsibility issues, but not sure what it has to do with this incident. (Any more than an anecdotal discussion of incidents of flagrant corporate negligence, product liability, etc.)

I'm very sorry for this family's loss, and look forward to a full investigation of the facts by Disney, the M.E., etc.

And the amusement industry as a whole needs to give more thought to the issue of rides becoming more and more extreme (as noted in the article, R'n'R is not as extreme as other recent coasters).

Does anyone really think this isn't news? Shouldn't have been reported? What exactly is the "media" issue here?

 

[All Aboard]

AP Follow-up Story:


Disney World reopens coaster day after boy's deathTRAVIS REED
Associated Press
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Walt Disney World reopened a roller coaster Friday after determining that nothing mechanical caused the death of a 12-year-old rider one day earlier.

Disney officials said an inspection found nothing wrong with Disney-MGM's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.

"Walt Disney World engineers and ride system experts completed a thorough inspection of the attraction overnight and found it to be operating properly," the company said in a statement. "A representative from the state Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection observed the ride inspection and testing."

Disney and other large amusement parks are exempt from state oversight, but Disney has allowed government inspectors to watch after fatalities.

Michael Russell died Thursday shortly after passing out while riding the coaster, which reaches speeds of 60 mph.

His father, Byron Russell, an Iraq war veteran, noticed that Michael became limp while they rode the coaster along with his mother and 7-year-old brother.

When the minute-long ride finished, Byron Russell pulled Michael off the ride and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, said Barbara Miller, Orange County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman.

The boy was pronounced dead after he was taken by ambulance to Celebration Hospital, Disney said in a statement. The cause of death was not immediately determined and medical examiners planned to perform an autopsy Friday.

"According to the family, he was a very healthy child," Miller said. "The father repeated that he was healthy, he had no problems."

Byron Russell is a part of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) based at Fort Campbell, Ky., and served in Iraq, said special forces Command spokesman Maj. Jim Gregory.

"You can't even put words to how devastating this would be," Gregory said.

Special Forces Command and Disney said they were assisting the family.

"Our deepest concerns are with the family," said Disney spokesman Jacob DiPietre.

The boy's death is the latest in a string of tragedies at Walt Disney World in recent years. At least 15 people have died at Disney's theme parks in Florida and California since 1989, including some with pre-existing health conditions. Disney-MGM is among Disney's four Florida parks.

Most of the company's recent troubles have been over another ride - Epcot's "Mission: Space," a rocketship attraction that simulates a flight to Mars.

Two people have died in the last year after going on the ride, which spins in a centrifuge that subjects riders to twice the normal force of gravity. Now Disney offers people an option to ride a tamer version of the ride that does not spin.

Disney-MGM closed the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster on Thursday but said a preliminary investigation showed the ride was operating normally. The sheriff's office was investigating, and state park safety officials were also notified.

A Disney Web site description of the ride says: "Zoom from 0-60 mph with the force of a supersonic F-14, take in high-speed loops and turns synchronized to a specially recorded Aerosmith soundtrack."

Theme park consultants said the ride is relatively tame.

"As roller coasters go that is not considered an ultra, ultra high-thrill coaster," said Dennis L. Speigel, president of Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services Inc. "It does have some high launch speeds, but it's more along the traditional lines of what roller coasters are today."

---

Associated Press Writer Kelli Kennedy in Miami contributed to this report.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

From CNN:

"Preliminary autopsy results found no injuries, but indicated congenital heart abnormalities in a 12-year-old boy who died after a Disney ride in Florida, according to a statement from the medical examiner’s office."

 

[sistertrip]

Thanks for posting the updates.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

DB wrote:

and look forward to a full investigation of the facts by Disney, the M.E., etc.

Given the cursory facts that have come out regarding this, it does sound like an unfortunate tragedy. Disney says their ride is working fine, the ME says there were congenital heart abnormailities, and eyewitness accounts said the father administered first aid at the first possible moment.

No one in this thread has "blamed the parents". We've done nothing but offer condolences and our sympathies. Those of us that "defended" Disney were merely making some assumptions and judgements based on our knowledge, experience and history with Disney...

Again, to hear what this father and his family went through tugs at my heart. I feel for them.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Bad things happen in this world all the time. Just recently around where we live we had an 16 year old die from playing basketball. It was found that his heart was bad. We just have to send out our prayers to this family.

 

[DancingBear]

No one in this thread has "blamed the parents". We've done nothing but offer condolences and our sympathies. Those of us that "defended" Disney were merely making some assumptions and judgements based on our knowledge, experience and history with Disney...

By dlcastmember's own admission:

I didn't say i was irritated at this parent specifically, I said that reading the story thats how i felt about parents and people in general.

I find that to be an insensitive knee-jerk immediate response to this tragedy. And certainly not doing "nothing but offering condolences and sympathies."

My point with your "defending" Disney in response to me is that you acted as if I was blaming Disney, and there was absolutely nothing I said to lead you to that conclusion.

 

[DancingBear]

apparently, the family of the four-year-old who died after riding mission space is suing disney, not because of the ride, but because of the lack of a defillabrator and the fact it took 5-6 minutes for emt's to arrive.

Not exactly. From the news reports, the family also alleges that "Disney's ride subjects guests to forces which even Disney does not understand" (paraphrasing the plaintiffs' attorney), so it appears they are making claims based on the ride itself, not just the medical response.