Breaking News
Another death at Disney, this time on the Aerosmith ‘coaster at MGM Studios. Channel 9 is reporting that Disney released a statement and there is an “ongoing investigation,” and they also managed to mention a zillion times in a row that the whole Mission:Space incident (the first one) is still under scrutiny.
What are they DOING down there?? Maybe they’re suffering from NASA Syndrome: too few employees, stretched too thin, who start to cut corners on safety out of necessity. Or maybe people are getting dumber and getting on rides where they have no business. Who knows? Disney has the best lawyers in the world, I’m sure; we may never get the real answer.
I always loved the Rock’n'Rollercoaster. Before I got really sick (AND I’VE GOT ENOUGH SENSE NOT TO RIDE IT NOW!!), it was one of my favorite park attractions, especially the unintentionally hilarious pre-show featuring Aerosmith. I still have Steven Tyler’s witless, “Wait…I love that idea!” echoing in my head. One of my favorite rides…one of my favorite bands…I can see why it appealed to a kid, with the combination of both music and speed. (I can do the same thing in a car on the Beeline, but unfortunately I had to stop because I had 6 points on my license.)
Doesn’t this stuff just break your heart? I want people to come to Orlando and have a GOOD TIME, like when I entertain in my home and I want people to have fun. That 12-year-old probably got a FastPass and waited all day to ride that rollercoaster. This is how it ends for that family. I know this could easily be guests’ fault, but people have been dumb for years and they’ve only recently started dying from it. What are they all suddenly dropping like flies? What the heck is Disney DOING??
And to think, it wasn’t very long ago that letting them run their own safety inspections seemed like such a good idea…
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I don’t think disney is ‘doing’ anything (at least not mechanically) different to cause these last three thrill ride deaths.
One point of view is that this is just a tragic cluster of deaths that were statistically bound to happen. The chance of someone with an unkown pre-existing condition visiting Disney and going on the thrill rides eventually approaches 100%.
On the other coast a combination of poor training, maintenance cuts, and management policies toward cast members did result in 3 deaths and a large number of injuries that were totally Disneyland’s fault.
So far Walt Disney World has lost a parade performer (remember Pluto) and a Skyway operator who were both just doing what their jobs required. But no guests killed through no fault of their own.
I agree with the previous commenter. I think at some point, the statistics catch up with you… especially when you consider the number of visitors to the area yearly. It numbers near the size of many good sized countries!
Children and elderly dying on thrill rides seem to be the two groups “at risk”. I completely get the elderly quotient, and I think the kids almost all come up under “undiagnosed health problem”.
Obviously we’ll have to wait and see if this is true for today’s victim, but wow… I have a 13 year old and I cannot even imagine what that family is going through!
In the end, I don’t think it was any of Disney’s wrongdoing.. on any of them.
“What the heck is Disney DOING?”
Well to quote the news article:
“A boy from Kentucky riding Walt Disney World’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster slumped over during the ride and later died though his Army Green Beret father attempted to resuscitate him.”
So Disney is expected to give you a full check-up before riding one of their rides? I didn’t notice anywhere in that article where the rollercoaster tracks broke apart killing all those involved like in an action movie.
They are doing what any company would do thats pretty much drives the economy of Central Florida. Whatever it can. Now that doesn’t mean that Disney’s is allowed to be lazy, but really, how much can be expected of them. Cart falls off the track? Sure, slap Disney around, sue them for all their worth if they were negligent. A seemingly healthy kid dies from a unknown heart condition? Yeah blame Disney.