Wednesday fatality was second in a year linked to intense...

[disneydreamer58]

Did any of you read about this on MSN today http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12300569/

She apparently had a heart condition, so does that release Disney from any liability?

[dmandavids]

Wow I've just read it and it is sad.

[disneydreamer58]

Stuff like that is always tragic to read about. I wonder how many people just don't realize they have health issues and something like this happens. Even more reason for me to lose weight!! Cause ya just never know what the ole heart can take! She was only a year older than me! Scarey!
Is the ride that intense, any more so than the other "thrill" rides at WDW?

[Dr. Ravenscroft]

This is the reason they have all of the signs, but I guess not everyone knows if they do have a heart condition until it is too late. I think all of the signs that Disney has releases them from liability.

[kgmadorin]

Jesus! That's like the fifth major incident that attraction's caused--and the second death. Seems like the signage needs an overhaul. There's no way anyone with a medical condition should be unaware of the dangers of riding that attraction.

Wherever he is, Walt must be friggin' furious. No way would an attraction like that ever have made the cut at Disneyland during his lifetime.

[swarlock]

You'll never catch me getting on that thing at EPCOT ever.

[ttztotdca50]

Realistically, people, Mission: Space can pull in, what? 1600 guests per hour? Multiply that by, say, 16 hours per day (on a 8 AM - Midnight schedule), leaving about 25,600 guests per day (if my somewhat fuzzy math is correct). Assuming the park is open 365 days a year, that leaves about 9,344,000 guests per year. Multiply that by about the number of years that the ride has been open (3), that leaves about 28,032,000 guests total by August of this year. If there are no more injuries/fatalities, that leaves us with a ratio of:

7:28,032,000.

[kgmadorin]

Realistically, people, Mission: Space can pull in, what? 1600 guests per hour? Multiply that by, say, 16 hours per day (on a 8 AM - Midnight schedule), leaving about 25,600 guests per day (if my somewhat fuzzy math is correct). Assuming the park is open 365 days a year, that leaves about 9,344,000 guests per year. Multiply that by about the number of years that the ride has been open (3), that leaves about 28,032,000 guests total by August of this year. If there are no more injuries/fatalities, that leaves us with a ratio of:

7:28,032,000.

Well, ttztotdca50, let's take a look at the math:

Mission: Space does indeed have a ride capacity of 1600 guests per hour. However, Epcot is only open from 9am-9pm almost every single day of the year, except for holidays. That gives you a 12 hour operating day. Let's say that for those 12 hours, the ride operates at 90% capacity (to allow for downtimes and short queues after park opening). That means that an estimated 17,280 guests per day experience Mission: Space. The attraction opened on August 15, 2003, so it has been operating for approximately two years and eight months, bringing our estimated number of riders since opening to 16,819,200.

If we're using 7 as the total number of major injuries / fatalities, then you only have a .00004% chance of incurring a major injury or fatality while riding. That's about one in 2.4 million. Not very strong odds.

However, we're not talking about workplace fatalities or some other scenario where a certain amount of risk is expected. Epcot is a theme park, where people should NEVER have to calculate the risk of injury or death when deciding whether or not to ride an attraction.

Remember, these incidents were not caused by rider error or some mechanical malfunction. These incidents happened when the attraction was running exactly as it was designed to operate.

Maybe there's nothing wrong with the ride. In that case, the warnings need to me bigger, scarier, and more effective. Two deaths in less than three years? SOMETHING needs to be changed. That's the bottom line.

A risk like that might be acceptable at another theme park, but that should not be the case at a Disney park. Believe me, Walt would never allow it. Would your conscience allow it if you were running the company?

[Dr. Ravenscroft]

How many injuries/fatalities occured on other rides? I can't imagine it would be as many as MS did in its short run.

[eagle4life69]

Did any of you read about this on MSN today http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12300569/

She apparently had a heart condition, so does that release Disney from any liability?

Yes it does. if you see that warning on the ride and you say "well nothing is going to kill me" than what do you expect?

[cmcd13]

I'm with you, kgmadorin. Disney is what it is because quality is key. The ride may function as it was designed, but whoever designed it should not be working for Disney.

[kgmadorin]

How many injuries/fatalities occured on other rides? I can't imagine it would be as many as MS did in its short run.

Great point, Ravenscroft. To put things in perspective, only nine guests have died at Disneyland since the park opened. That's nine in FIFTY YEARS including EVERY ATTRACTION IN THE PARK.

Check out this article from snopes.com for more info: http://www.snopes.com/disney/parks/deaths.htm

[kgmadorin]

Did any of you read about this on MSN today http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12300569/

She apparently had a heart condition, so does that release Disney from any liability?

Yes it does. if you see that warning on the ride and you say "well nothing is going to kill me" than what do you expect?

Just because Disney is released from legal liability, does that make this situation any better?

If you have a heart condition, the chances of you suffering an injury from Mission: Space are vastly greater than any other attraction. However, I am NOT an advocate of shutting the attraction down. The technology is incredible, and I think it's a step forward for Disney Imagineering. However, with that being said, there MUST be a way to make it safer. This sort of track record is unacceptable.

[eagle4life69]

Granted if I go to Disneyland I wouldn't expect to have a Heart attack. I am the same way I have elevated Blood pressure but that wouldn't stop me from going on this ride. It is considered an extreme ride and people should know thier limits. if a ride has onboard puke bags than it should warn you about how intense this ride is.

Maybe turn down the G's. Raise the hieght level. Make a weight limit Heavier people generally have Heart issues. (I haven't seen a picture of the lady so not sure if that is true). Maybe do an age limit. 45+ not allowed to ride. That would make it safer. Maybe a doctors note with every ride in order to wide this. Have EKG machine hooked up to each rider before they board.

[kgmadorin]

Maybe turn down the G's. Raise the hieght level. Make a weight limit Heavier people generally have Heart issues. (I haven't seen a picture of the lady so not sure if that is true). Maybe do an age limit. 45+ not allowed to ride. That would make it safer. Maybe a doctors note with every ride in order to wide this. Have EKG machine hooked up to each rider before they board.

Alright, alright... I get it. How safe can you make an attraction like Mission: Space and still have it be thrilling?

My point is, Grandma Ethel gets on the attraction with little Suzy, thinking, "Yeah, I saw those signs, but this is Walt Disney World... How bad can it be?" Something should be in place to show Ethel exactly how bad it is, so she understands there is REAL risk involved if you have certain conditions. Going one step further, is a Disney park the place for any attraction that requires such precautions? I don't remember any similar recurring situations with Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, etc...