Posted on 06/14/2005 4:45:25 AM PDT by texas_mrs
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A 4-year-old boy on a family vacation died Monday afternoon after he passed out on an Epcot Center ride.
Officials said the accident happened on the Mission: SPACE ride.
The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. on the Mission: SPACE ride, according to Disney officials. The ride simulates a launch into space by exerting g-forces on occupants.
The child reportedly passed out on the ride and paramedics responded. Witnesses reported seeing the child's mother carry him outside to a nearby bench, where paramedics were able to briefly revive him. But the child died on the way to the hospital, according to officials.
Officials shut down the ride for the rest of the day. It's not certain whether it will reopen today. Mission: SPACE opened in October 2003.
The ride has a minimum height requirement of 44 inches. The local sheriff's department said the boy met the height restriction.
The boy was on vacation from Pennsylvania with his family.
Disney released a statement saying, "We are providing support to the family and doing everything we can help them at this time."
Dammit. It's been more than thirty years since I was there with little ones. Now it's back in my mind... and it just won't stop..... help me............
I just showed this story to my wife. We have an above-average height 4.5 year-old who rode Mission Space with me earlier this year. While the ride is a bit intense, she seemed unfazed. She asked me afterwards, "Dad, did we really go to Mars?"
There had to have been other medical conditions with this particular child.
I truly mourn for his parents. Horrible, just horrible!
No, this is a different one. Space Mountain is a roller coaster.
When we went to Disney World, we saw an accident scene involving a Ford Explorer. The helicopter had just left. Luggage all over the highway.
I was looking at the ceiling during the ride. It's pretty cool. A suspended ceiling painted black. It really shows the boxiness of the building.
I read a story a while back about it. At the grand opening they had a number of former astronauts. One of them commented the ride was much better than any of the simulators they went through during their training at NASA.
LOL! The hurl-a-whirl!
The most nauseating thing you can do on a centrifuge ride is to turn your head from side while experiencing G forces. It messes with your inner ear and, basically, induces sea-sickness.
I took my kids on a centrifuge at Six Flags that I'd ridden several times with no ill effects. On that ride, I placed one kid on either side of me, and kept turning to the side to check on them. I was messed up (nauseated -- big time) for nearly an hour. (The kids were fine...)
I couldn't have kept my daughter off of it.
Depends on the kid. My son never liked this kind of stuff.
Me too!
And it's been over 30 years, but those little bobbing heads and ARGH!
I think it was voted THE most obnoxious song ever written.
Thanks.......*~*
I have never understood the attraction of these huge theme parks, especially for very young children. Parents have somehow been indoctrinated into believing that they are depriving their children if they do not take them to Disney, Universal, etc. They are too young for most of the rides and won't remember anything about it when they are older, you are out thousands of dollars for the trip, and end up spending most of the day standing in line for everything. Not my idea of a good time. My kids would rather go to the mountains, swim, hike, fish, and catch frogs.
Thanks!..Much appreciated.
(kidding)
About 1 g, but zero extra. They simply tilt the room, and you get pressed back in your seat by gravity.
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