Death at Disney Concerns Consumer Group

fox ^ | 6-21-05

[LouAvul]

NEW YORK — Last year, more than 328 million people worldwide visited amusement parks but the death this week of one 4-year-old boy at Walt Disney World has led some to question whether more needs to be done to improve theme park safety.

Daudi Bamuwamye (search) died on a popular ride at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center. Since the "Mission: Space" attraction opened in 2003, seven people have been taken to the hospital for chest pains, fainting or nausea. The intense attraction simulates a rocket and spins riders around in a centrifuge.

"We believe the ride is safe in its current configuration," Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said.

Bamuwamye died despite meeting the proper height requirements and reportedly had none of the previously existing conditions that would be aggravated by such a ride. Although the official cause of death may not be known for several weeks, the accident has alarmed some parents and lawmakers.

"What raises my concern is the lack of an ethical public safety response," Kathy Fackler, president of Saferparks, told FOX News.

Fackler's son was injured on an amusement park ride when he was 5 years old. The accident drove Fackler to form Saferparks, an organization that aims to be a consumer's guide to safety at amusement parks and carnivals. The organization provides amusement park ride statistics and tips for preventing injuries as it pushes for industry sponsored research towards making safer rides.

[Iron Matron]

I am no longer fond of Disney myself, but, I must comment that consumer groups are ALWAYS concerned about something, and when they are executives should hide their pocketbooks.

[G32]

Good keywords hah.

[RushCrush]

Consumer groups would have us sitting at home on our hands. But then again they'd find a reason why that isn't a good idea either.

[konaice]

Last year, more than 328 million people worldwide visited amusement parks but the death this week of one 4-year-old boy at Walt Disney World has led some to question whether more needs to be done to improve theme park safety

Agreed about the lack of respect for Disney, but these consumer groups need to find ANY other venue visited byt 328 million people per year where there was no deaths.

[RSmithOpt]

Please remain seated in your chair at all times as so you never take the risk as to walk and possibly injure yourself'. (sarcasm)

Good points!

[SteveMcKing]

Nerf Worlders.

[This Just In]

I would suggest not only a height requirement, but also an age requirement as well. Children's bodies are still developing and obviously can't endure the physical punishment(amusement?) these particular rides produce.

My heart goes out to the child's parents.

[Kozak]

Calling John Edwards, calling John Edwards, multibillion dollar ambulance heading your way, calling John Edwards.

He won't answer. No money in dead kids, only damaged ones.

[ExcursionGuy84]

My Pastor put it like his:

"Satistics are CLear; 10 out of 10 people die."

And Mel Gibson as William Wallace:

"Every Man dies, not Every man lives."

And as a fan of Mission Space, I ain't skeered t' go on it agin', 'een if it takes mah lGod-Given life frum me.

Disclaimer: I couldn't resist a little "hill-billy" dialect.

[I still care]

This happens more often that people realize. People's bodies are not all perfect, and many have anatomical anomalies that may cause problems under stress.

A friend of mine told me years ago they had a church member who was paralyzed on a roller coaster of some kind. She "stroked out" while on the ride and suffered severe brain damage.

A brain aneuyrism can be a silent bomb. You don't know when they will go off.

[nmh]

We don't condone or support homo adovcates like Disney.

You take your chances when you go to Disney World. Homos, rapes, death etc.. MANY things go on at Disney and are not highlighted. They just want your $$$.

[Gator101]

I remember an amusement park here in Denver that had some pretty wicked rides in the fun house back in the 70's and early 80's. There was one called the "Monkey Cage" which was basically an enclosed round spinning cage that they would put about 10 people in. They would rev that baby up to the point where you would stick to the wall due to to centrifugal force. It had no chairs, seat belts, or restraining devices at all. If you had the strength you could try to reach the pole in the middle. We would get bruises but we were laughing the whole time. That ride HAD to have messed some people up

A modern day lawyer would start frothing at the mouth if he had seen this thing.

[vrwinger]

"...an age requirement as well"

I agree. 4 years old is much too young for this attraction, regardless of being 44" tall... I question the mother's judgment here a bit.

Also, the name of the theme park is Epcot; the name was changed from EPCOT Center many years ago.

[Moosilauke]

Consumer groups would have us sitting at home on our hands. But then again they'd find a reason why that isn't a good idea either.

More people die in bath tubs each year than in theme parks. But then there's no one to sue.

[Mark in the Old South]

Why does this kind of thing look more and more like a shake down. Every time some group be they the NAACP, or Environmentalist, or PeTA or the food police or any type of Consumer Protection Racket pipes up I always wonder how much money they are after to keep quite or how many of their "experts" they want the target to hire to "solve" the problem.

What ever happened to Racketeering laws or are they only for controlling pro life groups?

[stinkerpot65]

Liberals always need a "crisis" to justify their phoney jobs.

[sassbox]

When my aunt was a kid, she was once in one of those rides. Another rider was a very large woman (about 400 lb). When the ride started up, the obese woman initially stuck to the wall, but soon fell off! As far as my aunt knows, that was the end of the incident - no one sued or filed charges. I guess 30 yrs ago people had more common sense - if you were that size and went on a ride like that anyways and subsequently got hurt, it was your own freakin' fault.

[ga medic]

Elitches and Lakeside! I loved those parks and that ride. My mom used to drop us off in the morning every day in the summer and pick us up after work. Yearly pass made for cheap day care. Still gives me good memories.