12-year-old boy dies on Disney's Rock'n'Roller coaster

[DreadPirateRoberts]

12-year-old boy dies on Disney's Rock'n'Roller coaster at Disney-MGM studios in Orlando, Florida, officials tell CNN.

:(

[Ponine]

I was coming to post the same thing.... I'll keep refreshing

A 12-year-old boy died today after riding the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney-MGM Studios theme park, officials said this afternoon.

The boy was declared dead en route to Celebration Hospital after the 11:30 a.m. incident.

Disney said it closed the attraction "pending an investigation. An initial review of the attraction shows the ride was operating normally."

"We offer the family our deepest sympathies," Disney said in an statement about 2:46 p.m. "A company representative is with them providing assistance."

According to state records reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel, this would be the seventh person to die at a Disney attraction since the Christmas season of 2004.

The coaster, known for its fast start and pulsating Aerosmith soundtrack, is the second-fastest ride at Disney, with a top speed of 57 mph. According to the Disney Web site, "This attraction pulls between 4 and 5 big, fat, monster Gs. Space shuttle astronauts, by comparison, experience 3 Gs at liftoff.''

The indoor ride, which opened in 1999, catapults people from zero-to-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, then takes them through a make-believe night in Southern California in a 24-passenger stretch limo. The ride climbs to 85 feet and goes by Hollywood landmarks on its way through five inversions.

It has the tallest height requirement in Disney's four parks -- tied with Animal Kingdom Primeval Whirl. (There is a 52 inch height requirement to drive at the Magic Kingdom's Indy Speedway, but you can be any height on that to be a passenger.

The fastest ride at Disney is Epcot's Test Track, which can reach a speed of 65 mph.

Link to the Orlando Sentinal news story at this time. (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-bk-disney06292006,0,3654838.story?coll=orl-news-headlines)
The quoted text is the same as the link at this time.

[Gemini Cricket]

Holy crap!

[Ponine]

The CNN article (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/29/coaster.death/index.html)

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A 12-year-old boy died on a roller coaster at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Disney could not be reached for comment, and few details were available.

The boy was unresponsive in his seat at the end of the Rock 'N' Roller coaster ride, said Terry McElroy of the Florida Department of Agriculture, which regulates the industry.

The boy was given CPR and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities don't know at this time if he was riding by himself or with family members.

The incident occurred at 11:30 a.m. Disney reported the accident to Florida police at 1 p.m.

Disney shut down the ride and an inspector was on site to observe the Disney investigation. The Orange County Sheriff's Office is conducting an investigation as well.

Disney boasts of the ride on its Web site, "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 and zip through Tinseltown in the biggest, loudest limo you've ever seen."

One month ago, another child died on the Disney ride "Mission Space" at the Epcot Center.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

This is awful....I can't believe how many deaths have been happening in recent years that are NOT due to guest stupidity. I feel awful for his family. :( :( :(

[Alex]

But, at least at Disney World, they also haven't been because of Disney stupidity. I'm wondering if the rate of deaths is really all that different or if we just live in a world now where anytime someone died with a day or two of visiting Walt Disney World we will hear about it.

[sleepyjeff]

That is a good point Alex. I wouldn't even know where to begin how to run the numbers but I have to wonder if the general population outside of Disneyworld is dying at any lower rate than those who are in Disneyworld.

[Ponine]

Both articles are now different than originally quoted. (Links still work)

[CoasterMatt]

They just don't make kids like they used to

[Alex]

I blame home schooling.

[CoasterMatt]

ABC7 here ran a story where they mentioned deaths of different people aboard/after rollercoaster rides at Disney parks over the last several years...

FOR WHAT FREAKIN' PURPOSE?!?

Those deaths had NOTHING to do with this situation

[Andrew]

ABC7 here ran a story where they mentioned deaths of different people aboard/after rollercoaster rides at Disney parks over the last several years...

FOR WHAT FREAKIN' PURPOSE?!?
You watched it, didn't you? And then you watched some commercials.

Remember, to TV people, you are not the customer. You are the product. The advertisers are the customer.

[€uroMeinke]

Sigh - No one gets decapitated anymore...

[innerSpaceman]

While I don't think Disney is guilty of stupidity or negligence in these instances, you can't simply compare these deaths with mortality rates of the general public. We are talking about people who finish their Disney rides un-alive or die within a very short time thereafter. It's freaking weird. The better comparison would be to find out the rate of deaths on other company's G-Force-intensive rides.

[CoasterMatt]

The thing is, there's GOING to be more deaths after Disney rides- for the simple fact that more people ride Disney rides...

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, but I want rates, not mere quantities.





Heck, Matt, you're our local expert. Just how many dead bodies have there been on coaster trains you've pulled into the loadzone on?

[CoasterMatt]

I bet the family of the boy is Crying. I really don't think they're feeling any Sweet Emotion right now. But if you think Disney is going to change the ride, well, Dream On. After many millions of riders, it's Amazing this was the first death. Maybe I'm just Jaded, but I know to check the warning signs. Riders need to know if they Walk This Way into the ride with a pre-existing condition, bad things could happen. When you go on any extreme ride, you know you're Living On The Edge.

The family will probably try to Eat The Rich, and sue Disney. Hopefully the mother won't try to take justice into her own hands. Janie's Got A Gun at MGM.

I'm really interested in finding out what happens with this incident. I'll be checking the thread constantly, cuz I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing.
Wes - what a sick man :D

[RStar]

My money is on one of those rare anurism things. Something no one could see comeing, and something that will be more common when we build more and more radical G force pulling coasters. It's becoming a real fear of wether you will survive one of these things anymore!

It's a sad day for that family. My heart and prayers go out to them.

~Bob

[Alex]

It's becoming a real fear of wether you will survive one of these things anymore!


But should it be? Since it opened, RnR has had probably at least 25 million passengers (and that is assuming 10,000 per day). Is a 1 in 25 million chance of the ride killing somebody a risk worth worrying about? Especially when the odds of me being murdered this year (assuming they were all committed randomly) is approximately 1 in 18,000?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Wes - what a sick man :DNot funny, Matt. Call me touchy but I think it's too soon to laugh at a dead child and his horrified family :(

[jdramj]

You know, you can spit out all kinds of numbers and the average person isn't going to care. What they care about is what the media and news outlets sell them. The average person isn't going to figure out 1 in 25 million or 1 in 18,000. They are going to sit in front of their TV or newspaper and think....."Wow another one!....." It is sad, and I feel sorry for the family.

Of course I am such a Disney freak, that if it happened to me, my family would be happy knowing I died in a place I loved. :eek: (not happy I died...just for clarification)

[CoasterMatt]

That kid was subjected to no more "extreme Gs" than he would have if his parents swerved their minivan to avoid an accident on the way to the park..

[CoasterMatt]

Not funny, Matt. Call me touchy but I think it's too soon to laugh at a dead child and his horrified family :(

It's too late to edit what I had quoted in that post, that was supposed to be an :eek: -

[lashbear]

My take is this:

I'd like to see statistics of how many people die seated in Movie theatres or sitting in restaurants. I bet it'd be higher than you think.

Death happens everywhere. When it happens in a theme park (especially a Disney park) it gets media attention. Sad, but true.

[RStar]

It's becoming a real fear of wether you will survive one of these things anymore!


But should it be? Since it opened, RnR has had probably at least 25 million passengers (and that is assuming 10,000 per day). Is a 1 in 25 million chance of the ride killing somebody a risk worth worrying about? Especially when the odds of me being murdered this year (assuming they were all committed randomly) is approximately 1 in 18,000?

But it's the fear of whether "I'm going to me the next one in 25 Million" that is strong, regardless of how rational it is. If people live in fear, that's what their going to do. Personally, I don't. Plus I've been on enough coasters that I doubt I'll ever experience this kind of thing. Also, if only we had those kinds of odds on the freeway, I'd feel much better about driving to work! ;)

And yes, death is everywhere, but if someone has an anurisim on a roller coaster it was caused by riding the coaster (and an unknown pre-exsisting condition- the fear part of the unkown). Something most of us can say we do. If they die in a theater or resturaunt, unless there is neglagance (IE slip & fall), then it was most likely just their time to go.

I agree CP, it's not cool to joke about, IMHO.

~Bob

[Ghoulish Delight]

B
And yes, death is everywhere, but if someone has an anurisim on a roller coaster it was caused by riding the coaster (and an unknown pre-exsisting condition- the fear part of the unkown). Something most of us can say we do. If they die in a theater or resturaunt, unless there is neglagance (IE slip & fall), then it was most likely just their time to go.Someone with such an unknown preexisting condition stands just as much chance of dying while taking a particularly large dump as the do on a coaster. Need it be mentioned again that your chances of death are orders of magnitude greater on the drive to and from the park, no pre-existing condition (other than life) necessary?

Several collisions in a row on Big Thunder caused by human/design error had me worried. A few people dying randomly due to the inherently complicatd and fragile biology of human beings doesn't particularly concern me.

[scaeagles]

Boy had congenital heart defect (http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/30/D8IIMGQ00.html)

[lashbear]

Someone with such an unknown preexisting condition stands just as much chance of dying while taking a particularly large dump as they do on a coaster...

That's what I like about you, GD, you're all class ! ;)

[Gemini Cricket]

Someone with such an unknown preexisting condition stands just as much chance of dying while taking a particularly large dump as the do on a coaster.
If it's scary enough, sometimes I wanna doo on a coaster... :D

[CoasterMatt]

The comment earlier in the thread was a quote from another board I frequent - I didn't find it funny, and I regret "sharing" it here.

[CoasterMatt]

I believe the radio call for that would be 10-38F...

[RStar]

Need it be mentioned again that your chances of death are orders of magnitude greater on the drive to and from the park, no pre-existing condition (other than life) necessary? No, I agree with you. I was just saying that people don't realize that they can have just as much of a "chance of dying while taking a particularly large dump as the do on a coaster", plus it was worth it just to hear you say that! ;)

It's part of the fear factor about coasters, that's all.

~Bob

[Alex]

I think that is why I don't really feel any excitement on a roller coaster of any type. I don't feel any real risk of death or injury and going fast isn't thrilling on its own.

But yeah, the ability of most people to make reasonable risk assessments is pretty broken.

[RStar]

I think that is why I don't really feel any excitement on a roller coaster of any type. I don't feel any real risk of death or injury and going fast isn't thrilling on its own.You know, now that you mention it, I always wondered why I thought it was weird when people, even grown men, scream like little girls on these rides. I understand the lack of risk, and could never figure out why they didn't.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

You know, now that you mention it, I always wondered why I thought it was weird when people, even grown men, scream like little girls on these rides.So, grown women are natural fraidy cats? :p

Just because I understand there is no risk of me dying doesn't mean coasters and their ilk don't scare the sht out of me. Speed, heights and seeming close calls thrill me, even while I'm secure in my seat. I'm sure the same goes for most of the smart coaster fan community. I'm sure Matt has a word or two to say on this ;)

Once again, I can only shake my head and say, "Only Alex."

[Not Afraid]

I scream because I can.

[Matterhorn Fan]

I feel foolish screaming on a roller coaster. The first time I rode one, the friend next to me said "you're not screaming." I asked him why I should. He didn't have a good answer.

I think I got that from Laura Ingalls Wilder. After all the girls at a party she went to screamed when given an electrical shock, she was asked why she didn't scream, and she said "what would be the point?"

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I feel foolish screaming on a roller coaster. The first time I rode one, the friend next to me said "you're not screaming." I asked him why I should. He didn't have a good answer.

I think I got that from Laura Ingalls Wilder. After all the girls at a party she went to screamed when given an electrical shock, she was asked why she didn't scream, and she said "what would be the point?"This reminds me of the days when we'd ride the tamer stuff at Magic Mountain - Revolution, Gold Rusher - and scream and scream simply because it was funny. Screaming makes almost any ride seem exciting :)

[CoasterMatt]

To me, the screaming is just a release. Some people strap up and shoot up heroin, I strap into steel/wood machines and scream like an idiot.

[Alex]

I'm ok with other people screaming. Rollercoasters just don't create any such desire in me. But I have zero fear of heights, zero fear of speed, and have never yet been on a rollercoaster that I found "thrilling." I with that weren't the case and people who do find them thrilling get a better deal than I do.

But in terms of excitement I find California Screamin' and King Triton's Carousel to be about equal.

[RStar]

So, grown women are natural fraidy cats? :p

No........ I said even grown men scream like little girls (refering to the sound they make)........

And frankly I think men are more likely to be scared (except Alex) because everyone knows women are the stronger sex when it comes to stress endurance.:snap:

[CoasterMatt]

But in terms of excitement I find California Screamin' and King Triton's Carousel to be about equal.
Sounds about right...

[Alex]

Yeah, but the same is true of any roller coaster in the world just about and King Triton's Carousel. I was just keeping the comparison in house.

[Gemini Cricket]

Screaming is a way to release all that tension and adrenaline you build up in line. And it's fun. :)

I'm a screamer. But not in a 'Eeeeeeek' sort of way, it's more of a 'Wahoooo!' :D


And call me mean and dark, but I think there's nothing wrong with joking about death. I think everything can be and should be funny. At least, that's how I feel about it today...

[scaeagles]

I joke about death all the time. However, I'm not going to be doing it at a funeral. Context and timing.

[Gemini Cricket]

I joke about death all the time. However, I'm not going to be doing it at a funeral. Context and timing.
I did it while preparing for my grandfather's funeral.

Some funeral homes will give you the option of putting some sort of picture on the inside of your casket lid. ie. You can put a huge picture of Jesus there so he's watching over you. etc.

My grandparents were totally in love but they fought like cats and dogs every single day of their lives. (It's what happens when a Sicilian man loves a Portuguese gal...) So I told my grandmother that we should put a huge picture of herself there so she could keep her eye on grandpa for all eternity. For two seconds she stopped crying to slap me on the arm. In those two seconds she smiled.

Death can be funny.

When I die, I want someone to throw a great big party. Male strippers and people in costumes. Come as your favorite dead celebrity. I'm totally serious. And I want some of my ashes scattered in front of the Haunted Mansion and some on Tom Sawyer Island. zapppop would totally do that for me, I know it. :D

[Matterhorn Fan]

GC, your funeral sounds like fun.

[CoasterMatt]

My funeral is gonna be one big party, with lots of explosives, and all sorts of debauchery :D

[RStar]

And I want some of my ashes scattered in front of the Haunted Mansion and some on Tom Sawyer Island. There must be thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people scattered around DL......

My wife's aunt did the dirty deed in the HM when her daughter died (it was her favorite ride).

[Alex]

I'm assuming you're using the phrase "dirty deed" differently than I would.

[Gemini Cricket]

Yes, but was it done dirt cheap?

[Not Afraid]

Get OUT of my brain, GC!

[RStar]

GC, your funeral sounds like fun.

My father-in-law has in his will that his funeral will be a drunken party. He lives on an island, and if anyone cries, they are to be immediatly tossed into the ocean! We are to toss his ashes out to sea.

[lashbear]

Disney Themed Funerals:
" Now that I've karked it, I'm going to Disneyland ™ "

[Kevy Baby]

I'm assuming you're using the phrase "dirty deed" differently than I would.My thoughts exactly

[RStar]

Dang! Ever since I read this post earlier today, I can't get that song out of my head!

"Dirty deeds, and-a done dirt cheep!"

AHHHHHHH!:mad:

Where's Small World when you need it??:rolleyes:

[Prudence]

It could be worse - if you grew up listening to Bob Rivers it's Dirty Deeds, Done with Sheep.

[RStar]

Oh, I love Bob Rivers! I have all his Christmas Albums.....

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Disney Themed Funerals:
" Now that I've karked it, I'm going to Disneyland ™ "

Now that this thread has been pretty much hijacked, I suppose it's not as tasteless to laugh out loud. Which I just did.

That was pretty damn funny, Lashbear. :D

[Prudence]

Oh, I love Bob Rivers! I have all his Christmas Albums.....

Their morning show was great. Well, it's still around, but once they moved stations it was never the same. And I think success went to Spike's head. Oh well!

[RStar]

I didn't know they had a radio show! Cool....:cool: