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[disnut8]

It's sad but true.  A four year old boy died after passing out on Mission:Space.  He did meet the 44 inch height requirement.  Evidentually, he passed out during the ride and his mother, with the help of the Cast Members, got him outside where Reedy Creek paramedics tried to revive him.  He died later at Celebration Hospital.  Disney shut down the attraction after the incident but later opened it back up when it was determined the ride was functioning normally. There are no plans to close the ride or make any changes.

Now, there are people on this forum who have ridden Mission:Space.  It totally simulates a shuttle takeoff.  Demon Child, at the age of six and a half rode it and loved it.  I would never have taken her on this if it was open when she had just turned five (I don't think she would have made the height requirement anyway).  My 76 year old father-in-law did NOT ride this at all.

Why the hell did his mother even think about taking a four year old on it?  There are warning signs posted about every five feet.  During the preshow, you are instructed NOT to close your eyes or lean forward.  Could a four year old really understand that?  You have a harness over your head and shoulders so you cannot access the person next to you.  So a parent can't give instructions to their child.

Sure, maybe it was the woman's first time on Mission:Space.  But the warnings (and they tell you them over and over again in the preshow) and the capsules themselves should have made her think twice.  The Cast Members are constantly asked the guests if they are OK before the flight.  A chicken exit is offered multiple times.  This woman did not have to take her child on the attraction.

Disney will get sued, I'm sure.

[elmono311]

Yeah, I saw this on CNN at work a few days ago when it happened. I was wondering the same thing... why did a four-year-old go on this thing? I think the kid had some heart problem they didn't know about. But still, FOUR?

[LostArtofRolando]

Im a 23 year old man (debatable i suppose) and you wouldn't catch me on most of the rides there at Disneyworld.  I blame that on my weirdness though.  I second that it was definitely a bad idea on the mother's part... 4 years old is a little young for most of the rides, especially if Disney themselves are posting warnings.  Disney might get sued, but I'm sure they can afford it.  I imagine they get countless suits a year and probably have a whole office/department dedicated to that.

[disnut8]

Follow up - an initial autopsy showed no signs of the ride causing any injury.  An more invasive study will show just what caused the boy's death.  Right now, the conclusion is that he had something internally go wrong while doing the ride.  It wasn't the ride itself that caused death.  He could have died just walking through the park.

Me?  I love Mission:Space and go on it every time I can.  Has nothing to do with the fact that Gary Sinise is in there all throughout the thing.  Nope, nothing to do with it all.  *whistles*

[Vengeance]

I loved Mission:Space, but disnut and rich and elmono can all tell you that I was a very protective mom when we took marlie the first time. I insisted that someone go on a ride or at least tell me about it before I let her on and I was always in constant contact with her. Mission:Space would not have been an option for her first trip like disnut said. Disney is very safe and it annoys me that people can try to sue when there are millions of people that were on that ride already with no problems.

It's so sad that the little boy died and I do feel badly for the mother, but I hope she doesn't start looking at her son's death as a paycheck or something. I doubt that Disney will pay nothing to the family, but I don't think that it should be up there in the six figures or anything.

Medical expenses, funeral expenses, total refund for the trip, and some extra to just get by during their grief. I think that's fair and it is just a decent thing to do. I wouldn't see that as Disney admitting fault. I would just see that as Disney trying to take care of the families that love what they provide and are loyal to them.

Publicity wise I think it would be an "awww..that was so cool of them." moment and I know that it would make me want to go to WDW even more.

[disnut8]

Disney has offered every thing possible to "ease the family's grief".  I'm sure the entire trip was comped and they did have people available to talk with the family.  Disney does pull out all the bells and whistles when unfortunate things happen.  Elmono scratched his eye one year and while the Disney first aid station couldn't do anything about it, they referred us to a Care Center.  They even had a van that would take us there and back if we needed it.  Hell, the resorts even will loan you a wheelchair if something comes up.  RichN was hobbling one time at Animal Kingdom (silly man had a wheelchair but refused to use it that day - he learned his lesson).  A Cast Member was so concerned about him she asked if she should go up to the front of the park and get him a chair!  I don't know of any other theme park that has a Baby Care center in all four parks.  And changing tables in ALL the restrooms - even the men's.  Yeah, I'm sure this family was well taken care of.