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Boy, 4, dies after riding Epcot attraction

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aparisi2274

Member
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) -- A 4-year-old boy died after passing out while aboard Walt Disney World's "Mission: Space" attraction -- a ride that has caused previous concerns because of its intensity.

Daudi Bamuwamye passed out Monday afternoon while on the attraction, which simulates a rocket launch and trip to Mars. The Orange County Sheriff's Office said his mother carried him off the ride and employees helped her place him on a bench.

Paramedics tried to revive him, but he died about 5 p.m. at Celebration Hospital.

The sheriff's office said the boy did meet the minimum 44-inch height requirement for the ride at the Epcot theme park, which simulates twice the normal force of gravity.

A cause of death could not be immediately determined and an autopsy was expected Tuesday.

Officials said the boy was from Pennsylvania, but his hometown was not immediately available. He was on the ride with his mother and sister.

The $100 million ride, one of Disney World's most popular, was closed after the death.

In 2003, Disney began placing motion sickness bags in the ride. During an eight-month period in 2003-04, six people over age 55 were taken to the hospital for chest pain and nausea after riding it, though none of them was found to have any serious injuries.

It was the most hospital visits for a single ride since Florida's major theme parks agreed in 2001 to report such problems to the state. Updated figures were not immediately available.

Signs warn visitors about the intensity of the ride.

"For safety you should be in good health, and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness or other conditions that can be aggravated by this adventure," one sign on view last year said.

Disney officials in a statement after the boy's death that they are "providing support to the family and are doing everything we can to help them during this difficult time."
 

human5892

Queen of Denmark
Hopefully the ride reopens. IIRC it was one of the few higher-intensity rides that the Disney parks offered.
 

Tuvoc

Member
Wow, that's terrible. Disney Land is supposed to be the happiest place in the world. Imagine your child dying there. Then again, I don't think I'd ever let my 4 year old ride Mission: Space. What 4 year old can handle a space shuttle launch simulator??

Florida is really going downhill...
 

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
I got sick as fuck on this attraction. I turned to look at my girlfriend, and it was curtains for me.
 

aparisi2274

Member
I know that Hospital. Its actually part of a retirement community called "Celebration City" When I was down there a few years back, my friends grandmother was in there. It is right outside of Disney...
 

Tuvoc

Member
aparisi2274 said:
I know that Hospital. Its actually part of a retirement community called "Celebration City" When I was down there a few years back, my friends grandmother was in there. It is right outside of Disney...


Is that the lil city that Disney owns? I've heard its real nice with all the little houses and mouse ears on the mailboxes.
 
commish said:
I got sick as fuck on this attraction. I turned to look at my girlfriend, and it was curtains for me.

Not to be a dickhead, but they tell you at least 3 times NOT TO DO THIS. You will be totally fine on Mission: SPACE as long as you do not move your head. Moving your head will cause the ride to shift the fluids in your inner ear, and in turn fuck you up good. Keeping your head straight keeps everything fine.

Also, to whomever said their 4 year old seemed very tall, I thought so too. Turns out that 44in is right on or near the average.
 

aparisi2274

Member
Tuvoc said:
Is that the lil city that Disney owns? I've heard its real nice with all the little houses and mouse ears on the mailboxes.

I am not sure. Didnt really notice any of the houses, just went right to the hospital...
 

Cherubae

Member
StrikerObi said:
Not to be a dickhead, but they tell you at least 3 times NOT TO DO THIS.

They didn't mention not moving your head at all when I was there last Thanksgiving. All the attendents would say is the usual "if you're prone to motion sickness.... " yadda yadda speach.

I felt like crap afterwards too but that's normal for me :D it was fun while the ride was going. I couldn't use my Fast Pass to ride the Test Track right afterwards because I felt funky :( I had to wait outside.
 
StrikerObi said:
Not to be a dickhead, but they tell you at least 3 times NOT TO DO THIS. You will be totally fine on Mission: SPACE as long as you do not move your head. Moving your head will cause the ride to shift the fluids in your inner ear, and in turn fuck you up good. Keeping your head straight keeps everything fine.

Also, to whomever said their 4 year old seemed very tall, I thought so too. Turns out that 44in is right on or near the average.
That's what happened to me on one of those rides where you stick to the wall. I turned my head and immediately needed to vomit.
 

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
StrikerObi said:
Not to be a dickhead, but they tell you at least 3 times NOT TO DO THIS. You will be totally fine on Mission: SPACE as long as you do not move your head. Moving your head will cause the ride to shift the fluids in your inner ear, and in turn fuck you up good. Keeping your head straight keeps everything fine.

It's that bitch's fault for calling my name.
 

xsarien

daedsiluap
enjoy bell woods said:
That's what happened to me on one of those rides where you stick to the wall. I turned my head and immediately needed to vomit.

Rule #1:
Do not taunt the Gravitron.

I feel terrible for the family, though. If there's one place where you shouldn't lose your kid, it's a Disney park. I don't think it should be a reflection on the safety of the ride, though. (Now, Big Thunder Mountain's train wreck that managed to kill one or two people, THAT's a reflection on the safety of a ride.)

The last time I was in Disney, they were still wrapping up Mission: Space. But I was at least lucky enough to be down there when Test Track was open (it was being closed at random points all year because of technical issues with the computers; apparently the back-end was having problems with controlling four cars.)

Man, I really need to go there again. I love DisneyWorld.
 

Miguel

Member
Test Track has been open since like 2000 hasn't it?

I know I was on some ride with cars...don't remember the name of it.
 

xsarien

daedsiluap
Miguel said:
Test Track has been open since like 2000 hasn't it?

Off and on, yeah. One day I was on line for it, and they just told everyone to leave as it had to be shut down (again.) Later, it was working fine. A friend of mine who goes down to Disney a lot says that it's never worked quite right since it opened.
 

aparisi2274

Member
xsarien said:
Man, I really need to go there again. I love DisneyWorld.

I cant wait until Expedition Everest opens in Animal Kingdom. That ride looks sick. Also once its complete, it will be the tallest Mountain in Florida.

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%5Ccontent%5C801x533%5Cak_ee_5_20_2005%20(1).jpg
 
Cherubae said:
They didn't mention not moving your head at all when I was there last Thanksgiving. All the attendents would say is the usual "if you're prone to motion sickness.... " yadda yadda speach.

I felt like crap afterwards too but that's normal for me :D it was fun while the ride was going. I couldn't use my Fast Pass to ride the Test Track right afterwards because I felt funky :( I had to wait outside.

I'm sorry, did you miss the giant sign right outside the capsules that says not to move your head, and did you somehow not hear the voiceover that plays while you are waiting right outside the capsule which also tells you?
 

aparisi2274

Member
StrikerObi said:
I'm sorry, did you miss the giant sign right outside the capsules that says not to move your head, and did you somehow not hear the voiceover that plays while you are waiting right outside the capsule which also tells you?


IAWTP. I went on the ride and like every 5 secs I heard a booming voice telling me not look around, but to look foward. Then there were signs at every 15ft interval. I think that Gary Sinise even told me not to look around, and I for one am not someone who disregards his mission commanders orders.
 

Cherubae

Member
StrikerObi said:
I'm sorry, did you miss the giant sign right outside the capsules that says not to move your head, and did you somehow not hear the voiceover that plays while you are waiting right outside the capsule which also tells you?

Apparently so :lol
 

Phoenix

Member
This is incredibly sad - can't express it any more than that. To start the day with a child and then at some point to lose that child in your presence is a level of sadness I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
 

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
commish said:
I got sick as fuck on this attraction. I turned to look at my girlfriend, and it was curtains for me.
You're not supposed to take your eyes off the monitor.
 

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
MrPing1000 said:
:lol Americans
*looks at the 50000 different European cities called "Alexandria" which were named after being conquered by Alexander the Great*

:lol Europeans
 

xsarien

daedsiluap
GaimeGuy said:
You're not supposed to take your eyes off the monitor.


I hate reverse psychology, don't you? Now I want to go on Mission: Space and try to take my eyes off the monitor. :p

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MrPing1000 said:
:lol Americans

It's Disney-owned. Of course it's going to have a happy-go-lucky name.
 

tedtropy

$50/hour, but no kissing on the lips and colors must be pre-separated
xsarien said:
Off and on, yeah. One day I was on line for it, and they just told everyone to leave as it had to be shut down (again.) Later, it was working fine. A friend of mine who goes down to Disney a lot says that it's never worked quite right since it opened.

I road Test Drive when our high school band when to participate in the little March of Gayness thing or some such event. I recall there being a part that shows a thermal image of the people on your car, and being embarrassed at the fact that my crotch was growing bright red. I guess it really was the happiest place on earth.
 

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
tedtropy said:
I road Test Drive when our high school band when to participate in the little March of Gayness thing or some such event. I recall there being a part that shows a thermal image of the people on your car, and being embarrassed at the fact that my crotch was growing bright red. I guess it really was the happiest place on earth.
:lol

I haven't been to any disney theme park in like 7-10 years. I really should go.

The only things I remember really are going on the roller coasters Space Mountain and Thunder Canyon, and watching that robot play which goes through like 5 different periods in a guy's life (and his dog is with him the whole time, of course) and at the end of each period, he sings this catchy little tune about tomorrow being just a day away or something.
 

Otaking

Member
Hm. Damn I was hoping to go on this ride. I live only 45 minutes from Disney now, so I was figuring that would make a decent distraction sometime. Oh well, guess I'll still go someday.
 

Deg

Banned
Sad the kid died while at Disney. Parents must be pretty sad as Disney ussualy is a teat for the kid.
 

Koshiba

Member
Well.. Try to think it in more of a positive way.. somehow. Like.. The kid was happy because he died at disney world? :O I mean he must've been happy being at disney world. Not like dying sad because he *couldn't* go to disney world..

As for the ride, I never got a chance to ride it yet, sounds like a pretty fun ride. Though I think a ride like that probably *would* be a bit too much for a 4-year old. :/ Even if the kid did reach the height limit. They should probably put an age limit on rides like that too.
 

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
Probably died of an aneurism. If so, you can't really blame the attraction. While it technically was the cause, unless he lived in a bubble for the rest of his life ... this would have happened eventually. Pressure (at that level) doesn't cause aneurisms in normal people. You have to have something wrong with a vessel wall. It's why you see so many people that die from aneurisms are in a pool. They go under, the pressure dilates or ruptures a weakened vessel wall, and they don't come back up. It's not the pool's fault though.

Obviously sad news though. My heart goes out to the family.
 

StoOgE

First tragedy, then farce.
very sad whenever something like this happens to someone at a place that is supposed to be fun. Even worse that it was someone so young.

I would be surprised if it he didnt have a pre-existing condition that reacted poorly to this (that no one knew he had)... Im sure the ride is perfectly safe for someone in good health.
 
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