Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Disney World Tragedy

Child Dies After Riding Epcot Attraction
Investigators from the Orange County Sheriff's Office are looking into the death of a 4-year-old boy after riding an attraction at Walt Disney World's Epcot Monday.

The boy was riding Mission: Space with his mother and sister Monday afternoon, WESH 2 News reported.

When the ride ended, the mother reportedly carried the boy off the ride, and employees helped her place him on a bench, detectives said.

Rescue crews were called to the scene and performed CPR on the child before transporting him to Celebration Hospital. Doctors at the hospital pronounced him dead just before 5 p.m. Monday.
This is a horrible situation, and my heart goes out to the family. I can't imagine the horror of taking the kids to an amusement park for a great family outing, and coming back without one.

That said...

Height restrictions aside, doesn't it just fly in the face of common sense to take a 4-yr-old on what's billed as one of the most intense rides ever made?

It's either one of two things - the child had such a hold on his parents and kicked up such a fuss that they "had" to let him on...that or the parent pulled the kid on the rid, and the little boy had no idea what was going on, but the parent had some need to let the kid experience ultra-G-Forces.

Now, I've ridden MS - I have high blood pressure, but it's controlled just fine with my meds - and I'm fully aware of the limitations. I left enjoying it immensely, but wondering what the fuss was all about as I am hardly susceptible at all to motion sickness (not so my wife, unfortunately). So maybe...just maybe I can see someone like me riding it, being convinced there was nothing to it and turning around and taking a 4-yr-old on it.

But still...4 is 4, no matter the height.

Please parents, don't try stuff like this at home. Be cognizant of your children's ages. I remember going to see Return of the King - a most violent movie - and seeing little babies in carriers, and toddlers brought by their parents. Have you no sense???

The other day at Busch Gardens, some folks took a 3-yr-old on the Big Bad Wolf roller coaster. Apparently she met the height requirement... I have no idea how it turned out, but I would never do it.

Common sense, folks...

1 comment:

  1. Personally I dont think I would even take my son to Disney World until he was old enough to remember it. Like around 10 years of age. I dont doubt she loved him or that she is a good parent she just made a bad judgment call. Unfortunitly its to late for him but im sure she has learned her lesson.

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