Walt Disney World Epcot Discussion Thread

[Coasters 4 ever]

^It is less. 2.5 seconds.

[Gregory DG]

Boy, this story just breaks my heart.

[Chaddyboy]

i blame the parents, but i really do feel their pain right now.

[it]

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!.My little brother got on the road runner express mine train and hes six.he would not stop screaming and saying stop it diego stop it.the road runner has a 44 in. restriction.mission space is way more intence than road runner.they should at least make the restriction for mission space 48-50 in.

 

 

Diego"that breaks my heart" Valdez

[Coasters 4 ever]

^The height restriction doesn't mean it won't be too intense for the rider, it just means they will fit in the restraints. I heard Disney will make an age restriction to go along with the height restriction.

[SharkTums]

Heart Ailment Led to Boy's Death on Disney Ride

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (Nov. 15) - A 4-year-old boy who died after going on a rocket ship ride at Walt Disney World had a heart condition that caused his death, an autopsy released Tuesday said.

 

Daudi Bamuwamye of Pennsylvania died after riding "Mission: Space" in June. His heart condition, which he had had since birth, caused abnormal electrical heart rhythms, the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office said.

 

People with the condition are at risk of sudden death throughout their lives, the medical examiner's office said, adding the risk "could be increased under physical or emotional stressful situations."

 

The $100 million Epcot ride, one of Disney World's most popular, was closed after the death but reopened after company engineers concluded it was operating normally.

 

"Mission: Space" spins riders in a giant centrifuge that subjects them to twice the normal force of gravity, and it is so intense that some riders have been taken to the hospital with chest pain.

 

 

11/15/05 12:07 EST

[coasters 4 me]

This ride doesnt seem to be doing very well. And either does Mission Space. But it is always young kids that are in the news about thi ride. Disney should really think of an age restriction for this ride. I would say about 9 or so. Although I have to say that I love this ride.

[robbalvey]

This ride doesnt seem to be doing very well. And either does Mission Space. But it is always young kids that are in the news about thi ride. Disney should really think of an age restriction for this ride. I would say about 9 or so. Although I have to say that I love this ride.

You already have to be 44 inches to ride Mission:Space, which is about a 7 year old, if I remember right. At most parks that have a Rotor or a Round-Up you can ride them at 42" inches, and those rides produce far more forces than Mission:Space.

 

--Robb

[arrowfanman]

This ride doesnt seem to be doing very well. And either does Mission Space.

This is Mission: Space that we are talking about! Lol.

 

I believe I read that 8.5 million people have been on this thing since I opened...so far, only a few have gone to the hospital...that really isn't that bad.

 

And so far, as stated above, there is no evidence that the ride had caused the death.

 

 

 

Although height restrictions are traditionally set based on compatibility with the restraint, I am willing to bet that Disney has already considered age as a safety factor....after all, they are the ones that get sued...they'll want to consider every scenario.

 

 

 

 

BTW...NOW that the ride is out of question, the Disney Medics are being questioned.

 

From the Orlando Sentinal (11/15/05):

Despite being certified to perform CPR, two attendants who observed Daudi Bamuwamye being carried motionless from the ride did not check his pulse and thought he had passed out, according to a recording of their 911 call.

 

The Disney workers did not begin CPR for more than 2 minutes before being prompted to start by a 911 dispatcher.

 

No one has commented on whether the delay might have contributed to the child's death.

 

...and just when you thought it was over with!

[JT3000]

This ride doesnt seem to be doing very well. And either does Mission Space. But it is always young kids that are in the news about thi ride. Disney should really think of an age restriction for this ride. I would say about 9 or so. Although I have to say that I love this ride.

You already have to be 44 inches to ride Mission:Space, which is about a 7 year old, if I remember right.

--Robb

 

Or a 4-year-old.... Height restrictions can't always be relied upon.

 

I don't think the medics were ever not in question. This was being talked about when it first occured. I don't think they're trying to prolong the subject's coverage by mentioning their poor handling of the situation.

 

I do find it amusing that they cite it as one of WDW's most popular attractions. It's been a ghost ride every single day I've been to Epcot since it opened, but especially since this death. It would be unlucky if you have to wait at all.

[Movieguy]

I know it's a fairly big thing to consider, but think about it...They've already torn down Horizons, and replaced World of Motion...I hated to see them go as much as others did, but what's done is done now.

 

I think that Mission Space and Test Track, along with Soarin, are all great new attractions, and I'd much rather have them than the empty spaces where the old ones would be. So I think, at some point a few years from now, EPCOT should consider installing a coaster. I think they have the space for it, and they're already moving in the direction of thrill rides. They might as well go the whole nine yards.

[CoasterFanatic]

I just don't think that it is that type of park. If you look at the two "thrill" rides that they have put in, they are completely unique from anything else out there.

 

The only way I see them putting in a coaster is if it is more of a hybrid that barely even resembles a coaster at all.

 

It just isn't that kind of park.

[The Cheat]

What would it be themed to? A microscope? Something about organs?

[Nrthwnd]

Then, there were always those past plans, possible ideas, rumored projects for World Showcase, right?

 

Switzerland - with a Matterhorn-type bobsled flume coaster...

 

Russia - some kind of dark ride I remember.

 

Germany supposedly had space for a boat-like ride thru the Black Forest, etc.

 

Japan was supposed to have "Meet The World" in the back part of it, but that went to Tokyo Disneyland, instead.

 

Not all thrill coaster rides, but still attractions that 'moved people' etc.

[darklingscribe]

Wasn't there a rumor going around a while ago about Disney wanting to make Epcot their answer to the demands of the thrill seeking teenage demographic? Anyway I kind of doubt that anything like that would happen now since Disney bought Pixar and made John Lasseter apart of the Imagineering department. A lot of the Pixar staff that have been moved to Disney seem to want to restore the quality of the Disney name (especially at Disney's American theme parks) and I think they are going to try to stamp out any projects that seem similar to what Six Flags does with their rides.

[Jew]

Ecpot needs to get back to its roots: use some of the gianormous show buildings that currently house incredibly outdated "edutainment" attractions (Wonders of Life, Universe of Energy, imagination pavilion, Spaceship Earth...) and replace them with awesome, somewhat educational, e-tickets.

 

More Test Tracks=good.

More Mission Spaces/Soarins=not so good.

[What Now]

The Future World part of Epcot is hidious. It's outdated and the supposed educational pavilians aren't that educational.

 

And no, I don't think Epcot needs a coaster.

[Cerberus]

The concept of a "roller coaster" is so broad now with so many different variations on the market, that I can't see how they wouldn't be able to install one of the permutations and disguise it to the point of unrecognising with lavish decor, theming and storylines.

 

Coasters don't have to be drops, twists and loops- They can just be a way to move a collection of people faster than any other type of ride.

The actual trackwork nowadays is slowly starting to fall back from its role as key design system anyway. The trackwork can be pretty dull and merely serve as a circuit which the more elaborate train simply uses to move between show scenes.

 

Things like the Disk-O coaster, the Cantilever coaster, Robo-random-arm-whatever-it-is coaster.

With a track gauge wide enough and a lot of careful planning, I reckon you could probably fit a truck-sized coaster vehicle on a track.

Imagine sitting in a small theatre, then having the WHOLE ROOM back away from the stage and rolling around.

 

There’s plenty they could do with a coaster without sticking to the tradition stereotypes regarding that type of attraction and making it fit their style.

[ChrisFL]

The Future World part of Epcot is hidious. It's outdated and the supposed educational pavilians aren't that educational.

 

And no, I don't think Epcot needs a coaster.

 

While I agree that Future World needs work you realize that probably 80% of the attractions are updated now. The only exceptions are The Living Seas, but it's getting rehabbed and the Universe of Ellen, oops, Energy.

 

M:S and Test Track are totally new, Wonders of Life is closed entirely and hopefully soon to be replaced. Imagination was rehabbed and rehabbed again (though no better), The Land has Soarin'. Spaceship Earth is a classic.

 

So while I don't think it's actually any better than 15 years ago I wouldn't call it outdated

[GAcoaster]

There is a fascinating article on Jim Hill Media about makeover plans that were proposed for Future World: http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article.php?id=332

[Nrthwnd]

Wow.

 

I remember about the whole idea of Project Gemini being chatted up, discussed, dissed, etc.

 

But - the renaming of EPCOT, itself??? To....D-d-discoveryLand??????

 

 

Hmmm. No comment.

[TwistedTrack]

They should put Alien Encounter their! I loved that ride! I would go to Epcot much more if they did!

[ebl]

"Switzerland - with a Matterhorn-type bobsled flume coaster..." (Nrthwnd)

 

You're close. At one time---late '80s, I believe---a Swiss pavilion was planned with an updated Matterhorn Bobsled attraction. Obviously, that plan was never realized. Hopefully sometime in the future, though with the addition of Expedition Everest across the way, it might never happen.

 

Eric

[coasterdude5]

I thought of this idea while at Epcot a few days ago.

 

Why not have an "educational" coaster. Since Epcot is so big on education, before each element (I guess the ride would be launched) it would explain how the forces are applied and what kind of technology is used. Just a thought.

 

But I think Epcot will continue to be a great park with or without a coaster.

[pianojohn]

More Test Tracks=good.

More Mission Spaces/Soarins=not so good.

 

Hmm....well, seeing as Soarin' still has waits in excess of 80 minutes most days while Mission:SPACE can be a walk on, I would say Soarin' is more than good. It is EXACTLY what EPCOT needed.

 

If park guests want to ride a coaster, they have 3 other parks to choose from. Let EPCOT do what EPCOT does best.