Originally Posted By magnet Hi, I'm a big fan of all the Disney parks, but now and again not all is well in the "happiest place on Earth." I'm sure everyone can easily name many things that are great about the parks, but I think everyone can also name at least one frightening or upsetting experience that has occurred to them or someone with them during a visit. This thread is a place to talk about those experiences. The reason for this thread is not to tell horror stories or to complain, but to share lessons learned for the benefit of all park visitors. The "accident" or upsetting experience should not be part of the entertainment (e.g. I was scared on Space Mountain), but should describe something that is NOT meant to occur, but could (and did) happen within the park. I'll begin with an example: Several years ago, my family and I were visiting EPCOT. While we were disembarking the boat ride at the Mexico pavilion, the cast member was not paying attention and ran the conveyor that brings the boat up to the loading zone too soon. My Dad was the last one waiting to exit (he was delayed assisting a handicapped person) and was thrown off the back of the boat into the water! It was extremely frightening because of all the machinery under the water as well as the onrushing boats from behind. He was OK, though a bit shook-up afterwards. Everytime I go on that ride or any other similar ride (like Splash Mountain, for example) I think of that experience and watch to see if the operator is paying attention to the action in the vehicle.
Originally Posted By sdlovesmickey My family got to the very top of the hill on Splash Mountain (DL) right before you go over the edge and the ride came to a sudden,jerking stop and we had to sit there leaning back at an angle until assistance came and escorted us off the ride vehicles and back behind the ride through all the stuff you are not supposed to see; then we received a fastpass for later that day to ride it again. After that my stepmother refused to ride it again, but it is still one of my favorites. On the same trip our car broke down in the Monsters Inc ride and we had to get off and be escorted out.
Originally Posted By magnet Yes, Disney at times doesn't understand how to say, "I'm sorry" properly. Though a nice gesture, a fastpass for a ride that just scared the dickens out of you may not always be appropriate. In my case we received profuse apologies, but the upper level managers who came to greet us were a bit cagey, and I think were concerned we might sue. Of course, we had no intention to do any such thing (since he was OK in the end), but my Dad received nothing as compensation for the trouble he endured.
Originally Posted By NYthrillseeker magnet - I definitely can't blame you for being a bit shaken up after that happened to your father, I would have been too. I'm actually surprised that you received no compensation for the incident. Perhaps had your father been injured, Disney would have stepped up, but it shouldn't take an injury. Luckily, I really don't have any stories to report as far as injuries, or incidents happening to me or my family at Disney. However, I do recall one time when at Epcot, my son and I had just boarded Mission: Space when it was having it's unofficial opening. When we had reached the sequence when the G forces hit you and you are about to lift off, we heard a girl screaming uncontrolably from another ride vehicle. The monitors switched off and we slowed to a stop, and they announced to stay calm, and we'd be underway soon. Well needless to say, it was hard to stay calm after that. I told my concerned son that someone was probably frightened or perhaps claustrophobic. The ride resumed shortly after. It was a bit frightening, and since I've heard those reports of various people being hospitalized after that ride, I have since not returned to it. I trust the ride is safe, and I know they have 2 versions of it now, but I'd rather not ride it now.
Originally Posted By SnowWhiteOne <I trust the ride is safe, and I know they have 2 versions of it now, but I'd rather not ride it now.> Thrillseeker, I can understand your son's fear... I too would have been freeked out. Now Disney has a Green and Orange line for this ride, one w/ G force spinning and the otehr without. Needless to say I was nervous, as I did the one with the spinning, but this ride was amazing. I think they made the right choice by giving people the choice.... to avoid the "fear: feeling that your son had to endure.... (I'm sure he's a real great kid... ))
Originally Posted By SnowWhiteOne <I trust the ride is safe, and I know they have 2 versions of it now, but I'd rather not ride it now.> Thrillseeker, I can understand your son's fear... I too would have been freeked out. Now Disney has a Green and Orange line for this ride, one w/ G force spinning and the otehr without. Needless to say I was nervous, as I did the one with the spinning, but this ride was amazing. I think they made the right choice by giving people the choice.... to avoid the "fear" feeling that your son had to endure.... (I'm sure he's a real great kid... ))
Originally Posted By wahooskipper You have to try and keep perspective in all of this. Those rides literally give millions and millions of rides each year. The amusement industry is safe compared to any other industry. But, when there is an accident then the news media has a filed say with it because it is a "sexy lead". People want to watch just as everyone slows down on the freeway when there is an accident or people are mesmerized by the antics of an Anna Nicole Smith. WDW is bigger than many American cities. On average, there could be more than 200,000 people on property at a given time. The law of averages says people are going to be injured, or even die at WDW fairly regularly. Should those injuries occur on rides? No. But you also should die walking across the street, playing a sport, riding a bike, etc and those types of deaths happen too. If you are going to be afraid to live there isn't much we can say or do to prevent that.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper You have to try and keep perspective in all of this. Those rides literally give millions and millions of rides each year. The amusement industry is safe compared to any other industry. But, when there is an accident then the news media has a filed say with it because it is a "sexy lead". People want to watch just as everyone slows down on the freeway when there is an accident or people are mesmerized by the antics of an Anna Nicole Smith. WDW is bigger than many American cities. On average, there could be more than 200,000 people on property at a given time. The law of averages says people are going to be injured, or even die at WDW fairly regularly. Should those injuries occur on rides? No. But you also shouldn't die walking across the street, playing a sport, riding a bike, etc and those types of deaths happen too. If you are going to be afraid to live there isn't much we can say or do to prevent that.
Originally Posted By brerroadrunner We were camping at Fort Wildernesss and DS was riding his bike on the path to the Settlement when a squirrel jumped out and attached itself to his leg. He freaked and got some scratches. We headed off to AK and were a little concerned and stopped at guest relations. They said we could go to first aid. Well, we didn't and just wrapped up our vacation. A week or two later, my DS comes home sick from school. I rushed him into the doctor being concerned about rabies. He called Florida Health Dept and they haven't had a reported case of rabies in some time yet a case in squirrels. I was very relieved. To this day we still tease DS about that particular squirrel crossing.
Originally Posted By BeautysBeast BEauty always tells me im a wuss cuss i ride the less pukey space capsule o mission space..but i dont care
