Should there be age limits to Extreme Amusement Park Attractions? Boy, 4

[KaliTracy]

dies at Epcot.

This is a tragedy, no doubt. And there may have been reasons why he wasn't able to withstand such a ride. It's so heartbreaking. But should there have been more than a size limit?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050614/ap_on_re_us/disney_world_death

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - A 4-year-old boy died after passing out aboard Walt Disney World's "Mission: Space," a ride so intense that it has motion sickness bags and several riders have been treated for chest pain.

Daudi Bamuwamye passed out Monday afternoon 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 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 uses centrifugal force to simulate twice the normal force of gravity.

[soleft]

1. I remember often seeing disclaimers on intense rides

Stuff like, if you're in poor health, Old, pregnant, or have a nervous condition.....

[bmbmd]

2. I rode Mission:Space last week

with my thirteen and fourteen year old kids. Didn't seem too intense to me-this kid will undoubtedly have a defect of some sort-structural or conductive. Conductive defects are difficult to quantitate post-mortem.

[KaliTracy]

7. so the report has heightened the extremeness of the ride. I know that

people handle things in different ways, (and I LOVE rollercoaster rides) -- but the way this was described made it sound like it wasn't appropriate for a young child. I also agree that there is probably something underlying here. Thanks.

[benburch]

3. Two Gees should not have killed a child.

I cannot understand what happened here.

[UdoKier]

4. My son rode on that exact ride at age 5 with no problems.

It's not all that extreme either. You pull 2G while sitting looking at a TV screen that simulates a takeoff and trip to Mars. It's exciting but not scary in the least. My kid liked it a lot. I'm pretty sure it will come out that the child had an existing condition. A normal 4 year old shouldn't pass out and die from this ride (But due to the G's it's clearly not suitable for pregnant women.)

[spinbaby]

17. Kids seemed to love it

I've been on the ride a number of times and always notice that small children come off grinning and demanding to ride again. Adults tend to come out with motion sickness--the ride really messes with your inner ear.

[Pithlet]

5. I don't think that's such a bad idea.

Some kids are big for their age. My son is 4, but is the size of a typical six year old. Being the same size does not mean the same physically, though. I noticed that my son could have gone on almost any ride the last time we went to the local amusement park. But, there is no way I'd let him on them. I don't think he's physically capable of handling them, yet. It would be a hard rule to enforce, though. There's no way a ride operator would know that my son is only 4 unless I told them.

[KaliTracy]

10. my 5yr old would not handle something like this very well -- but both

of his cousins (on opposite sides of the family) of the same age, both would and could.

I'm not sure an age restriction is doable (would have to be a stamp on the hand, or one of those bracelet things on the wrist, no doubt). This story really affected me.

Though, at least Epcot actually reported it -- before I think 2001, they didn't have to publicize injuries or deaths.

[Ready4Change]

6. 44" 4 year old?

I'm honestly clueless about this. Is it common for a 4 year old to be 44" tall? Or is it possible this childs height indicates there may be other factors at work here?

[LeftyMom]

8. Yes, because some parents don't use common sense

My child, also four, is tall for his age and could go on a lot of rides because og the way they measure by height. Being a cautious individual (as well as one that doesn't want to be nagged about rides when I take him to the fair) I've only let him go on a few of the more sedate kiddy rides and those big slides you ride a chunk of carpet down. Taking a kid that age on a ride like that (with all the warning signs and a history of causing chect pain in healthy adults) is dumb. Even if he isn't hurt he's probably going to be scared shitless. I'm guessing some previously undetected heart defect will get credit for the poor kid's death, but his mother should get the assist.

Of course, if they put age limits up, people would just lie about thier kids' age. The same kids that were four to get discount tix on the way in will be seven to go on the cool rides.

[Coventina]

9. The buck stops with the parents. Period.

Amusment parks can only do so much.
They cannot be responsible for what hidden defects may be in any given individual.

Amusment parks have the obligation to have rides that operate safely, and to post warning signs about people who have compromised health and also to post size restrictions for safety reasons.

Beyond that, it is the parent's responsibility.

[KaliTracy]

12. granted. My first thoughts, upon reading about the "extreme" ride is

why was he on the ride in the first place? Others posting here say it wasn't that extreme -- so... more in spacial/ centrifugial force, perhaps. Would a parent think twice about a ride that has a 44" and at least 7 years of age sign? Maybe not.

[Horse with no Name]

11. I would say that anyone that was of such age that

shaking violently by an adult would cause serious harm would not be a good candidate for certain rides.
Personally--not only do they need height restrictions, they need to be coupled with age and weight restrictions.
The person should have to meet 2 of the 3 to ride it (so as not to discriminate to people of short stature).
He may have just been tall for his age which allowed him to ride, but chances are he was thin and didn't have enough padding to keep his heart from being bruised from the centrifugal force.

[KaliTracy]

13. yes, I wondered about how much he weighed. My 5 yr old, not quite

44" only weighs 40 lbs.

[FreedomAngel82]

14. There are age requirements on rides

I've been to Epcot and all those theme parks a couple times so far in my life. The parents, or whoever was with him, I think were irresponsible letting a four year old go on a ride like that if he couldn't handle stuff like that.

[jojo54]

15. Why would anyone want to partake in such a ride,

let alone BUILD one that is so intense, it has to have motion sickness bags on board???? Also, I agree that it's the parents responsiblitiy to determine if the ride is safe enough for a 4 year old.

[kansasblue]

16. not an age issue

it's a health issue.

[KaliTracy]

18. weight issue, perhaps?

[Warpy]

19. A 44 inch tall 4 year old?

The autopsy is going to be very interesting. My guess is that the condition that caused his exceptional height contributed to his death. A normal 4 year old would probably have survived. He'd have been traumatized and discouraged, but alive.

I feel sorry for everyone involved.

[onehandle]

20. I rode it once, not again.

My chest got Very tight and I'm a healthy man who goes to the gym several times a week. I can see this killing someone with a previously undetected condition or simply a poor constitution.

It was very thrilling. And of course short. But long enough to make me very aware that I was in a tiny little capsule being swung around very fast.

Anyone with claustrophobia problems or thrill ride problems could convert these mental conditions to physical conditions very fast.