12-year-old boy dies on Disney's Rock'n'Roller coaster at Disney-MGM studi

12-year-old boy dies on Disney's Rock'n'Roller coaster at Disney-MGM studios in Orlando, Florida, officials tell CNN.
Breaking on CNN.COM

It has a sudden acceleration at the beginning, from 0-60 in like two seconds, but it's not that wild. Wonder if it was an accident or some medical condition.

I'm surprised more people don't die on some of these rides?

Tragic

There is something called Shaken Baby Syndrome, but it really only affects children under 3 because their neck and head support muscles aren't completely developed yet. Once you get past three, it takes a pretty serious impact to achieve the same kind of damage as SBS.

However, a 4 year old died because of mysterious brain injuries last year on a similar ride.

The ride is not similar at all. Mission: Space depends on Centripetal force to achieve forced video perspective on passengers. Rock and Roller coaster is a roller coaster... Not the same effect on your physiology.

Mission: Space is very interesting because I believe very strongly that it is the first of its kind, and has a much more extreme physiological impact on guests. I would guess that the average person riding gets a little queazy, and about 20 percent feel downright nauseous, there is a small percentage that vomit, and the effect is lasting... probably averaging on an hour to 3 after the ride.

The reason for this is because unlike the more common centrifuge rides where spinning creates G forces, in this case you are also given a moving virtual video image of a trip to space which simulates take off landing, orbital forces and thrust. This matched with the 3 Gs which normal civilians rarely if ever experience and the rise and fall of G force in concert with the moving image can be very disorienting and downright toxic. That said, the ride is meant to give an average person the impression of what spaceflight might be. I can't say that I know what spaceflight is like, but I can tell you that if its anything like the ride, I won't be flying to space anytime soon. It is very physically taxing. Think about the old images of pilots in the NASA training videos with their faces getting plastered against their skulls and flapping around. And then imagine changing the force direction willy nilly.

Ouch. Totally different rides, and the circumstances of the death with Mission: Space which in my recollection occurred after the ride not during. Was it an anneurism??? A Stroke? Anybody know?

Thanks for the information.

Caused by an undiagnosed heart defect. Simply playing sports would have contributed to this child's unfortunate death.

There was a teenaged girl about a month or so later who died from complications from a burst brain aneurysm after riding the Tower of Terror at Disney MGM Studios. Her death was ruled as not being caused by any of the numerous thrill rides she'd been on through the family's vacation there.

And in April of this year, a 43 year old woman died from bleeding in the brain after riding the Mission:Space ride at Epcot (same as the 4 yr. old boy). The bleeding was found to be caused by her history of "severe, long-standing high blood pressure". She went on the ride despite warnings that people with heart conditions and high blood pressure should probably not ride. ( http://www.rideaccidents.com/ )

welcome to du! :hi:

Your head doesn't get snapped around much, you just go through a lot of loops. DisneyWorld is famous for having tame rides. Universal City runs commercials picking on them. There's one in Six Flags in New Jersey that goes 0-128mph in less than four seconds. THAT's scary.

And I'm not any big roller coaster maven. My SO is, so I've been on ones bigger and wilder than I'd like. Compared to say, Apollo's Chariot, it's a pussycat.

I'm guessing a medical condition.

I feel so bad for that boy's family. :cry:

I've ridden that with my daughter a few times. And she just turned 13, so somehow this story has me a bit shaken. God, I feel for the family. I can't imagine what that must feel like, at an amusement park where you're supposed to have fun.

Freak occurrence maybe?

I used to work in a studio that was on the Disney MGM lot. If I was too sleepy to work effectively I'd ride the rock n' roller coaster to wake myself up (it worked quite well for that purpose). I find most rides of that nature to be too rough for my taste, but only the "takeoff" on that ride is at all stressful.

People have died on many rides at the park-but often it's because of prior health conditions or bad behavior. Several people have been decapitated on space mountain because the STOOD UP during the ride. The cars on Space Mountain only go 35 mph, but it's definitely a ride that's intended to be done sitting down.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/29/coaster.death/index.html

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A 12-year-old boy died on a roller coaster at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Disney could not be reached for comment, and few details were available.

The boy was unresponsive in his seat at the end of the Rock 'N' Roller coaster ride, said Terry McElroy of the Florida Department of Agriculture, which regulates the industry.

The boy was given CPR and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities don't know at this time if he was riding by himself or with family members.

The incident occurred at 11:30 a.m. Disney reported the accident to Florida police at 1 p.m.

possibly because they regulated county fairs in the past. Just seems odd.

A friend of mine worked security in Anaheim and he related many stories of deaths at Disneyland. People do all kinds of things because they have this sense of fantasy and that nothing bad can happen. Some of the simplest rides at Disneyland have killed people. Eg. Mister Toad's Wild Ride (gone now) was just a sit in a little car and be towed around a series of rooms type of ride but someone had one foot in the car and one out when it jerked forward (clutch and moving cable) and they fell on to the fencing and broke their neck.

Another guy was electrocuted after he climbed the fence (~25-feet high) and landed on the monorail track. Several people decapitated on the Matterhorn (they stood up). A guy drowned in the Pirates of the Caribbean after screwing around, grabbing for the jewels, he fell in and was held under by the tow chains.

County fairs started off as places where people brought their pies, pigs, and pumpkins to be judged, and to look at the latest whizbang mechanical horses, and when laws started getting passed to regulate them, it made sense for the department of agriculture to do it. When rides started being added to the fairs, the Ag departments were put in charge of inspecting them because they were already monitoring the fairs. By the time theme parks started cropping up, Ag departments already had ride inspectors and protocols in place, and decades of experience working with them, so it again made sense just to let them take care of it.

It does sound a little odd, but you'll find this to be the case in most states across the country.

I ride Rockin' Roller Coaster at least 25 times a year. (I live in Orlando and have an annual pass).
It is relatively tame compared to some other coasters I have been on.

That said, I hope the family of the boy find peace in their loss.

Doesn't the government monitor these rides to make sure they aren't unsafe for all riders?

Why do so many of these incidents happen at Disney parks? I thought Disney rides were safe, but I'll think twice about taking my children there if they have this much disregard for people's security, especially children's safety.

parks? Can you provide a link? From what I've seen, accidents also occur from time to time at other parks, such as six flags. And on a per visitor basis, I suspect the highest rate of accidents is for travelling amusement "fairs" or smaller amusement parks not operated by one of the big companies like Disney or Universal. I can't vouch for its accuracy, but here' a link to a site that compiles information on amusement park accidents: http://www.rideaccidents.com/

Funny you should ask, I was just looking over that site a few weeks ago, and that's where I discovered the alarming fact that a disproportionate number of these accidents happen at Disney parks! Of course those parks are heavily attended, and are open year round, so perhaps that is a factor. Still, as people have pointed out, those Disney rides are so mild.

They don't give a crap about safety. And Walt was a conservative too so thats another strtike against them.

Died 40 years ago, in fact. And, again, where's the proof that Disney's safety record is worse than that of other park operators? One last thing, while Michael Eisner was a first-rate asshole in terms of his business practices, he also happens to be a Democrat who has given money to Al Gore, among many others.

Crawl back in your hole, okay?

Isn't he the same one that gaveled down the outcry over voting irregularities in the senate?

People at the top aren't necessarily beyond reproach just because they're democrats.

Sorry, but we all don't believe in 'fairy tales' and the conservative romantic family values they promote. I think this schmaltz corrupts the morals of children. What is more is that if you read the news and statistics about amusement park deaths, you'll see that a disproportionate number of them are at Disney parks.

that's your right. I personally think its rather pathetic that you think amusement parks "corrupt the morals of children" whatever the heck that means. But I'm the one who first posted a link to a website that catalogs accidents on amusement park rides and it reveals that accidents are no more common at Disney parks than some others. You want to throw around accusations, be man, or woman, enough to back them up with data.

Oh, you're serious? Well, "giggle" anyway.

Disney has more people at its five parks every year than any other chain of parks. Their rides are the safest and most well-maintained on the planet. They don't go into the extreme thrill rides that other parks do, they are geared towards families. Rides at Six Flags, Universal Studios, Busch Garden, and Cedar Point are all far more dangerous.

As for Walt being a conservative--Eisner is a liberal. Eisner funded "Fahrenheit 9/11." He's been a big contributor to Democratic politicians. In 2004 he supported Kerry. In 2000 he gave money to every major candidate, both parties, but the majority of his donations go to Democrats. He was such a big supporter of Bill Bradley that people were afraid to hold fundraisers for Bradley without consulting Eisner first. He's given Disney World's Epcot Center a big environmentalist/anti-developer theme that has influenced kids for decades now. He's introduced multi-culturalism into the whole Disney product. He ordered all of his parks to include vegetarian options even though it wasn't profitable. He's supported equal rights for gay/lesbian workers even in the face of boycotts from religious groups.

I worked at a third party company on Disney property, and got to know alot of Disney employees. There is no lost between me and Disney, but those rides are totally and constantly inspected. Just like the rides at Cedar Point, Busch Gardens, Universal, etc. Like Disney, the safety of their rides IS their money. Disney was negligent in one accident concerning Big Thunder Mountain, but as over people have stated, other accidents are either from an unfortunate medical condition or the guest's stupidity.

Do you really believe that claptrap?? If they didn't take care of safety issues, there would be deaths every day and nobody would go there. Honestly, where do people come up with this stuff. :eyes:

Compared to the rides' attendance, very few happen. And, except for one accident, none have been Disney's fault. People do stupid things. People have medical conditions. Disney, Universal, Six Flags, etc. are incredibly safe... it's the fair midways, etc. that are truly dangerous. The Big Boys know that safety is paramount to having their bread buttered.

Disney is the biggie in the business, and the one where the most kids go, this it's usually kids who die. THAT makes headlines. Someone in Smallville, Iowa dying at a county fair doesn't make national headlines.

I pretty much loathe the Disney Corporation, although I like their parks, and there are many things to slam them for... but I think this is one area they excel at. I know people who were/are ride inspectors -- they work 24/7 checking the rides.

As said by a poster above, most incidents hapen due to a pre-existing health issue or their own negligence.

And Disney World is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the entire world, so it stands to reason that they would have more reported incidents.....they have more "guests."

when they have a "pre-existing medical condition" anyway?

That is really stupid.

Because, your question is nonsensical. Firstly, lots of people do stuff they shouldn't do because of medical conditions: get on thrill rides with heart conditions, run, smoke cigarettes. Secondly, if you actually took the time to research these incidents, you'd know that these people who have pre-existing medical conditions DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE THEM. It's why boys drop dead playing football every year, or someone strokes out watching TV, or a pre-teen boy dies while on a mild roller coaster.

Look, I loathe Disney as an entity, I think the parks are fun... but your joneses for dissing Disney is making your arguments totally irrational.

And, FANTASY IF GOOD. FANTASY IS FUN. Everyone of all ages needs some fantasy and imagination in their lives... it's good for the mind and the soul. Whether it's going to Disneyworld, playing dress-up with your stuffed animals, going to an adult rock-and-roll camp, role-playing during sex, etc. Geez.

Even children & young adults can have these problems & they often don't show up during regular physicals.

We've been more times than we can count. Except for heel-blisters and sunburn, nothing's ever happened to us or to zillions of other people. Most times, as this thread has indicated, people get hurt because they do stupid things. They don't listen to the instructions, they don't keep 'hands and arms inside the car at all times', they horse-play and they actually encourage their kids to do things that make no sense. (Go under the fence, Johnny, so I can get a picture. The run-away train won't hurt you....) Disney does their damnedest to keep people safe but you can only do so much to protect people from their own stupidity or, for that matter, unsuspected health problems.

Not going to the Disney parks because of people occasionally have health problems (how many have fatal heart-attacks and strokes when they're *not* at Disney?) is like boycotting Aruba because of Natalie Holloway. Weird crap happens everywhere.

They probably have more total incidents because they have a higher attendance rate than most parks. More people = higher exposure = more accidents.

MANY more people die or are injured on small midway rides... but that doesn't make international news. Only once was Disney truly negligent -- in the Big Thunder Mountain ride, when the car slammed into another car. Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens, etc.

But they also monitor automobiles, trains, planes, etc. and people die in them all the time. Why the outrage over this one?

Time to regulate beds.

Ever see one of those tags on a mattress?

I feel sorry for the kids family.

I wanted to read the entire piece ... thanks again ...

trip to Disney. my kids and I were on that ride yesterday. That poor kid must have had some kind of health issue that no one knew about. My heart goes out to his poor family. I can't imagine what they must be going through.

perhaps an aneurysm or a heart problem?

Disney is a very safe park...they want to keep it that way.

Granted...it may be over priced, and a shopping mall with rides....but it is clean, safe and very nice.

My sympathies to the family.

then wasn't the family negligent in letting him ride in the first place?

aneurysms are rare and unfortunately are typically diagnosed post mortem...they are literally ticking time bombs...ready to go off at any instant.

same goes for many heart conditions...

hell I was in great shape, had ridden in 100 mile biking races...and when I got pregnant with my first child I ended up having heart problems...and a subsequent pregnancy validated that I am not a good incubator for babies.....so for all that exercise..I have a sensitive heart...who would have known...(luckily..my two babes survived and I love them both to bits..)

did not have any known medical condition, but that doesn't mean he didn't have one. Every death does not require assigning guilt to someone. It is shocking and very sad. Sometimes people just die, even kids.

RESEARCH these incidents instead of just wanting and needing to place the blame on someone. Most people who die on these rides do not know they have these conditions, especially kids. It's why kids die playing sports, or a middle-aged man dies mowing his lawn -- they don't know they have it.

Jesus.

I -have- researched these incidents, in fact I was reading this site:

http://www.rideaccidents.com

just a couple of weeks ago.

Here is a sampling from a particularly "dangerous" year, 1981:

Friday, May 22, 1981 - In an accident in Rochester, New York, a 14-year-old female was crushed to death after having apparently fallen from an amusement ride. The ride featured electric-powered cars riding along a track. After the girl had left the car, she fell into a rotating barrel, which then forced her body through a 5-by-7-inch gap into a small space underneath the track of the ride.

Saturday, June 20, 1981 - A worker in Warsaw, Indiana was killed while placing a car on an electrically-charged track of an amusement ride. He apparently touched both rails and was electrocuted.

Wednesday, July 1, 1981 - An accident at a carnival in New Hampshire claimed the life of a 15-year-old girl and injured a second. The arm carrying the girls' compartment broke loose from the ride. The girls were flung from the car as it overturned and crashed to the ground.

Sunday, August 2, 1981 - An 18-year-old female was killed on a bumper car ride at an amusement park in Illinois. She collapsed on the electrically-charged floor of the ride after having been electrocuted.

Friday, August 28, 1981 - At a carnival in Pennsylvania, a 19-year-old male was killed after he fell from an amusement ride. The victim may have been standing up during the ride's operation.

Friday, September 4, 1981 - A 3-year-old boy sustained fatal brain injuries in a ride accident at a fair in Wisconsin. The boy lay down on the seat during the operation of the ride and fell out.

1986 was also unusually deadly:

Tuesday, July 29, 1986 - At a carnival in Michigan, a 23-year-old man was killed after falling from a ride into a guardrail. The man stood up while the ride was operating. An 8-year-old girl was also injured in the accident.

Wednesday, July 30, 1986 - While working on an amusement ride in Texas, a 46-year-old man was electrocuted and killed.

Friday, August 8, 1986 - In an accident at a carnival in Rock Springs, Wyoming, a 9-year-old girl was killed and 13 people were injured when a high gust of wind caused an inflatable ride to break loose from its restraints. The ride, designed for children to jump and play, tumbled away from its operating area and crashed into another ride. The victim was thrown from the attraction and left with a fatal concussion after falling to the ground over 70 feet away. One of the other victims was also thrown from the ride; the rest of those injured were bystanders.

Sunday, August 10, 1986 - In Salt Lake City, Utah, a 9-year-old female was killed after having been thrown from an amusement ride at a carnival.

Sunday, August 31, 1986 - In Duncan, Oklahoma, a 16-year-old boy was electrocuted and killed while dismantling a Ferris wheel.

Saturday, September 13, 1986 - In an accident at a carnival in Durango, Colorado, a 65-year-old man sustained a fatal head injury when he fell from a carousel.

Saturday, November 1, 1986 - While pushing a swinging cage of an amusement ride at a carnival in Florida, a 28-year-old ride operator fractured his skull and was killed. He fell underneath the cage which he had been manually pushing to maintain its swinging motion. His head was crushed between the cage and the trailer bed. He was in a restricted area of the ride when he was struck. The man may have been drinking.

Sunday, November 2, 1986 - A 26-year-old man was killed while he was riding an amusement ride at a carnival in Florida. He was thrown 15-20 feet from his seat into a metal railing.

Wednesday, November 26, 1986 - A 29-year-old carnival worker died after he fell from the support tower of a Ferris wheel in Fort Myers, Florida. The ride was in operation just before the victim's fall. The victim may have been drinking.

Stupidity, malfunctioning equipment....not a heart condition in sight!

Here is a partial listing of mishaps at Disneyland alone:

http://www.rideaccidents.com/disneyland.html

The Orlando Sentinel says that:

The death is the seventh in 18 months involving people stricken at Walt Disney World attractions, state records show. None of the other six deaths involved accidents. In some of those cases, autopsies found existing, dangerous medical conditions.

And many medical conditions don't show up during a regular physical.

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- The boy who collapsed and died after riding a Disney roller coaster ride may have had a congenital heart abnormality, according to preliminary autopsy findings released Friday.

"No evidence of injury was found, but congenital heart abnormalities were detected which will be further evaluated," the report from the District Nine Medical Examiner's office said. "The cause of death will be left pending until results of additional studies are obtained."

Michael Russell, 12, of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, collapsed after riding the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster ride at Disney-MGM theme park in Orlando, Florida, Thursday morning, Sgt. Carlos Torres said. (Watch the details of what happened after the roller coaster stopped.



http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/30/coaster.death/index.html

I suspected it might be something like this. Many on here have said that the ride was pretty mild, but that initial launch stopped my heart for a sec. I got off and said I could see how an elderly person, etc., could have a heart attack on that ride.

no way to find out about a heart defect. sigh.

I feel for the family. I assume they had no idea of this, otherwise they wouldn't have gone on the ride.

The Ramseys could have used Disney as a Scapegoat. At least the mother got what she deserved. One down, one more to go...