**Breaking** The 4 hour wait for the Ride was not worth it.

w3iner · 06-29-06, 09:41 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201614,00.html

Boy Dies After Riding Disney Roller Coaster

Thursday , June 29, 2006

"LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida — A 12-year-old boy died after riding a roller coaster Thursday at the Disney MGM theme park, the latest in a string of tragedies that have stung Walt Disney World in recent years.

Michael Russell of Fort Campbell, Ky., had ridden the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with his parents and 7-year-old brother. When the ride was finished, Byron Russell noticed Michael was limp, pulled him off the ride and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, Orange County sheriff's spokeswoman Barbara Miller said.

The boy was pronounced dead after he was taken by ambulance to Celebration Hospital at about 11:30 a.m., Disney said in a statement. The cause of death was not immediately determined.

"According to the family, he was a very healthy child," Miller said.

State officials say he is the ninth person to die at Disney World since 2003. At least 14 people have died at Disney's two theme parks in Florida and California since 1989.

The park closed the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster but said a preliminary investigation showed the ride was operating normally.

The sheriff's office was investigating at the scene. State park safety officials were also notified.

A Disney spokesman said the company was assisting the family.

"Our deepest concerns are with the family," Disney spokesman Jacob DiPietre said.

A Disney Web site description of the ride says: "Zoom from 0-60 mph with the force of a supersonic F-14, take in high-speed loops and turns synchronized to a specially recorded Aerosmith soundtrack."

Theme park consultants said the ride is relatively tame.

"As roller coasters go that is not considered an ultra, ultra high-thrill coaster," said David Speigel, president of Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services Inc. "It does have some high launch speeds, but it's more along the traditional lines of what roller coasters are today."

Disney MGM is among the Walt Disney Co.'s four parks in Florida." Quote from Foxnews.com

AnnamariaNJ · 06-30-06, 08:50 AM

so very, very sad ..
...my heart goes out to the family/families ..

**ksong12** · 06-30-06, 10:36 AM

Wow, 9th person? Thats really sad......

CodeBubba · 06-30-06, 10:52 AM

Yeah, real shame. At the same time, though, don't beat up on Disney. Their safety record is legendary. You've got less chance of getting killed in those parks than you do driving on the roads getting to them (particularly I-4!). The ride probably did not kill that boy - those rides just aren't that extreme. Millions (yes MILLIONS) of kids his age ride those things every year with no problems. 9 fatalaties (most of which were related to some health issue) out of all the people that attend that park - since 1989. Wow. I'll take those odds over I-4 any day!

-CB

Pocketbrain · 06-30-06, 11:05 AM

The two people who recently died on Mission: Space had pre-existing conditions. Somebody died on Tower of Terror who didn't know about a pre-existing condition until it happened.
This kid's Dad immediately administered CPR; perhaps the kid did, indeed, have a condition the parents knew about?
I'm no fan of the giant rat, but they are all about safety.

(X)
.

reese · 06-30-06, 11:39 AM

They didn't die on the ride... Walt Disney's Head and Robot body ate them!

Pocketbrain · 06-30-06, 03:47 PM

Kentucky boy found to have congenital heart defect. Cause of death not yet determined. Stay tuned.