.........................

[Bob O]

From what i have read on web sites and the newspaper articles the woman was way too large to have been on that ride. The ride op probably should have not let her on but i would also blame her for poor judgement. That ride has a longer/steeper drop than SM and i think putting shoulder restraints is a over-reaction caused by a fear of money grubbing lawyers!!! I just wish i could be picked for a jury on one of these cases just to vote for the alleged victim to get nothing!!!

 

[HorizonsFan]

Because the logs on splash are "free floating" (ie not on a track) the Coast gaurd will not let Disney install restaints on the logs.

If the Coast Guard were involved, wouldn't they also require a life vest for everyone on board?

 

[I Luv Disney Cruise]

My husband and I were just there (4/14/2002) and Splash Mountain is up and running just fine. The wait was 45 minutes, so it looks as though it is as popular as it ever was.

 

[eeyore0062]

I don't think that they will be putting shoulder harnesses on Splash Mountain...how absurd... perhaps lap belts and lap bars wouldn't be a bad idea to help prevent unfortunate accidents and stupidity.

 

[raidermatt]

Just a clarification....

Splash at DL is currently closed. It also has the "single file" seating configuration that makes any kind of restraint more problematic. Mousplanet.com has another update on this today (4/16), though he (Al Lutz) admits that nothing seems definite yet.

Splash at MK has side by side seating. If they're going to require a change to the DL version, I can't see them not requiring some kind of change to the MK version, but the side-by-side seating might make it easier.

 

[I Luv Disney Cruise]

SM is open in MK in Orlando. I tried to get on but line was a 45 minute wait and already had a fast pass somewhere else. I couldn't see if they had done anything with restraints.

 

[d-r]

Originally posted by raidermatt


From what I've read about this incident, I agree. But in fairness to Disney and other park operators, the less responsibility they can put on the employees, the less risk there is to the company.

Yeah, Matt, I agree with you completely - you're right.

 

[Honeybee]

...getting that yucky mildew smell out of the logs as well. I got talked onto that ride and my hands smelled like mildew all day!!

 

[I Luv Disney Cruise]

I do hate it when I get off the ride and I smell like mold and mildew.

Has anyone been on the ride lately?

 

[April76]

I do understand why some feel that restraints are not necessary on this ride; and I competely agree that when dumb people do dumb things and get hurt that they should be held accountable for their own actions...

but the last time I rode this ride I witnessed some really dangerous behavior...

We broke down and sat for at least 15 minutes (probably longer) while the CM on the intercom assured us that someone would be there "in just a few minutes"..."momentarily".... "soon", etc. After about 10 minutes a few "loud" adults decided to take matters into their own hands and stepped out of their boats --- yes, the free floating boats that could begin moving again at any moment -- then they proceeded to walk through, over, and around the scenery to find an exit.... I watched them use doorways marked "CM only" and then reappear when the exit didn't seem to take them where they wanted to go (mind you we were at the top portion of the mountain .... not too far from the exit to the big drop....

well, wouldn't you know it -- a few minutes later some parents decided that they were sick of listening to their kids whine, so they sent the kids out of the boat and told them to follow the other people and walk out... there was eventually a large number of people wandering all over the place when some frantic CM's (manager types) arrived and herded everyone out the proper exits.


I don't know how Disney or anyone else can conquer the "dumb factor", but in this case people needed to be protected from themselves (some crossed over the water a few times trying to find an exit - stepping in and out of boats).

Thanks for giving me a place to vent about this.... it's been bugging me ever since it happened.

 

[MelissathePooh]

While some people are definitely guilty of using less the the best judgement in some situations, I don think that was the case for the woman in California who was killed. I don't know if there were warnings there about people size or not, but unless it was marked clearly with a weight limitation, there shouldn't have been any reason for her to question the safety of the ride. I think most people assume (whether we should or shouldn't) that if it isn't warned against its not an issue. The rides are designed and checked before we as guests ever get there - that is why we all feel safe and the warnings are posted as necessary.

Like I said I don't know if there is a weight warning on the ride at Knott's Berry Farm, but I have seen some weight restrictions posted at various parks. California Adventure has a posting on the swing ride in the giant orange (can't remember that one's name).

 

[Horizons16]

Is it just me or would it be stupid to shut down a major attraction like SM when the summer rush is alomst upon us?
~Steve

 

[ivanova]

The problem in Calif. is a new state law that was passed regarding amusement park safety. I think that has a lot to do with SM changes at DL, along with lawyer-types tired of settling out of court every time a guest is injured (regardless of whether it's due to their own stupidity or not).

Supposedly the new configuration at the DL SM causes an issue for "larger" guests, and such guests will have to be tactfully advised (hopefully before they stand in line 90 minutes) that they will be unable to enjoy SM in the dead heat of summer. Some poor frontline CM is going to get their head bitten off by a guest, and the lawyer-types will be faced with a new onslaught of lawsuits: discrimination.

What is done in DL won't necessarily mean it will automatically happen in WDW. As others have pointed out SM in the 2 locations are configured differently.

 

[marty3d]

I find it absolutely incredible that people would get out of a ride (even if it's stopped) let alone take their kids off! Some people shouldn't be parents.

I don't like the idea of restraints and I say that adults deserve whatever happens to them if they're going to do something stupid - but maybe they need restraints to protect kids from their idiot parents.

 

[ivanova]

LIke the idiot parents I saw today instructing their child to stand on his tip-toes so he'd be tall enough for a ride with a height requirement.

Do they really think that will prevent him from slipping out of the restraints once on the ride???

And today's child-swap system is there to allow parents of small children the opportunity to enjoy a ride without endangering their children's safety.

 

[marty3d]

that bugs me too! When I was at WDW - my son just cleared a couple of the 38" rides (he's about 40") - I didn't even try with the 40" rides - he'd probably would have passed (definately on tip toes) but I figure that his safety his more importnat - he can ride them next year.

 

[raidermatt]

Regarding the Knott's incident... The lady was too large to ride with the restraints in the proper position. The ride operator should have noticed this and not allowed her to ride (sounds like fun a fun job). This is the problem with relying on humans to make the decision. They will sometimes be inattentive, poorly trained, or just use bad judgement. That's why there is a move towards restraints that take the decision making out of the picture.

Not likely to be any lawsuits from large people who are no longer able to ride Splash. A park will never be expected to compromise safety, and virtually all rides have some sort of size limit already. The problem at DL is that the size limitation will be smaller than it used to be, so some who could ride in the past will no longer be able to. (The boats are being redesigned and apparently will now have individual seats).

Its not automatic that there will be changes at SM in WDW, however, I'd bet on some changes. The WDW logs are configured differently, so maybe the changes will be easier (WDW logs are wider).

Is it just me or would it be stupid to shut down a major attraction like SM when the summer rush is alomst upon us?

SM was closed through Spring Break, which wasn't in the original plans. No way that the DL operations people WANT it closed, but they have no choice until the lawyers are satisfied.