For the past few years Disneyland has been running “Every Role A Starring Role”, a periodic video series where it looks at cast members and exactly what their jobs entail at the parks. I don’t know about you, but I’ve found it fascinating. The latest… Read More »Disneyland Profiles Cast Members at Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
I don’t know of too many other Walt Disney Imagineers who have their own fan website, but Joe Rohde, the moving force behind much of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, has one. Sadly it hasn’t been kept current for 2007, but there are plenty of good nuggets… Read More »Imagineer Joe Rohde Fan Site
Today in 1925 Walter Elias Disney married Lillian Marie Bounds and together they set off on a great adventure. On this day in 1955 Walt and Lillian gathered friends and family for their 30th anniversary celebration and a special preview of Disneyland. They took the Mark Twain for its maiden voyage and celebrated with a… Read More »Morning Roundup – July 13
The British Teenager who was hospitalized in critical condition after collapsing after riding the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at the Disney/MGM Studios in Walt Disney World has returned home. Unfortunately the news is not really that good. She is still in critical condition, but the family wanted to return to the U.K. where she… Read More »Brit Teen hospitalized after Tower of Terror ride returns home
The Orlando Sentinal is reporting that Disney World’s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction today closed for inspection after a British Teen fell ill while riding. Tower of Terror is another high thrill attraction that can produce high g’s for the rider. Although these are vertical g’s which are different from the lateral kind experienced… Read More »MGM Studios: Tower of Terror closed
It is difficult to speculate exactly what happened yesterday to cause the sad death of a young boy at Walt Disney World. Eventually the autopsy will reveal whether the attraction had anything to do with the death. It may not have. I do not mean to accuse the family or Disney Management of misdeeds, but I do wonder what a 4-year old was doing on Mission Space (M:S) at Epcot.
M:S is one of the most intense experiences available to guests visiting Walt Disney World. So what would lead a family to want to take their young child on it? Which warnings did they see and which did they miss? How can we give a family more information before they make their decision to join the queue? All questions that need to be answered to make the Disney World experience as safe as possible for all guests.
Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror probably qualifies as the most intense experience availabe to guests at the four Walt Disney World themeparks. Not only does the name imply its intensity, but as you approach the attraction to ride you can see exactly what happens to guests already on board as they plummet faster than gravity and then are jerked back up only to be pulled back down again repeated times. If the visual clues aren’t enough, the screams of terror is another signal. Those with weak constitutions know by these indicators to stay away. Parents with questions can see what happens during the ride and can judge if their child is appropriate for the attraction. At least that should work in theory.
Read More »Blink before riding: Steps to better decision making at Disney World