Disney visitor collapses on water-park ride, dies

[Kellie19891992]

Disney visitor collapses on water-park ride, dies

Officials say the man had a pre-existing heart problem; he fell ill at Blizzard Beach.

Pedro Ruz Gutierrez
Sentinel Staff Writer

March 16, 2007

A visitor to Walt Disney World's Blizzard Beach water park collapsed of an apparent heart attack Thursday afternoon and later died at a hospital, theme-park officials said.

Deputy Chief Bo Jones of the Reedy Creek Fire Department said the man began climbing the stairs of a water ride between 1 and 1:30 p.m. when "he told his wife, 'Hey, I'm not feeling too well.' "

"The man turned around and said, 'I'll meet you downstairs,' " Jones said. "When he got to the bottom of the mountain, he fell and went into cardiac arrest."

Jones said the man, whom authorities would not identify Thursday night, was then pronounced dead at nearby Florida Hospital Celebration Health.

Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said the Disney guest and his family were on the Downhill Double Dipper water slide on Blizzard Beach.

Polak said the man's family notified the company that he had died and said the man had a pre-existing heart condition.

Polak said the company offered its "deepest sympathies" to the family. The death is the 10th involving Disney World rides and water-park attractions since late 2004.

It was unclear Thursday night whether the man was on his first attempt to ride the Downhill Double Dipper or had gone down the slide already.

The Walt Disney World Web site places the slide in the "Big Thrills" category and says visitors can "blast down the slopes at 25 miles per hour" in side-by-side speed slides.

In December, a 73-year-old man died of a heart condition three days after losing consciousness at the Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain ride.

A terminally ill boy visiting from Israel also died last year after riding Space Mountain and fainting Aug. 1. However, he suffered from terminal cancer of the lungs, abdomen and spine.

And in June, a 12-year-old boy died after riding a roller coaster at Disney-MGM Studios and losing consciousness. The boy had a genetic heart defect that often goes undetected until it causes the person's sudden death, according to the Orange-Osceola Medical Examiner's Office.

[HomeofLove4Him]

[Maestr034]

This is really sad news. I can't imagine being on vacation having a wonderful time and them bam my wife or father dies. That has to be one of the worst things I could imagine happening.

[iwannabeminnie]

My deepest sympathy goes out to the family. However, I have to say this: The man was 73 years old and was doing the Downhill Double Dipper. That is how I want to go. God bless him.

[mini-V]

Condolence to the family. How sad that he died so suddenly and yet, how incredible that he was still mobile enough at 73 to be going to a waterpark.

[Stitch]

It's a sad thing...but like T-nina said...when I go that's the way I want to do it!

[MainStreet, USA]

My deepest sympathy goes out to the family. However, I have to say this: The man was 73 years old and was doing the Downhill Double Dipper. That is how I want to go. God bless him.

Was he really 73??? The article didn't specify, and I can't find anything else on this yet. I wonder what kind of a pre-existing heart condition he had. It must not have been too bad if he was still willing to seek thrill rides and climb lots of stairs. I do feel bad for the family though.

[MayBWeRMnt2B]

I feel really bad for his family. I'm glad he had enough sense to go back down. It would be really horrible if he had gone on the ride... it is a horrible experience though for his family. It's always unexpected and it's sad because they probably won't enjoy Disney much after this!

I hope the family heals and is able to get passed the grief.

[HomeofLove4Him]

No, that article didn't specify THIS man's age- the one who died doing the Double Dipper. The 73 yr old was doing Space Mtn, according to the article above:

In December, a 73-year-old man died of a heart condition three days after losing consciousness at the Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain ride.

[iwannabeminnie]

Sorry, my bad. I was skimming (a little too quickly, obviously). Still, dying at 73 on Space Mountain........yaaah hooooo!

[disneydame2004]

I feel sad for the family because of the loss of their loved one, but I also take some offense at how this reporter characterized how it happened. "The death is the 10th involving Disney World rides and water-park attractions since late 2004."
Excuse me, the guy was walking up stairs and had a heart attack. It didn't exactly involve the ride, yet this makes it sound like somehow Disney's parks are death traps.

[iwannabeminnie]

He forgot to mention the number of visitors to WDW every single day. That only 10 of them have died in three years makes it the safest place on earth to be!

[mini-V]

No, that article didn't specify THIS man's age- the one who died doing the Double Dipper. The 73 yr old was doing Space Mtn, according to the article above:

Oops! Read the article too fast.