Astro Orbiters Fire/Now Closed

[MissMEY]

Anyone got any info about the fire this am in Tomorrow Land? Due to a power issue. I heard the Oribiters are going to be closed for several months??? Anyone got more news?

[wallfan329]

It has been very hush hush about this. I read about this morning and at first did not believe when the story I read had sentences like Firetrucks down mainstreet ( I would believe that there was a backstage area for it) and tomorrowland in ablaze. Gabe (HauntedGabe) posted a link to a picture of a firetruck on mainstreet. IMHO I will be happy if they did not reopen in it, I think it is overrated and a copy off of Dumbo.

[NC_WDW_Daddy]

News to me, I need to get back online more.

[BamaJenn]

It looks like the versions of what happened have been really overdramatized. I found a couple posts on other blogs and even in response to a news article that make it sound like Tomorrowland was ablaze! Funny how things get blow out of proportion.

Astro Orbiter closed at Disney's Tomorrowland after fire

[HauntedGabe]

Believe some over-played and others like Jenn's link underplayed. Lets face it, driving fire trucks through the Magic Kingdom while the park is open certainly isn't a normal activity in the MK. Nor are shorts that cause a small fire, enough to warrant closing off all of Tomorrowland. Thankfully all are well except Astro Orbiter.

Here is the link that Wallfan329 eluded to in her post above:
Here's the firetruck leaving Tomorrowland at 10:22 this ... on Twitpic


Photo by twitter Klewald, Here's the firetruck leaving Tomorrowland at 10:22 this morning. It then turned up the path by Rapunzel's meet & greet.





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I certainly would remember this!

[JNota0005DakMC]

this is an interesting turn of events... i wonder where the truth is... overplayed or underplayed...?

[MissMEY]

Well glad no one was hurt... hope the ride does re-open as I loved riding it, especially at night-time when a storm was on the horizon... pure magic!

[supernova]

Nothing like a good electrical fire in the rain. Oops.

[MissMEY]

Gather its up and running again now... so perhaps it was a tad overplayed!

[weepstah]

I'm kind of assuming at this point that the cause was as stated in the newspaper article, but that the fire truck was brought in as a precautionary measure when they first detected the fire. Interesting picture though, seeing that fire truck.

[BamaJenn]

this is an interesting turn of events... i wonder where the truth is... overplayed or underplayed...?

My gut feeling is that after some of the bad press Disney has gotten about accident/injuries/illness at the parks, even the smallest of issue like this now warrants a big response (i.e. firetrucks down Mainstreet). I think the idea is to never give the impression they are slow to respond or underestimate impact etc. It is reopened now with no visable damage etc. so I truly feel it was precautionary overdramatization on the part of Dis.

[HauntedGabe]

I'm thinking the reaction from the fans now is more hindsight. Small Fire is a fire. Reedy Creek Fire stated they had no problem extinguishing it so it required a response. Firefighters generally arrive by fire trucks. When Reedy Creek firefighters get this call they are responding to a fire at an attraction that is up in the air which guest load by elevator. I'm am guessing but with confidence that Disney has certain areas that will accommodate larger firetrucks with ladders that are capable of evacuation of CM's and guest from an elevated platform. I'm also confident the Fire Dept. has routes predetermined. Remember when the bridge was out they could only redirect the parade in certain directions because of clearance.

I am for one happy the Firefighters responded this way. I cannot imagine Reedy Firefighters have the desire to create drama, nor do I believe drama is in the best interest of Disney. You never know when a small fire can expand. Example, the damage is short order to the Tiki Room. I would expect firefighters react the same way to hotels, schools, airports etc., they are professionals.

[BamaJenn]

Oh I absolutely agree. I wasn't trying to say that they decided to create Drama by doing this but rather saying that I think it is in their best interest to over dramatize, or maybe better put: over react, in order to prevent panic or issues where something small becomes something much bigger.

[HauntedGabe]

But in the moment were the CM's or Fire Dept. able to determine that their response was an over reaction or does that knowledge come subsequently? Did the CM's have enough knowledge of electrical fires to know when calling 911 that the small fire would not expand? If indeed they have this type of Fire Fighting experience then maybe they over reacted.

If the Fire Department knew when they dispatched the rescue fire trucks for an elevated structure that it would not spread then yes it would be an over reaction. Me<---I think Disney and the Fire Dept. would have to be clarvoyent in order to predetermine what that fire potential was with their decision to respond to a call 911 and equally clarvoyent in dispatching the fire trucks. Both CM's and Fire Dept. react in the moment, nobody has the luxury of time to pre-analyze a fire that has started.

[DopeyDancer87]

Woah woah woah woah...


I just got back from Disney World yesterday afternoon and this is the first I am hearing about this! I was in EPCOT on Sunday and not a word was mentioned anywhere that I saw, and we watched the news while we were there!