Safety changes coming to Primeval Whirl
Scott Powers of the Orlando Sentinel is reporting this morning that Disney World officials are making changes to Primeval Whirl in response to the tragic death of a cast member late last year. Karen Price fell and died of head injuries after being hit by one of the rides cars while working on the attraction.
On the off-limits area of the ride platform beyond the passenger loading and unloading zones, Disney is installing sensor mats that will shut down the ride if someone sets foot there, Prunty said. Also, bold striping is being added to delineate the loading and unloading zones.
This doesn’t affect the guest experience to any noticeable degree. But it is the proper response to a terrible tragedy. Disney has received a lot of bad press from other fatal incidents in the past few years and has come under considerable fire for what appears to be a declining commitment to safety. I can not say for sure if that is the case, but I do have to question the timing. Why did it take over three months to make these simple changes?
I don’t mean to sound like a cynic here, but this is starting to concern me. Back in December, a guest died on Expedition Everest of a heart attack and people questioned whether Disney had properly placed defibrillators in case of such an emergency on such an intense ride. Is Disney dotting their I’s and crossing their T’s like they should? It’s hard to make a negligence claim without really investigating the evidence, and I can not do that. But we all know that perception in the biggest judge in these matters and Disney seems to be letting it slip more and more.