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Disney World's most famous ride, Space Mountain, has been the cause of several devastating accidents over the past few years. The organization is finally taking preventative measures in hopes that that will help curb the number of mishaps.
Space Mountain is a thrilling, high-speed, turbulent roller coaster-type ride in the dark that includes sharp turns, sudden drops, and stops. It has been one of the most popular rides in the amusement park.
Following a tragic event where a man sustained severe life-threatening injuries, Disneyland and Disney World have decided to keep the lights on in the ride permanently. This stems from the fact that several people have lost their arms while riding the roller coaster; keeping the lights on will hopefully let people realize how close they are to the track.
While the plan may not be foolproof, it is expected to mitigate the safety issues to some extent.
Man loses both arms riding Space Mountain in Disney World; Company alters ride
On December 28, 2022, a man riding the famous Space Mountain roller coaster ride at Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida, lost both his arms in a tragic accident. The top speed of the ride is only 27 miles per hour, but it is enough to cause life-altering injuries if one does not follow the safety measures.
At around 12:15 p.m., a man boarded the ride along with his family, and at one of the ride's largest drops, he had his hands up in the air over his head. He then happened to hit both arms against the tracks over his head.
Other passengers on the ride said that they heard the man screaming with joy during the initial few moments of the ride. However, they soon heard a loud clunk which they construed to be something wrong with the ride. The man was then heard screaming in pain and it was later confirmed that he had in fact injured himself.
Space Mountain cast members initiated an immediate albeit temporary pause in rides for the afternoon as paramedics were called to the scene. The man is in stable condition, but an injury like this could be life-altering.
It is being reported that the man may have only a 50/50 chance of his hands ever working again. He was lucky to reach the hospital in time considering the amount of blood he lost.
Disney World announced that they will now keep the lights on during the entire ride to help passengers understand just how close they are to the tracks. This alteration in the ride goes against their statement, as it is advertised as a ride in the dark.
Space Mountain's invite statement is:
“Welcome, space travelers. Space Mountain is a thrilling, high speed, turbulent roller-coaster type ride in the dark.”
The ride is also themed around space travel, so having the lights on permanently won't have the same magical effects Disney World tries to create.
