ORLANDO, Fla.-
Less than three weeks after a woman became ill on the Mission Space ride and died, Walt Disney World announced plans to offer a tamer version of the attraction.
The $100 million Epcot attraction simulates a mock spaceflight to Mars and spins riders in a centrifuge that subjects them to twice the normal force of gravity. The alternative version is slated to start this summer and will run alongside the original ride.
The popular Mission Space attraction is actually four rides with separate programmable simulators, Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said. Attraction engineers will simply shut off the spinning centrifuge for the new version.
"By offering a second adventure, we hope to broaden the appeal of Mission Space and enable even more guests to experience the attraction," said Al Weiss, president of Walt Disney World Resort.
The ride is so intense that some riders have been taken to hospitals with chest pain. Two tourists, of the 11.8 million who have experienced Mission Space, have died since the ride opened in August 2003. Most recently, a German woman reported feeling dizzy and nauseous after getting off the attraction.
Hiltrud Bluemel, 49, died April 12, one day after she went on the ride. A preliminary report from the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office showed Bluemel died from bleeding of the brain. She also suffered from severe, long standing high blood pressure, according to the medical examiner's office.
Disney officials said the decision to offer a watered down version of Mission Space had nothing to do with Bluemel's death.
A spokeswoman declined to specify exactly how long the company has been working on the alternative version.
"Providing a choice between two ride options will help to further encourage all guests to carefully consider posted health advisories when making their decision," Weiss said.
A 4-year-old Pennsylvania boy also died last summer while riding the attraction. An autopsy determined Daudi Bamuwamye, of Sellersville, Pa., died of an irregular heartbeat linked to a natural causes.
Thirteen signs posted along the ride warn guests with high blood pressure, heart conditions or motion sickness, from riding Mission Space. Now, Disney officials say new warning signs will outline the difference between the two adventures and provide health advisories appropriate for each experience.
Theme park consultants said Disney likely felt the pressure to make some changes to the ride after the two deaths.
"I think they felt they were kind of in the position where they've got to do something. All the warnings in the world have not prevented the tragedies," said Steve Baker, president of Baker Leisure Group Inc. "They've got to do more to warn. But the unfortunate thing is the people who had a problem didn't know they had a problem. So I don't know how you stop that."
Jerry Aldrich, president of Orlando-based Amusement Industry Consulting and a former Disney employee, said the move could widen the demographic drawn to the ride.
"I would imagine there's just a lot of people that may be hesitant to ride it because of all the warnings, or maybe they had some conditions which meant they shouldn't ride."
