Disney World Ride Reopened

Ride Inspected; 16-Year-Old Who Had Heart Attack Still Critical

(AP)  The Tower of Terror, opened in 1994, puts riders in an elevator that shoots up 13 stories and then plummets back twice. Disney warns riders they should be "in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure." Pregnant women are advised not to ride.

The state's major parks are not directly regulated; Florida law exempts large, permanent amusement parks that have their own safety inspectors from state oversight, but they agreed in 2001 to share safety information.

Liz Compton, of the Florida Bureau of Fair Rides and Exhibitions, says there have been three incidents on the Tower of Terror since the state began collecting reports - all requiring hospitalization but none involving serious injuries. In 2003, a 47-year-old woman had claustrophobia and an anxiety attack. A year later, a 45-year-old woman suffered chest pains. In 2004, a 62-year-old man was hospitalized with the same ailment.

According to Compton, those figures are particularly low for a high-use ride.

In much less time, "Mission: Space," which simulates a rocket trip to Mars, has had seven riders taken to the hospital for chest pains, fainting or nausea. The attraction, opened in 2003, has recorded the most hospital visits for a single ride since the state started compiling safety data. The most recent case before Daudi's death was last summer, when a 40-year-old woman was taken to a hospital after fainting.

Aaron Kwittken, CEO of the New York-based public relations firm Euro RSCG Magnet, said Disney needs to aggressively assure visitors the park is safe following the two recent incidents.

"They need to be way more communicative about what they've done to prevent it from happening again," he said.

He said inviting outside inspectors is "a good first step," but park officials also needed to blanket visitors with safety advice and instruction.

"In their line of business, you can't prevent accidents from happening, but you can educate park patrons to at least decrease the likelihood of accidents," he said.