Amusement Park Fun And Safety
 Have you ever noticed how the pace of destination ads has an ebb and flow with school vacation schedules? This particularly seems to be the case for theme parks, both close to home and in far away, warm locations. Whether truly young or young at heart, theme parks are a wonderful way for family fun but do put us in harm’s way if we are not careful.
It’s easy to assume theme parks are safe – they often look clean and durable, and most are. At the same time, more injuries occur each year at these parks than you may be aware of. Safekids.org reported 6500 emergency room visits in 2001 for amusement park injuries in the United States, mostly from user error – someone went on a ride they shouldn’t have been on. That appears to be the case for the very rare fatality we hear about on the news.
The safety rules for rides take into account the dynamics of the ride and impact on a body during the ride. Suffice it to say, the more intense the ride, the more the danger to young kids. This isn’t about fun or an ability to handle the thrill, it is simply about what is safe for kids of different sizes.
It’s equally important to be realistic about your child and your expectations about choosing a ride. The last time I was at Magic Kingdom, I remember hearing a dad loudly berate a teenager for being a “wimp” because she refused to ride Splash Mountain while her 7 year old brother was happy to go on. I have to admit – I’m not a big fan of those rides either! To each his own with this stuff – we all define fun differently and these rides are just not for everyone.
 Finally, the “amusement” aspects of theme parks can provide some sticky situations. A person wearing a costume to you is really that character to a small child - and magnified a billion times from TV. If your child is fearful of the characters, just skip it or bring in a ringer. Older siblings can be fantastic autograph getters for younger kids who may not be completely sure of the life-size cartoon character thing.
So, with these ideas in mind, these simple safety tips will help you maximize fun and minimize risk during your next theme park outing:
- Plan ahead and pay particular attention to health, age and height restrictions and remember they work both ways – kids should not go on rides they are too small for, or are too big for.
- Read the rules and make sure everyone follows them.
- Keep all body parts in the ride at all times and tie back long hair as both can easily get caught in gears.
- Always use provided safety equipment (bars and belts) and handrails.
- Don’t unload until the ride stops and you are told to get out.
- Don’t ride anything if you are feeling tired or ill.
- Don’t ride anything that looks broken or unsteady – or a ride with an operator who makes you uncomfortable or seems under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Makes sure everyone drinks often and has time out of the sun throughout the day.
- Make sure you have a rendezvous plan and consider using walkie-talkies if you will all be separated during the day.
- Don’t try and see it all in one day – go for quality, not quantity!
The best advice I can offer from my experience is to go with the flow and with your kids tastes in mind. You’ll find yourself enjoying the day more if you know your kids had the day they hoped to have. Resources:
www.saferparks.org Information
Amusement Parks and Stranger Issues
Amusement Park Safety Links at Dr. Gwenn Is In
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