A 12-Year-Old Boy Lost His Fingertips On ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean’, Too

Earlier this month, a British tourist made headlines when he lost two of his fingertips on Walt Disney World’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction (see this Inquisitr story). Now, the Walt Disney Company is admitting that, three months earlier, a 12-year-old boy also lacerated his fingertips on the same ride, the Sydney Morning Herald is reporting.

As of this post, information about the boy’s nationality and the severity of his injuries has not been made public.

According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel, Walt Disney World, as well as Universal Orlando, Sea World, Legoland, and other popular central Florida tourist attractions are required only to report injuries that take place on rides which require a hospital stay of 24 hours or more. This is part of an agreement with the State of Florida that otherwise exempts them from public-safety ride regulations.

Of the major Orlando-area attractions, only Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have reported any major injuries so far this year (as of this post).

The only other Walt Disney World injury involving a child this year involved an 8-year-old girl who lost consciousness on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin attraction, according to the New York Daily News. All other serious injuries and other medical events at Walt Disney World involved adults; excluding one incident involving a 44-year-old man, all incidents involved people who were 50 years old or older.

Over at Universal Orlando, four injuries were reported: two involving teenagers, one involving a 43-year-old woman, and one involving a 61-year-old man, also according to the Sentinel report.

According to Nolo.com, 8,800 people were injured on theme park attractions in 2006. However, this figure includes everything from million-dollar theme park attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World to inflatable bounce houses at church picnics. In the main, “Walt Disney World is an incredibly safe place to visit,” according to WDW Info.

The best way to avoid injury on a theme park attraction is to obey the ride’s warning signs. Many theme park attractions are simply not suitable for the elderly or people with certain conditions, such as heart or back problems. As Nicole Mancini says on her Walt Disney World blog:

“Disney attractions are meant for enjoyment. Outside them, you will see posted signs listing information about the ride and who it might not be suitable for. Don’t ignore the signs! If you have a heart condition, are pregnant, or are sensitive to certain stimuli, you could have a negative experience that could even result in injury. No E-Ticket attraction is worth that.”

Have you ever had an illness or injury because of a Walt Disney World (or other theme park) attraction? Let us know in the comments.

[Image source: NY Daily News]