Primeval Whirl closed without any previous notification a few months ago. The official word for the closing was for “unexpected maintenance.” But what is actually occurring with the now shuttered attraction?
Editorial – Primeval Whirl is a spinning wild-mouse style coaster that holds up to 4 guests per car with two double pull down bar restraints. I’ve often referred to it as “Primeval Hurl” as I only ride it during ride challenges. It dips and dives and jerks and spins and usually gives me a headache.
Back on May 30, 2019, a 6 year old boy was critically injured on a Primeval Whirl carbon copy ride known as Twister at Lightwater Valley Park in the United Kingdom. Both rides were designed and built by Reverchon Industries. The accident was first reported on a website known as The Guardian.
The Guardian reported that “Mark Charnley, 46, said he saw the boy hanging out of the ride before falling “12 or 15ft” to the ground. “He was hanging outside of the actual carriage … two seconds after that he fell out of the carriage to the floor,” he told Sky News.
“After that, everybody in the queue started shouting at [the] operator of the ride to shut it down because he hadn’t noticed what had gone on. About 12 or 15 seconds after that, he realised what had happened and closed the machine down.”
The same ride had another horrible accident back in 2015, when a “ride attendant was spun 40 feet into the air on one of the Twister’s waltzer-style carriages when her colleague started the roller coaster during a routine check.”
Primeval Whirl at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not averse to strange accidents that led to deaths as well, but rarely reports any serious injuries to guests.
On November 29, 2007, an on-duty Disney cast member died from head injuries after falling from the load/unload platform.
On March 14, 2011, a repair technician Disney cast member died after suffering a head injury while working on the ride while it was closed.
With those incidents in the mind of Disney executives and ride investigators, Disney chose to close the ride until further inspections were done. Disney truly does feel that Safety is the number one key to success. The ride was inspected extensively and has been scheduled to re-open on two separate occasions, but is still closed. The ride vehicles sit vacant, baking in the scorching Florida sun. Cast Members are assigned daily to inform the public that the attraction is not available.
What could happen to Primeval Whirl?
- It could re-open as it is.
- It could receive restraint changes and possibly even remove the spinning nature of the ride. Goofy’s Sky School in California Adventure is somewhat similar, but the vehicles do not spin.
- It could remain closed until Disney decides what will replace it in the future. We’ve seen that many times at Walt Disney World, with Stitch’s Great Escape being the most recent attraction to close and sit vacant. The outer queue is currently used for the Stitch meet and greet.
Would you ride Primeval Whirl again, if it were to re-open?
-KtP
Did the child die from the fall
That’s horrible people really should pat attention to the warning on the ride sound like the child wasn’t big enough to ride
I hope they bring it back! My youngest just rode it for the first time last year. We all love it! I go to Six Flags a lot and a lady fell out of the Texas Giant and died when we were there but we still love the ride. She was too big and shouldnt have been riding. They redid the restraints and its awesome! Hopefully they will refurbish it. I wish they would bring back Sum of All Thrills at Epcot! My youngest never got to ride and my middle child only got to ride without loops. That ride was so fun!
We love this ride and will totally ride it again, if it reopens. I’ve always wondered about the seemingly tall height restriction.
Thanks for this, which is much more coherent than many other explanations I have seen. As I am Pooh sized, I always made sure the kids were on the inside or in another car. I would rather miss a favorite ride, rather than have anyone injured.
I would let my children ride again. But my question is a 6 year old is required to ride with a supervising adult. Where were they? That seems to be the issue. Any ride can be unsafe if the rules are not followed.
There was an adult riding with the child according to the article.
Last time we took our kids, my youngest was too short to ride, so we skipped it… against the wishes of my older kid. Sorry ’bout it, bud… but Momma can only handle so many spinny rides. I was actually relieved to learn it was shut down this trip, because everyone’s tall enough now and I STILL had no interest in riding.
I would be very sad to see it go. I remember when each of my kids was finally tall enough to ride and we have always loved it. They are 18 and 21 now and we still laugh so much when we ride it. The bar restraint does pose a problem for small kids riding with larger adults but it should be fine if the smaller child is seated on the inside. Seatbelts should also be installed. Big Thunder Mountain is the same way. Also, Tower of Terror used to have just bars on certain rows and they were replaced by seatbelts, so maybe they will just make the ride safer by adding more restraints and restrictions on who rides the ride.
My son loves the ride, but my internal organs do not. I feel like things get way too sloshed around! I can only ride it a maximum of one time per visit.
We’ll have to stay tuned.
I would really love to see that part of the park get a bit of a makeover….there is just too much pavement. Perhaps with the closing of this clunker, Disney can imagine something better for this area.
I think it’s officially extinct.
Nice pun!
I love PW. I’ve ridden it multiple times on several trips. Seat belts are a good idea but don’t need to be individual.
I agree. I love this ride as well. It always surprises me when I ride it…. and I’m an old lady! Hope they don’t get rid of it.
I thought I read somewhere parts for the ride aren’t being made any longer? Plus, rumors about dinoland closing and being reimagined?
Ride parts are not an issue
I’m pretty bummed to read this. It is definitely a ride I love to hate. My kids will be devastated if it does not reopen. Me, too, for that matter. I hope it would reopen with additional restraints if that is a concern (the other deaths don’t seem to have anything to do with the safety of the actual ride itself).
i always wondered why the height restriction for a seemingly simple ride..exceeded many others that seemed more daring
I don’t particularly care for the ride but my children do so I always rode it but it’s been several years. If I remember correctly, it is very easy for a smaller child to have some issues with the restraint while riding with an adult, and especially an adult of larger size. The lap bar doesn’t keep the kids from moving around when it stops on the adult’s thighs. I’m always hugging my smaller child to my side when on the ride to keep her put. I would think individual seat belts would be a good addition to the ride, though whether that would have helped in the case of the Lightwater Valley Park incident, I don’t know.
Nope – I don’t think so; but I’m very risk adverse.
I love the ride! There are plenty of other little parks and side attractions that have the same ride, so I can still easily go ride it there. They have one at Old Town in Kissimmee, Fl.
I would ride it again because my kids love it. Honestly, they’re big enough to ride it without me, but I’d ride it at least once with them. I, however, do not love it.
Thanks for this info! My 10 year old has been watching this closely as she wants to ride it for the first time when we go in January. She’ll understand without too many tears if I tell her it’s a safety issue. She did enjoy Goofy’s Sky School at DL this past year, so that may just have to satisfy her.
If anyone can find a resolution, Disney can. It’s just my editorial opinion that we won’t see it again.
I only rode it once and I won’t ride again.
I don’t like it and won’t ride it again. But my son loves that ride! I hope it reopens with some changes.