PDA

View Full Version : Haunted Mansion Holiday closed due to someone spreading ashes throughout the ride



Pages : [1] 2

Darkbeer
12-15-2002, 11:47 PM
As mentioned in this thread at LaughingPlace, they closed HMH early on December 14th, due to a woman who came in with her son's remains,and scattered them throughout the ride. The CM's were worried about Anthrax, or other chemicals, so they closed the ride down.....:eek:

http://www.laughingplace.com/default.asp?WCI=MsgBoard&WCE=T-28886-P-1&Refresh=1216004520

Laffite
12-15-2002, 11:49 PM
Anthrax or not, that's just ain't cool. It's our ride too and I don't want somebody to be scatter throughout the ride :confused:

BTW, is LP always faster on the news than MP?

Preston

bluepearl
12-15-2002, 11:52 PM
I was wondering why the attraction was closed at around 10:45PM last night. I really wanted my parents to experience the ride too, since I can't get them in during Christmas week and they probably won't have time the first week after the new year. Ah well...

Interesting story, though. I mean, the person at LP says that the mom wanted it to be his final resting place, but did he want it to be? Or maybe that's too morbid a thought for me. :shrug:

Laffite
12-16-2002, 12:05 AM
Did she know that those "ghosts" aren't real and are merely mirrors, projectors and scrims? Maybe she took "there's room for 1 more" too literally? Perhaps I'm being insensitive, but I mean c'mon.

I know a lot of people love the HM, including me. Sure, I love the c. 1886 Victorian, Old South Plantation house facades, that's why I'm working on designing a house based on HM facades. At least that's more practical because I'll get to live it in. :rolleyes:

*sigh* Yike. :( :confused: <--sad and confused.

Preston

Darkbeer
12-16-2002, 12:31 AM
As for who is fastest in reporting news, MousePlanet was the ones who reported the DOSH issue dealing with a guest who had a heart attack on Monday, and broke the news regarding the cancellation of Aladdin thru Friday. Every website will develop their own stories, so it really depends on the story.

The nice thing about this website is the fact that the news segment is updated when needed (sometimes multiple times a day), while both LaughingPlace and MouseInfo only update their news headlines once a day (MouseInfo in the morning, Laughing Place in the evening), therefore making MousePlanet the first place to find the newest on Disney mainstream news.

This story (which actually is a report by a member of LaughingPlace, and isn't truly a news story) came from LaughingPlace, and I wanted to give credit to the information I found.

But if you go over to LaughingPlace, you will see they credit MousePlanet in the thread discussing the temporary closing of Aladdin. Not every user reads multiple boards,so this is a way to allow the information to get out to the readers.

Laffite
12-16-2002, 01:26 AM
Thanks for the info DB. The only reason I don't read LP board (beside lack of time: I already have about 4-5 boards to read a day) is because I don't like the format. Even on 1280x1024 res, the msg board is pretty narrow. I like the wide-fullscreen format of MP better :)

But, for me personally, I like the DC Forum (http://www.dcscripts.com/dcforum.shtml) the most because of its indented style (http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/DCForumID33/2050.html) so you see who's replying to which message...

...err I have another question but that'll go in the lounge.

Now back to the topic :)

Preston

Bill Catherall
12-16-2002, 06:32 AM
Isn't spreading ashes illegal now? My grandmother died about a year ago and it was her wishes to have her ashes spread in a specific spot of the mountains. When my father tried to get a permit for it he was denied. Evidently, if the area you spread the ashes in ever becomes a crime scene, then the abundance of DNA you dumped there will destroy any evidence the police could collect. Well, at least that's the excuse he was given.

Ghoulish Delight
12-16-2002, 07:31 AM
Originally posted by Bill Catherall
Evidently, if the area you spread the ashes in ever becomes a crime scene, then the abundance of DNA you dumped there will destroy any evidence the police could collect. Well, at least that's the excuse he was given. That sounds like the most ridiculous excuse I've ever heard! Unless they expect something to happen immediately afterwards, I can't see how, within a day or two, there could be anywhere near enough DNA in any one place to be a problem.

ErikBsandiego
12-16-2002, 07:33 AM
Hmmmm.....I would seriously doubt that any DNA evidence would be left after cremation.

Bill Catherall
12-16-2002, 09:36 AM
Yep. It sounds stupid to me too, but that's why we couldn't spread her ashes like she wanted.

What about bone fragments? Bone doesn't burn during cremation. It gets ground up and combined with the ashes.

RStar
12-16-2002, 10:02 AM
Heat distroys most DNA, though it's possible for enough DNA to remain to come close to match it.

I think the problem is that if you find human remains, you may wonder IF it IS acrime scene. Finding human remains can be a little disconserting.

And I find it in real bad taste (pun intended) that the lady would spred the ashes on a ride knowing full well that people would have to breath those ashes for a long time, untill it got cleaned up. Now the person she put in there is in a shop vac or dumpster some where. Unless the police collected it.

refurbmike
12-16-2002, 10:12 AM
I doubt it would be illegal for those reasons. Think how many animals die in the nature and leave their DNA scattered around. Ashes prolly have less DNA than anything nature could provide.

Ghoulish Delight
12-16-2002, 10:13 AM
Originally posted by refurbmike
I doubt it would be illegal for those reasons. Think how many animals die in the nature and leave their DNA scattered around. Ashes prolly have less DNA than anything nature could provide. I thought of that at first. However, human DNA is distinguishable from animal and plant DNA (# of chromosomes and such), so I don't think that comes into play.

HBTiggerFan
12-16-2002, 10:51 AM
Well now that urban legend is true :rolleyes:

ldsguy
12-16-2002, 05:50 PM
Isn't spreading ashes illegal now? My grandmother died about a year ago and it was her wishes to have her ashes spread in a specific spot of the mountains. When my father tried to get a permit for it he was denied. Evidently, if the area you spread the ashes in ever becomes a crime scene, then the abundance of DNA you dumped there will destroy any evidence the police could collect. Well, at least that's the excuse he was given.

Actually, it is legal, but you do have to get a permit, which I seriously doubt this lady did, from my understanding of it, the permit requires things like the location, a DNA report, etc, to be collected, for the above mentioned reason.......I believe you still need a permit even if it's in your own yard, although I am not sure......Also, you can spread ashes over international waters without any need for a permit, as there are no laws governing that.

I would bet that the ashes were collected by Disney Security and handed over to the Anahiem Police Department, from there, they were probably returned to the owner, who was told where it's appropriate to spread the ashes and where it isn't, I doubt there will be any charges brought against the lady, as it would be easy for her to claim temporary insanity and prove it.

Also, the ride did reopen about an hour-45 minutes prior to park closing. (I was there that day, but did not know why the ride was closed)

Morrigoon
12-17-2002, 02:08 AM
Am I the only person who thinks it's cool?
If I was the type who wished to be cremated (I'm not, but if I was...) I would think it totally cool to have a family member secretly spread me around Disneyland, ESPECIALLY on HM. (Admittedly I would hope it would be in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of being shop-vac'd.)

I mean, seriously, if I wasn't so set on the idea of being buried with a statue over my head, I'd be on this DL ash-spreading thing! Even if it was only one small, clandestine, handful.

blusilva
12-17-2002, 12:51 PM
So tell me again the purpose of still having security guards outside the main gates searching purses and backpacks?

Obviously they let this woman in with a large enough container of *ugh* human remains to scatter wherever she darn well felt like. They either didn't find it in her things, they determined it to be an unharmful substance, or they didn't care that she brought it into the park. In any event, does it make anyone feel any safer at all knowing that this woman was able to scatter *anything* throughout the most popular ride in the park right now?

refurbmike
12-17-2002, 01:05 PM
blusilva, I probably couldn't have said it better myself.

After the whole Anthrax scare, how did she get through the gates with that one?

Granted, the security there is pretty lenient. But gosh, that scares me to think that she could have gotten through with something more deadly. I wonder if they're gonna crack down on more thorough checks now.

"Could you take off your Mouse Ears, sir?"

ldsguy
12-17-2002, 01:19 PM
It's actualyl rather easy, esp. if she was wearing a Jacket, simply don't put it in any sort of bag when entering the park, keep it in a jacket, or use several bags and clothes with lots of pockets.

This is why I think bag checking is absurd without at bare minimum metal detectors (I know this would pose other problems).....but think about it, by definition where does a pocket knife (the most common weapon used inside theme parks) go? Your pocket, do they check your pockets? No, instead they won't let laddies bring in hair spray or perfume "becuase it could potentially be turned into a blow torch of sorts." No I am not making that up, that is what some people I know have been told.

Karlos the Jackal
12-17-2002, 01:54 PM
She could've snuck in the ashes in in a baby powder container, for instance. That's my plan.

Um, hypothetically.

--K

Lani
12-17-2002, 01:55 PM
Originally posted by Karlos the Jackal
She could've snuck in the ashes in in a baby powder container, for instance. That's my plan.Um... have you actually ever seen the cremated remains of a human body? I'd say it's slightly grittier than talcum powder.

ldsguy
12-17-2002, 02:00 PM
True, but you could put it into the baby powder bottle, then open the bottle (screw cap part) and spread it that way.....it's not like security is going to check the bottle to see if it's what it says it is. Rediculous, because you could actually oput anything inside a good size baby powder bottle.

I am curious to know if anyone was one the ride when it got shut down? Did they just evac the ride? If they thought it could be antrax, shouldn't they have locked down the ride, not allowing anyone in or out of the ride for fear of spreading it to the rest of Disneyland. Also, did the people leving the ride (assuming it was evaced) know what they were walking through? I believe that they must be told, in case there are any religious things aginst doing so, although not sure how you'd work around that in a situation like this.

Karlos the Jackal
12-17-2002, 02:06 PM
Originally posted by ldsguy
True, but you could put it into the baby powder bottle, then open the bottle (screw cap part) and spread it that way.....it's not like security is going to check the bottle to see if it's what it says it is. Rediculous, because you could actually oput anything inside a good size baby powder bottle.

That's what I meant -- I'm assuming that security doesn't check contents of stuff that's as common as baby powder. Heck, put some baby powder on top, if you want.

And, yeah, the lid with the little holes is probably not the most efficient dispersement device.

--K

RStar
12-17-2002, 03:12 PM
I've seen the ashes of a person, and there is quite a bit more than what you could fit in a baby powder bottle, even the large size.

I figure that perhaps the lady only spred some of the remains? Perhaps a little on each ride, on each trip?

And could this have been a CM? Perhaps they don't check them as well?

And in order for them to know that it hapened, I think they must have cought her, and that's why they knew it wasn't Anthrax or something.

ldsguy
12-17-2002, 04:13 PM
Actually, from what I understand, they check the CMs even more throughly, as well as more often, or at least they used to (before getting on the shuttle, before entering their gate, etc)