As feared Forbidden Journey is Not for Many

[Planogirl]

She signed up for the sole purpose of complaining and trying to compare a safety issue on a ride to actual discrimination.

That's what I saw too. Many on this thread have legitimate concerns and worries but this person came across as someone who wanted to trash Universal. Not that people ever do that...

I hope that Universal fixes this problem! It might not be possible but who knows? Things change all the time.

 

[bubba's mom]

now maybe we can get back to our regularly scheduled program.....

 

[Orlando313]

now maybe we can get back to our regularly scheduled program.....

Yay! I hope it's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone!

 

[Rip]

That's what I saw too. Many on this thread have legitimate concerns and worries but this person came across as someone who wanted to trash Universal. Not that people ever do that...

I hope that Universal fixes this problem! It might not be possible but who knows? Things change all the time.

I'm sure that they will if they can, they have absolutely no vested interest in keeping people from enjoying their experience

 

[TLinden16]

I think one of the reasons why people are upset about the weight/size restriction on this ride is not so much that there is one, but more so because it is a lot more restrictive than the other rides and attractions in the Orlando area. People who never had an issue with getting on attractions before aren’t able to ride this one because the size limits seem to be significantly more restrictive than we have experienced at the theme parks in the Orlando area.

I am overweight, and I am not sure if I will be able to fit on the seats. I am probably right on the borderline and could go either way at this point. I truly appreciate everyone who has been open about sharing their experiences. Some days, I read the reports and think I have nothing to worry about. Other days, I read the reports and think there is no chance for me to ride the FJ.

I have been to all of the Disney parks in the US, some local parks, and Universal Orlando. My weight has never restricted me from experiencing a ride I wanted to go on. Sometimes it may be a tight fit, but I’ve never been denied access to a ride. I did have one flying swing ride I chose not to ride because I didn’t feel that I would be comfortable enough to ride after testing the seat--I could have ridden, but I made the choice not to. I will admit that at one point, I was carrying a bit more weight, and I did have to use the modified seats on the IOA coasters, but on my last trip, I had lost enough weight to be able to sit in the regular seats.

My weight has never kept me from doing anything I wanted. I have never had to buy an extra seat at an airplane. I have never been denied access to a seat at a theatre or arena. So knowing that there is a very good chance that I may not be able to experience the FJ at my current size is a very new experience for me.

And the disappointment is actually increased because there has been so much anticipation and hype surrounding the WWOHP. So many of us have followed the development of the WWOHP. We’ve devoured the information about the area. We’ve saved money and allocated our vacation dollars to stay at a Universal Resort and experience everything that the WWOHP has to offer.

And now that it has opened, it’s disappointing to realize that after all the buzz and excitement, I may not be able to experience the only NEW ride offered in the WWOHP. It’s really too bad that Universal created an experience that is so restrictive when there has been so much hype around it, and features characters that are so beloved by so many people.

(As a side note, I have to say that I think Universal made a huge mistake by not creating a new attraction that could be experienced by entire family, as I’m sure there are a lot of Harry Potter fans who are under the 48 inch height limit but that’s not really on topic for this thread).

I am trying to lose some weight, and I will certainly try to get on the ride because I may very well make it even at my current weight.

I’m just grateful that I know about this in advance so that I can prepare myself for the possibility that I may not be able to experience this ride. I feel bad for the families who don’t read this board and get there to find out that someone can’t ride because of their size. I just imagine a family who has read and reread the books together who get there and realize that dad can’t ride with them because he is too big for the ride.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm sure that they will if they can, they have absolutely no vested interest in keeping people from enjoying their experience

Good point. Why would they want to keep people from spending money at their parks?

 

[keishashadow]

You can never satisfy everyone. People would complain that they paid for parking so that you should put the seats before you pay for that. Or people would complain that they paid for airfare, so you should put seats in every airport. It will never make everyone happy.

The reason there are restrictions is that people can be harmed. People with vertigo can feel very sick, people with back problems can incur more problems, people who don't fit the restraints can be injured if the restraints release. All are safety limitations for the person riding.

yes, but as many of us age, the potential to develop health issues can crop up...thankfully, not all conditions are a constant concern. Many issues (example vertigo, back stuff) can be managed via meds & judicious selection vs wrapping one's self in bubble wrap & standing by the wayside.

there are safety regs for everybody to follow, not just the ones posted on the signs that Legal sez they have to post to cover their As.

I certainly appreciate the posted warnings (but consider them more of a guideline than a mandate), ultimately it's up to the individual to decide whether they want to attempt to enjoy the attraction...naturally, while holding the park harmless...

which is why im still trying to find out what the degree of pressure is from the restraint & where it is applied on one's torso.

 

[02134_HHN]

Yes, I'm a doctor. I also understand that if you intake less energy than you expend, you won't be morbidly obese.

I call BS on that! Or, if you are a doctor, I can't imagine anyone throwing out that "99%" nonsense.

 

[Orlando313]

I think one of the reasons why people are upset about the weight/size restriction on this ride is not so much that there is one, but more so because it is a lot more restrictive than the other rides and attractions in the Orlando area. People who never had an issue with getting on attractions before aren’t able to ride this one because the size limits seem to be significantly more restrictive than we have experienced at the theme parks in the Orlando area.

I am overweight, and I am not sure if I will be able to fit on the seats. I am probably right on the borderline and could go either way at this point. I truly appreciate everyone who has been open about sharing their experiences. Some days, I read the reports and think I have nothing to worry about. Other days, I read the reports and think there is no chance for me to ride the FJ.

I have been to all of the Disney parks in the US, some local parks, and Universal Orlando. My weight has never restricted me from experiencing a ride I wanted to go on. Sometimes it may be a tight fit, but I’ve never been denied access to a ride. I did have one flying swing ride I chose not to ride because I didn’t feel that I would be comfortable enough to ride after testing the seat--I could have ridden, but I made the choice not to. I will admit that at one point, I was carrying a bit more weight, and I did have to use the modified seats on the IOA coasters, but on my last trip, I had lost enough weight to be able to sit in the regular seats.

My weight has never kept me from doing anything I wanted. I have never had to buy an extra seat at an airplane. I have never been denied access to a seat at a theatre or arena. So knowing that there is a very good chance that I may not be able to experience the FJ at my current size is a very new experience for me.

And the disappointment is actually increased because there has been so much anticipation and hype surrounding the WWOHP. So many of us have followed the development of the WWOHP. We’ve devoured the information about the area. We’ve saved money and allocated our vacation dollars to stay at a Universal Resort and experience everything that the WWOHP has to offer.

And now that it has opened, it’s disappointing to realize that after all the buzz and excitement, I may not be able to experience the only NEW ride offered in the WWOHP. It’s really too bad that Universal created an experience that is so restrictive when there has been so much hype around it, and features characters that are so beloved by so many people.

(As a side note, I have to say that I think Universal made a huge mistake by not creating a new attraction that could be experienced by entire family, as I’m sure there are a lot of Harry Potter fans who are under the 48 inch height limit but that’s not really on topic for this thread).

I am trying to lose some weight, and I will certainly try to get on the ride because I may very well make it even at my current weight.

I’m just grateful that I know about this in advance so that I can prepare myself for the possibility that I may not be able to experience this ride. I feel bad for the families who don’t read this board and get there to find out that someone can’t ride because of their size. I just imagine a family who has read and reread the books together who get there and realize that dad can’t ride with them because he is too big for the ride.

I agree with you on this one. I was sad that my parents won't get to ride because it's too intense and my mother has severe claustrophobia. I know they're trying to push the envelope on new technology, but Harry Potter is something to be enjoyed by all, however, the ride can't be enjoyed by all.

 

[Rip]

I call BS on that! Or, if you are a doctor, I can't imagine anyone throwing out that "99%" nonsense.

Of course you can't, because you didn't pay attention to exactly what I said.

 

[Rip]

Good point. Why would they want to keep people from spending money at their parks?

Because they apparently hate fat people....

 

[Magpie]

I call BS on that! Or, if you are a doctor, I can't imagine anyone throwing out that "99%" nonsense.

Why not? My doctor says that sort of thing all the time. "99 percent" doesn't mean exactly one out of a hundred, it means "MOST people".

When my husband's triglycerides came back and it wasn't looking good, our doctor called our house. He got me. He told me all about my husband's test results (which maybe he shouldn't have, but I'm glad he did) and I said, "My man's going on a diet. Today!"

Nine months of diet-and-exercise later, my husband's at a healthy weight, his stats look great, and our doctor says he's not going to have to take blood pressure meds after all. I think I can easily keep cooking like this for the rest of our lives. No problem!

And even though we started this before the WWOHP opened, it's sure nice to know my husband will now be able to ride without any trouble.

 

[Rip]

Why not? My doctor says that sort of thing all the time. "99 percent" doesn't mean exactly one out of a hundred, it means "MOST people".

When my husband's triglycerides came back and it wasn't looking good, our doctor called our house. He got me. He told me all about my husband's test results (which maybe he shouldn't have, but I'm glad he did) and I said, "My man's going on a diet. Today!"

Nine months of diet-and-exercise later, my husband's at a healthy weight, his stats look great, and our doctor says he's not going to have to take blood pressure meds after all. I think I can easily keep cooking like this for the rest of our lives. No problem!

And even though we started this before the WWOHP opened, it's sure nice to know my husband will now be able to ride without any trouble.

Thank you, I didn't realize people would get so technical (though it is interesting to note that they ignored the rest of that post where I explained exactly what I meant by that).

 

[02134_HHN]

She signed up for the sole purpose of complaining and trying to compare a safety issue on a ride to actual discrimination.

Just because someone *just* signed up, doesn't mean they haven't been viewing posts here for ages. Maybe even longer than YOU! <GASP>

There is real discrimination. That's as true as the day is long. It's nice for you if you don't know how that feels, but trust me, it's there. But aside from that, U.S. obviously decided to put together the ride in a sort of test mode to see how it would go, and then (if the rumors are true) will make adjustments later. I don't know about you, but I'm not crazy about being a guinea pig. I'll bet the workers there have to make hash marks every time someone gets rejected, so the company can use that info to determine what changes need to be made.

If you go back to the beginning of this thread, you can pinpoint the moment when it all went bad, and it was when someone made a discriminatory - or if you prefer, bigoted, biased, intolerant, whatever you want to call it, technically - remark about how fat people should stop whining about how they can't get on the rides, and just put the fork down already.

paraphrasing of course!

I for one am not a poster, but this really burned me up, enough for me to mention it.

If it's anything an fat person knows, it's that they are fat! No need to drive the point home. But what regular weight people don't know about being fat could fill up Yankee Stadium! Fat people know one thing: you all (skinny folks) don't know what you're talking about. No offense. If I was thin, I would assume I was that way because of my lifestyle. You have no idea that we can have the same lifestyle and have drastically different weights.

I'm just saying to you Fat-Haters. Just knock it off please, and maybe the topic can go back to being about the ride. Even when you try to be nice about it, we read your discrimination between the lines, and we will most definitely get ticked off. Wouldn't you?

 

[plutotek]

Also, are you a doctor? Do you work closely with people trying to lose weight? If not, I wouldn't go quoting statistics about "99% of people." Learn some facts before trying to quote them.

And what statistics/facts beyond the anecdotal do you have to back up the alleged 'discrimination' against the obese being perpetrated by US/IOA? Geez, it's a ride in an amusement park, not an situation you will be faced with on a daily basis.

 

[damo]

I think one of the reasons why people are upset about the weight/size restriction on this ride is not so much that there is one, but more so because it is a lot more restrictive than the other rides and attractions in the Orlando area. People who never had an issue with getting on attractions before aren’t able to ride this one because the size limits seem to be significantly more restrictive than we have experienced at the theme parks in the Orlando area.

I am overweight, and I am not sure if I will be able to fit on the seats. I am probably right on the borderline and could go either way at this point. I truly appreciate everyone who has been open about sharing their experiences. Some days, I read the reports and think I have nothing to worry about. Other days, I read the reports and think there is no chance for me to ride the FJ.

I have been to all of the Disney parks in the US, some local parks, and Universal Orlando. My weight has never restricted me from experiencing a ride I wanted to go on. Sometimes it may be a tight fit, but I’ve never been denied access to a ride. I did have one flying swing ride I chose not to ride because I didn’t feel that I would be comfortable enough to ride after testing the seat--I could have ridden, but I made the choice not to. I will admit that at one point, I was carrying a bit more weight, and I did have to use the modified seats on the IOA coasters, but on my last trip, I had lost enough weight to be able to sit in the regular seats.

My weight has never kept me from doing anything I wanted. I have never had to buy an extra seat at an airplane. I have never been denied access to a seat at a theatre or arena. So knowing that there is a very good chance that I may not be able to experience the FJ at my current size is a very new experience for me.

And the disappointment is actually increased because there has been so much anticipation and hype surrounding the WWOHP. So many of us have followed the development of the WWOHP. We’ve devoured the information about the area. We’ve saved money and allocated our vacation dollars to stay at a Universal Resort and experience everything that the WWOHP has to offer.

And now that it has opened, it’s disappointing to realize that after all the buzz and excitement, I may not be able to experience the only NEW ride offered in the WWOHP. It’s really too bad that Universal created an experience that is so restrictive when there has been so much hype around it, and features characters that are so beloved by so many people.

(As a side note, I have to say that I think Universal made a huge mistake by not creating a new attraction that could be experienced by entire family, as I’m sure there are a lot of Harry Potter fans who are under the 48 inch height limit but that’s not really on topic for this thread).

I am trying to lose some weight, and I will certainly try to get on the ride because I may very well make it even at my current weight.

I’m just grateful that I know about this in advance so that I can prepare myself for the possibility that I may not be able to experience this ride. I feel bad for the families who don’t read this board and get there to find out that someone can’t ride because of their size. I just imagine a family who has read and reread the books together who get there and realize that dad can’t ride with them because he is too big for the ride.

Nobody on this board is happy when someone can't ride. However, Universal is all about thrill rides and I am sure that that was one of the reasons that Rowling chose Universal. Extreme thrill rides always come with restrictions.

Perhaps the castle should have been two rides. One just being a ride through the castle to look at the stuff going on (similar to Disney's attractions) and the other being the FJ ride.

 

[damo]

Just because someone *just* signed up, doesn't mean they haven't been viewing posts here for ages. Maybe even longer than YOU! <GASP>

There is real discrimination. That's as true as the day is long. It's nice for you if you don't know how that feels, but trust me, it's there. But aside from that, U.S. obviously decided to put together the ride in a sort of test mode to see how it would go, and then (if the rumors are true) will make adjustments later. I don't know about you, but I'm not crazy about being a guinea pig. I'll bet the workers there have to make hash marks every time someone gets rejected, so the company can use that info to determine what changes need to be made.

If you go back to the beginning of this thread, you can pinpoint the moment when it all went bad, and it was when someone made a discriminatory - or if you prefer, bigoted, biased, intolerant, whatever you want to call it, technically - remark about how fat people should stop whining about how they can't get on the rides, and just put the fork down already.

paraphrasing of course!

I for one am not a poster, but this really burned me up, enough for me to mention it.

If it's anything an fat person knows, it's that they are fat! No need to drive the point home. But what regular weight people don't know about being fat could fill up Yankee Stadium! Fat people know one thing: you all (skinny folks) don't know what you're talking about. No offense. If I was thin, I would assume I was that way because of my lifestyle. You have no idea that we can have the same lifestyle and have drastically different weights.

I'm just saying to you Fat-Haters. Just knock it off please, and maybe the topic can go back to being about the ride. Even when you try to be nice about it, we read your discrimination between the lines, and we will most definitely get ticked off. Wouldn't you?

That discriminatory remark was made by a person who themselves fit into the category they were discriminating against. Is that still discrimination?

 

[Rip]

Just because someone *just* signed up, doesn't mean they haven't been viewing posts here for ages. Maybe even longer than YOU! <GASP>

As I said, she signed up (I never addressed how long she lurked) specifically to complain and play the victim on this thread and compare being overweight to being black, gay, Jewish, etc.

There is real discrimination. That's as true as the day is long. It's nice for you if you don't know how that feels, but trust me, it's there. But aside from that, U.S. obviously decided to put together the ride in a sort of test mode to see how it would go, and then (if the rumors are true) will make adjustments later. I don't know about you, but I'm not crazy about being a guinea pig. I'll bet the workers there have to make hash marks every time someone gets rejected, so the company can use that info to determine what changes need to be made.

And I'll bet you don't have the foggiest idea what you're talking about. You have no idea if there was any kind of "test mode" or even if any of those rumors are true.

If you go back to the beginning of this thread, you can pinpoint the moment when it all went bad, and it was when someone made a discriminatory - or if you prefer, bigoted, biased, intolerant, whatever you want to call it, technically - remark about how fat people should stop whining about how they can't get on the rides, and just put the fork down already.

paraphrasing of course!

I for one am not a poster, but this really burned me up, enough for me to mention it.

If it's anything an fat person knows, it's that they are fat! No need to drive the point home. But what regular weight people don't know about being fat could fill up Yankee Stadium! Fat people know one thing: you all (skinny folks) don't know what you're talking about. No offense. If I was thin, I would assume I was that way because of my lifestyle. You have no idea that we can have the same lifestyle and have drastically different weights.

I'm just saying to you Fat-Haters. Just knock it off please, and maybe the topic can go back to being about the ride. Even when you try to be nice about it, we read your discrimination between the lines, and we will most definitely get ticked off. Wouldn't you?

Actually, it would go back just fine if some of you would stop acting like perpetual victims every time someone says something that you don't like. Seems as though there are a certain number of folks that feel entitled to do whatever everyone else does, and if that means that a theme park has to "kiddie down" a ride to the detriment of everyone else, so be it. Personally, I don't expect them to cater to me.

And apparently the one thing you DO NOT know is that if you expend more calories than you intake, you WILL NOT BE MORBIDLY OBESE.

 

[Magpie]

Nobody on this board is happy when someone can't ride. However, Universal is all about thrill rides and I am sure that that was one of the reasons that Rowling chose Universal. Extreme thrill rides always come with restrictions.

Perhaps the castle should have been two rides. One just being a ride through the castle to look at the stuff going on (similar to Disney's attractions) and the other being the FJ ride.

Except, doesn't FJ already offer that? Only instead of getting carted through the queue, you have to actually walk.

Or use a wheelchair...

 

[donaldduck352]