FOP...are the restraints really necessary?

[DisneyMom74]

I've not ridden FOP yet, but have Fastpasses for a March trip. I've read repeatedly about people of certain sizes and dimensions not being able to ride because of the restraint system. Being a plus size gal, I'm a little nervous. But I'm truly interested in whether people that have ridden it think the restraints are necessary in their current state? Going strictly by what I've read, and pictures I've seen, I'm not sure I understand why there would need to be such restrictive restraints. Like the legs having to be in locked in a certain position. Can someone that has ridden it explain why you have to be so confined?

 

[BigAlsGal]

I've not ridden FOP yet, but have Fastpasses for a March trip. I've read repeatedly about people of certain sizes and dimensions not being able to ride because of the restraint system. Being a plus size gal, I'm a little nervous. But I'm truly interested in whether people that have ridden it think the restraints are necessary in their current state? Going strictly by what I've read, and pictures I've seen, I'm not sure I understand why there would need to be such restrictive restraints. Like the legs having to be in locked in a certain position. Can someone that has ridden it explain why you have to be so confined?

I would say yes they are absolutely needed. What if some child got scared and attempted to jump off the bike? Or an adult for that matter?

 

[Liljo22]

I have not ridden but the ride vehicle is at the edge of the platform and the platform pops up and down about 3-4 ft. Given the movement and the setup of the ride vehicle, restraints from behind seem like the best choice to keep someone from falling forward. If the platform was stationary, they could get away with a less restrictive restraint.

This video shows the amount of movement there is. The camera is in the stationary bin behind the vehicle.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Yes they are. Part of the experience is that you feel the banshee.

 

[gap2368]

I would say yes they are absolutely needed. What if some child got scared and attempted to jump off the bike? Or an adult for that matter?

An adult did try (and did get off) the CM had to do an E stop Op there is a test set out side the line you can see if the ride will work for you

 

[HopperFan]

I've not ridden FOP yet, but have Fastpasses for a March trip. I've read repeatedly about people of certain sizes and dimensions not being able to ride because of the restraint system. Being a plus size gal, I'm a little nervous. But I'm truly interested in whether people that have ridden it think the restraints are necessary in their current state? Going strictly by what I've read, and pictures I've seen, I'm not sure I understand why there would need to be such restrictive restraints. Like the legs having to be in locked in a certain position. Can someone that has ridden it explain why you have to be so confined?

Without a LONG story this ride and going back to last spring posts, was of great concern for me (terrified of heights and HATE Soarin') and my DS who is disabled with FoP having a setup that could trigger issues for him.

YES YES YES, they are important.

Your vehicle is right at the edge of a drop and could somewhat be compared to Soarin' so you might say .... well a seat belt would do and the vehicles are side by side so it would take a great effort to climb over the front to fall off.

BUT the floor moves, a good bit. Your vehicle will tilt left, right and forward much more so than a Soarin' seat. Soarin' has a back, a large seat and arms on either side of you. This vehicle has no back, a small motorcycle type seat and no sides at all. If you were to get up, you would not be able to maintain balance because the floor is always moving, a lot, to stay in sync with the movie and for you to feel you are flying.

The biggest issue is the floor breaks away from the back of the room. As it moves there are a couple feet of gap between your floor and the back wall floor. This gap opens and closes throughout the ride. I watched all around the room my first ride just to take in the mechanics. Should someone get out, they'd likely fall as the floor moves, slide back towards the gap and without any more description it could be really really bad.

Disney can take no chances that someone would attempt to stand or get out of their seat. Unlike Soarin' where you are hanging and likely stay put, FoP there is that comfort that you are just "in a room".

AND in front of you could be a 1, 2 or 3 story drop.

 

[CAS239]

If they weren't needed they wouldn't be there

 

[AngiTN]

Do they need them? Yes
Do they need them exactly as they have them? Harder to say
But they wouldn't have something if they didn't need them.
I will say that never, have I felt the restraint kept me on the bike, so if you are using that type of definition of "need", like say a shoulder restraint on a coaster that goes upside down, then no, they don't "need" them. But they do need something to prevent stupid people from doing something stupid because without them, people would stand up. And I'm not talking about kids who don't truly know better I'm talking about adults are do stupid things because they can.

 

[DisneyMom74]

Without a LONG story this ride and going back to last spring posts, was of great concern for me (terrified of heights and HATE Soarin') and my DS who is disabled with FoP having a setup that could trigger issues for him.

YES YES YES, they are important.

Your vehicle is right at the edge of a drop and could somewhat be prepared to Soarin' so you might say .... well a seat belt would do and the vehicles are side by side so it would take a great effort to climb over the front to fall off.

BUT the floor moves, a good bit. Your vehicle will tilt left, right and forward much more so than a Soarin' seat. Soarin' has a back, a large seat and arms on either side of you. This vehicle has no back, a small motorcycle type seat and no sides at all. If you were to get up, you would not be able to maintain balance because the floor is always moving, a lot, to stay in sync with the movie and for you to feel you are flying.

The biggest issue is the floor breaks away from the back of the room. As it moves there are a couple feet of gap between your floor and the back wall floor. This gap opens and closes throughout the ride. I watched all around the room my first ride just to take in the mechanics. Should someone get out, they'd likely fall as the floor moves, slide back towards the gap and without any more description it could be really really bad.

Disney can take no chances that someone would attempt to stand or get out of their seat. Unlike Soarin' where you are hanging and likely stay put, FoP there is that comfort that you are just "in a room". AND in front of you could be a 1, 2 or 3 story drop.

Thank you!!! I didn't understand how it worked besides "the motorcycle thing tilts side to side", for which I didn't understand the need for such restrictive restraints. This explains so much more!

 

[DisneyMom74]

I have not ridden but the ride vehicle is at the edge of the platform and the platform pops up and down about 3-4 ft. Given the movement and the setup of the ride vehicle, restraints from behind seem like the best choice to keep someone from falling forward. If the platform was stationary, they could get away with a less restrictive restraint.

This video shows the amount of movement there is. The camera is in the stationary bin behind the vehicle.

Wow! That is a lot of movement! Thanks!

 

[DisneyMom74]

Do they need them? Yes
Do they need them exactly as they have them? Harder to say
But they wouldn't have something if they didn't need them.
I will say that never, have I felt the restraint kept me on the bike, so if you are using that type of definition of "need", like say a shoulder restraint on a coaster that goes upside down, then no, they don't "need" them. But they do need something to prevent stupid people from doing something stupid because without them, people would stand up. And I'm not talking about kids who don't truly know better I'm talking about adults are do stupid things because they can.

I guess maybe that's what I'm saying...Does it literally hold you on to it, or just keep you from getting up? Because if it's just to keep you from getting up, and it's not from a true "if you aren't held onto this thing you'll fall off", it seems like they could make the restraints more adjustable, then more people could ride it.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Yes, they are needed. Someone could get very hurt or killed if they got off of their bike during the ride. There are a lot of moving pieces.

 

[hllb]

OK, I'll be the odd man out. I don't think the restraints need to be as restrictive as they are. Yes, restraints are needed, but seemed like pretty big overkill to me.

 

[Mome Rath]

Yes, absolutely they are needed as they are. Long story(ies) short I have seen with my own eyes the idiocy of some park guests on fast moving rides. Those guests do not care for their own safety or anyone else's. On this ride, indeed they are needed and I hope they don't sacrifice safety for any reason.

 

[AngiTN]

I guess maybe that's what I'm saying...Does it literally hold you on to it, or just keep you from getting up? Because if it's just to keep you from getting up, and it's not from a true "if you aren't held onto this thing you'll fall off", it seems like they could make the restraints more adjustable, then more people could ride it.

The numbers who can't ride are very tiny. That doesn't mean they can't make adjustments to them but really, they have so few who can't ride it's just not something worth adjusting and risk injury to someone. Because it is there 90% to keep you from getting up, not from falling off. So they can't adjust them much. Because folks would get up. Heck, I was stuck on HM once and darned if a guest in the doombuggy next to me didn't climb out of her buggy so her companion could take a photo of her doing a handstand next to a part of the attraction. So one day you may see the bar come down tighter so they can stop a guest from lifting it up just slightly and climbing out
Facts are there are rides some people can't ride. As someone who has been turned away from rides elsewhere, I get it, it's disappointing. But, it's the way it is.
I fully understand they have to design them for the lowest common denominator (in this case, the dumbest guest who will get up just to test it) and they have to err on the side of overly protective/cautious. Because there is one thing I know, Disney wants you to be hurt on a ride even less than you want to be hurt on a ride.

 

[gmar1210]

I keep read a few threads about these upset guests who are too large for the ride. Isn't there a test bike before you jump in the line to see if you fit?

 

[AngiTN]

I keep read a few threads about these upset guests who are too large for the ride. Isn't there a test bike before you jump in the line to see if you fit?

Yes.

 

[KelNChrisKYDis]

I keep read a few threads about these upset guests who are too large for the ride. Isn't there a test bike before you jump in the line to see if you fit?

I never saw it, but I thought there was, maybe behind the attraction? I'm not sure where it is. My husband is a bigger guy, about 6'1" and over 300lbs, with large calves and a big belly/trunk area. He was snug, but he fit without issue.

 

[AngiTN]

I never saw it, but I thought there was, maybe behind the attraction? I'm not sure where it is. My husband is a bigger guy, about 6'1" and over 300lbs, with large calves and a big belly/trunk area. He was snug, but he fit without issue.

It's right out in the front and more or less across from the entrance to the ride. I say more or less because it's what I'd call kitty/corner

OP, despite how some make it sound, as PP's DH found out, only a very few don't fit. It's not a wide-spread issue with lots not fitting

 

[KelNChrisKYDis]

It's right out in the front and more or less across from the entrance to the ride. I say more or less because it's what I'd call kitty/corner

OP, despite how some make it sound, as PP's DH found out, only a very few don't fit. It's not a wide-spread issue with lots not fitting

I can totally see it in my head now that you've said that. Is there a different ride at Disney that has the test seat somewhere less obvious? I swear I remember hearing that about an attraction once.