Manta - what do you do with your stuff?

[Veater]

I've read that you can lose things riding Manta - cellphones, hats, shoes(?). Are there lockers close by? If so, what is the cost? How important is it to really empty your pockets? THANKS!

 

[mhf]

And if you are answering the OP, please also inclulde eyeglasses...I can't see 2 feet in front of me without mine and our whole family wears some type of prescription glasses as well. Are eyeglasses apt to fall off?

 

[smallworldnh]

And if you are answering the OP, please also inclulde eyeglasses...I can't see 2 feet in front of me without mine and our whole family wears some type of prescription glasses as well. Are eyeglasses apt to fall off?

There are lockers very close by and they cost .50. As for eyeglasses, I would not suggest wearing them as i think you'd lose them very easily. I was wearing flip flops and they made me remove them and place them in a basket/shelf type thing that is right where you get onto the cars. Maybe you can leave your glasses there while you're riding? You can easily retrieve them when the ride stops and you disembark.

 

[tlrotzoll]

And if you are answering the OP, please also inclulde eyeglasses...I can't see 2 feet in front of me without mine and our whole family wears some type of prescription glasses as well. Are eyeglasses apt to fall off?

My boys made fun of me last year, however, I purchased a strap for my glasses at one of the kiosks in Universal (I would imagine they have some at SW as well - or just pick some up before you go). It was great! As we went in & out of places, I didn't worry about losing mine, just took them off & they hung around my neck. If I was riding something & I wanted to wear them, but not lose them, I just made them tight around my head. That reminds me, I need to find mine - we are leaving on Thursday!

 

[Pax]

You will quite probably lose your glasses. Bring a strap and cinch it tight. They have signs everywhere to that effect. We of course were too cunning for such warnings.

My wife's flew off after the first hill two weeks ago. Our very first ride was without joy or elation. It was mostly just the panic.

They are of course very expensive spectacles...

We looked forever...even after the exit door ride attendant said, "it's over ground, but they most likely shattered". Twenty minutes into the search, a couple staffers asked us to obey the "stay off the grass" signs and started searching for us. A staffer named Mark just asked where we thought they fell (I was sure it wouldn't matter, as I'd been a professional telemetry analyst for at least a half hour now, and I couldn't find 'em), toddled off to completely the wrong area (according to my expert calculations ), and returned in less than three minutes, glasses in hand, intact, and scratch free.

It would have been awkward for the guy if I did it I'm sure, so I made my wife hug him. Then we stopped at guest services and filled out a special comment form with all the praise the wife could fit on the lines allotted. (As an aside, every theme park has a system for receiving guest comments or praise on behalf of employees. The staff always seem amazed when we use said system for other than a complaint. We expect a great deal from our park staff people, and whine when we don't get it. Please, PLEASE remember to tell guest services, or a supervisor, when a staffer/cast member/team member/whatever has done you a solid. Take the time. It's worth it, and I bet it's appreciated. /preaching)

Someone else on this board reported losing a phone or camera out of a velcro-sealed cargo pocket. Please consider a locker, leaving things with a non-rider, or taking extreme precautions.

Don't have the first ride we did!

Pax

 

[inkkognito]

It is very, very important to empty your pockets on Manta. I had a water bottle smooshed way the heck down in my jeans pockets and Manta pulled it right out.

 

[Veater]

Thanks for the experiences. I wondered about this and would hate to lose a cellphone or eyeglasses. We will probably use the locker close by. This helps a lot in planning.

 

[Dolphina]

I hope I won't lose my contact lenses...

 

[cthimes]

I have been told to get rid of anything that could fall off. As far as contacts, you should be fine.

Chris

 

[SandrA9810]

So I wear my glasses on anything and everything and I have NOT lost my glasses. And I've ridden it ten times. However, i wear child frames and they're slightly tighter on my head in comparrison to adult frames.

I have not had anything in my pockets fall out, such as my wallet or loose change or cell phone. Of course if you have bigger opening or not very deep pockets, I could see stuff falling out. You usually can find quite a bit of change laying on the ground when you go up, but because the way the seats are, it's hard to jump down and grab it after the ride, although I've seen some kids grab the change.

There's lockers right between the entrance and exit and it's 50-75cents. It's one time use so if you open it, you have to put in more change to use it again. There's usually some one standing there to give you change... maybe they'll put in a change machine soon enough.
There's also an unsecured cabinet in between the two loading stations. And hanging baskets on the exit gates for smaller items like sunglasses. Just remember if they're loading both stations you will end up on the opposite side.

I've left my refillable cup in the center storage. They do keep the exit gate open long enough for you to place your items there and get back into the seat.

 

[Pink Flamingo]

There's lockers right between the entrance and exit and it's 50-75cents. It's one time use so if you open it, you have to put in more change to use it again. There's usually some one standing there to give you change... maybe they'll put in a change machine soon enough.

They have a change machine there now - we used it on Wed.

 

[f86sabjf]

yes they do isn't it funny how the simple things make life easier. .50 for storage and not ruining your vacation.

 

[inkkognito]

Just for yucks, I decided to do a Manta experiment last night. DH and I like to do marathon sessions anyway, so last night we did a 10-ride block with three rides in rows 1 and 2, three rows in 7 and 8 (last row), and the rest in various middle rows. If you go to SW late, the line is pretty much non-existent. I wasn't going to take a chance with my glasses, but I got one of those micro water bottles and wore my pants with the deepest pockets. I jammed the bottle down and tied one end of a string to its neck and one end to my belt loop. Here are the results:

-Backmost and frontmost rows pose the most danger. It stayed in pretty good in the middle rows but flew out more than once in the others.

-It starts to dislodge in that vicious first loop and then flies out when you go through the next element.

-If you really, really tighten down the reestaint it helps to keep stuff in, but you'd also not going to breathe too well (especially if you've laying on your chest in the break run for a while). It's better to give yourself a bit of chest expansion room and just leave your stuff in a locker.

Those "scientific" results pretty much backed up what I've noticed in dozens of other rides. Suffice to say if you want to bring it home with you with 100 percent certainty, don't take it on Manta no matter how deep your pockets are.

Also, a tip: They like to bring the train into the opposite side of the station from where you started, so you'll have to go to the other side to retrieve stuff you leave in the station.

 

[Pink Flamingo]

Great "scientific research" report inkkognito! Wish I had been able to ride Manta 10 times when we were there this past week, but alas we had to fit in rides & shows all in 1 day. We rode Manta twice & loved it.

 

[MelanieC]

I don't remember getting a locker last time - are there cubes to put your stuff at the ride?

 

[inkkognito]

I think they're hanging "nets" but I wouldn't put anything in that you don't want someone to steal because everyone getting off the ride has access to them.