Fat Profiling

[jellyd]

Wow....Just listening to WWOHP podcast....Can't believe that Universal would design a ride that is so restrictive....I'm at a loss for word....5'10" 230 is too fat to ride the new Harry Potter ride.....this is gonna be a huge PR nightmare for Universal...

 

[safetymom]

I am hoping they are going overboard while it isn't officially open. If this continues they have a PR nightmare.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I'm still waiting for the podcast to show up on iTunes, but from what I've read, the ride apparently does not work if it's too "heavy". It then takes 45 minutes to evacuate, and another hour at least, to reset.

Why it's designed that way, I have no idea. Really dumb. But it seems there's little they can do about it now.

 

[taylor3297]

Wow....Just listening to WWOHP podcast....Can't believe that Universal would design a ride that is so restrictive....I'm at a loss for word....5'10" 230 is too fat to ride the new Harry Potter ride.....this is gonna be a huge PR nightmare for Universal...

That will elminate people who are of normal weight for their height. My neighbor is 6'6" and 235 pounds and he isn't overweight at all.

 

[bostontim]

Sounds like they're going to have to reinforce it to handle larger guests...this isn't going to fly (no pun intended). Very poor foresight.

 

[Metro West]

I am hoping they are going overboard while it isn't officially open. If this continues they have a PR nightmare.

I saw somewhere online that they are still trying to figure out what size is too large.

 

[safetymom]

We heard people mentioning that they could ride it one day and not the next. I don't like the idea of them pulling you out of line after you wanted in the queue.

 

[Metro West]

We heard people mentioning that they could ride it one day and not the next. I don't like the idea of them pulling you out of line after you wanted in the queue.

I don't either...that's going to make people really upset! I know I can't ride it because of high blood pressure but I would like to see as much of the queue as I can before skipping out but I damn sure don't want to be pulled out in front of everyone when I'm not going to ride it in the first place.

 

[mdvlprof]

Wow....Just listening to WWOHP podcast....Can't believe that Universal would design a ride that is so restrictive....I'm at a loss for word....5'10" 230 is too fat to ride the new Harry Potter ride.....this is gonna be a huge PR nightmare for Universal...

'Leaves out more than 1 in 5 people'. Around here, that's almost 1/2 the people.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

That is nuts all my nephews are 6'2" and about 230 and by no means overweight. This is going to be a nightmare. My husband is thin and close to that limit. Unreal.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

That is nuts all my nephews are 6'2" and about 230 and by no means overweight. This is going to be a nightmare. My husband is thin and close to that limit. Unreal.

I don't think there is a universal (no pun intended) standard for what height/weight they won't allow on. It just matters what your proportions are/if you fit in the seat. A lot of it, from what I hear, has to do with how wide your shoulders are.

 

[mefordis]

Wow....Just listening to WWOHP podcast....Can't believe that Universal would design a ride that is so restrictive....I'm at a loss for word....5'10" 230 is too fat to ride the new Harry Potter ride.....this is gonna be a huge PR nightmare for Universal...

Where can I find the WWOHP podcast? NEVERMIND! JUST FOUND IT!!!

thanks!

 

[FireDancer]

I don't think there is a universal (no pun intended) standard for what height/weight they won't allow on. It just matters what your proportions are/if you fit in the seat. A lot of it, from what I hear, has to do with how wide your shoulders are.

Exactly. That is why using BMI in isolation to determine if you are overweight or not is a bad idea. Two people can be approximately the same height and weight and have very different body types which would keep only one of the two from fitting in a ride vehicle.

I wouldn't exactly call having height, weight, or size restrictions "fat profiling". The more extreme the forces that act on a body the more likely there will be more restrictive requirements. Since I was not on the design team, which is good for everyone involved as I am no engineer, I imagine that the restrictions are as high as US or their underwriter would allow without taming the ride, and that isn't a good option either. There is always going to be a trade off on extreme rides, look at Cedar Point.

 

[MelissaFromRI]

Wow....Just listening to WWOHP podcast....Can't believe that Universal would design a ride that is so restrictive....I'm at a loss for word....5'10" 230 is too fat to ride the new Harry Potter ride.....this is gonna be a huge PR nightmare for Universal...

I don't have all that much interest in Universal Studios or Harry Potter , but as a bigger gal who has fought weight all my life , I find it really offensive that Universal will take my money to get into their park , but they don't care whether or not I can ride the rides.

 

[mefordis]

Sorry, but what do you mean by look at Cedar Point? Just curious. I LOVE Cedar Point, went there throughout my childhood!

Exactly. That is why using BMI in isolation to determine if you are overweight or not is a bad idea. Two people can be approximately the same height and weight and have very different body types which would keep only one of the two from fitting in a ride vehicle.

I wouldn't exactly call having height, weight, or size restrictions "fat profiling". The more extreme the forces that act on a body the more likely there will be more restrictive requirements. Since I was not on the design team, which is good for everyone involved as I am no engineer, I imagine that the restrictions are as high as US or their underwriter would allow without taming the ride, and that isn't a good option either. There is always going to be a trade off on extreme rides, look at Cedar Point.

 

[kaligal]

Leaves out more than 1 in 5 people. Around here, that's almost 1/2 the people.

This is driving me bonkers, lol. I know you mean something, but I can't figure it out. How does 20% of the people work out to about 50% of the people?

Sorry, but what do you mean by look at Cedar Point?

He means that there are plenty of rides that large people can't ride at CP, too. Not all rides are made to hold every single person on the planet.

The young will grow and the fat can lose weight, but the too short and too tall are just out of luck. It sucks, but that's the way it is.

 

[derekburgan]

This is driving me bonkers, lol. I know you mean something, but I can't figure it out. How does 20% of the people work out to about 50% of the people?

He means that there are plenty of rides that large people can't ride at CP, too. Not all rides are made to hold every single person on the planet.

The young will grow and the fat can lose weight, but the too short and too tall are just out of luck. It sucks, but that's the way it is.

Sounds like he means about 20% of a "real world" sampling wouldn't be fit enough to ride, but more along the lines of 50% in an environment like this.

I'm glad you brought it up, because I thought it might be a stupid question (or one covered in many threads) to ask why don't short people get so violently upset about not being let on rides. I've seen people measured for height requirements for lots of rides over the years and have never seen them get as upset some of the posts I have read here (although the anonymity probably has something to do with that). I also don't completely understand why such a high percentage feel embarrassed. The rides have restrictions. Do people who get carded at bars feel "embarrassed" to this degree? The TMs have to make a decision and the only correct way to do that is to put someone in a ride so it isn't a judgement call. How is that embarrassing someone any more than telling someone who is 3'9" that they aren't tall enough to ride?

There must be something I'm not seeing because it doesn't make sense why so many other groups of people who can't get on thrill rides don't become so upset.

 

[FireDancer]

Sorry, but what do you mean by look at Cedar Point? Just curious. I LOVE Cedar Point, went there throughout my childhood!

He means that there are plenty of rides that large people can't ride at CP, too. Not all rides are made to hold every single person on the planet.

This. I have a friend who used to work at Cedar Point but was too large to ride some of the coasters there. I was too short for much longer then most of society to ride a lot of them. They have reasons for both minimum and maximum heights/sizes for safety. I doubt it is to purposely exclude anyone but at some point there is a trade off that has to be made. Do you change the geometry of the ride so that you can alter the restraint system or settle on a compromise that balances the two?

I have no desire to go to WWoHP so I have no dog in the hunt but it seems from many posts like people are under the impression that the engineers sat around and designed a ride to purposely exclude either 20% or 50% of their possible audience. I just doubt that is the case.

 

[WaltD4Me]

This. I have a friend who used to work at Cedar Point but was too large to ride some of the coasters there. I was too short for much longer then most of society to ride a lot of them. They have reasons for both minimum and maximum heights/sizes for safety. I doubt it is to purposely exclude anyone but at some point there is a trade off that has to be made. Do you change the geometry of the ride so that you can alter the restraint system or settle on a compromise that balances the two?

I have no desire to go to WWoHP so I have no dog in the hunt but it seems from many posts like people are under the impression that the engineers sat around and designed a ride to purposely exclude either 20% or 50% of their possible audience. I just doubt that is the case.

I know what you mean about Cedar Point Frank. Many of their big rides are restrictive. I understand that, but so far, from what I've been hearing and reading, FJ is even more so and with more than just weight. Apparently, you can't be too tall, too broad shouldered or too big chested either. So for someone who is able to ride almost all other rides, why would they even think they couldn't ride FJ? I think this is what is going to upset people if can't be corrected. My BIL is an example. He is 6' 4", but muscular. No one would call him fat. He does have a large upper body and broad shoulders. He goes on every ride at Cedar Point and Universal, but so far it sounds as if he won't fit in the FJ ride vehicle. I completely understand ride technology and safety issues, but if you have no reason to have any clue you won't be able to ride FJ, I wouldn't blame him at all if he was upset if he couldn't ride...especially if his main reason for going to UO was for FJ.

I don't think the ride engineers purposely designed a ride to exlude 20 or 50% of their audience, but considering that they are after all engineers, I would think they would think to design something that would limit as few members of their audience as possible.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

This sounds like it's going to be a nightmare. And why aren't the seats outside the queue the same as the ride seats? I think it's crazy to have those available, if the green light goes on outside, but you're still to large.