How "Pooh" Friendly is US?

[dprincessmom]

DD is a huge Harry Potter fan and has started hinting about visiting US. My concern is I have heard/read that the harnesses on several of the rides are very restrictive to the above average size person.

I am very busty and am Pooh sized to boot. I haven't ever had a problem at WDW but a smaller amusement park closer to home I have had to do the walk of shame because I could not get the harness to snap.

I don't want to take my DD to US and not be able to do the rides with her, so my questions are what rides there give you problems and how "Pooh" are you? I am willing to make changes and lose weight to be able to comfortable do this with her, but need to what point I should realistically get to.

And if we decide on the trip, it would probably be next Spring Break so I have the time and would be back to ask all kinds of questions because my one and only trip to US was in 1992.

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

 

[mrsabbott]

Most rides have seats outside the ride that you can test and see if you fit. Lots of people do silly photo ops.. So you can be stealthy about it. It is also my understanding that a few of the rides have larger seats..

 

[Cubicleprisoner]

I too am a big woman 5'10" and 235 pounds. I was able to get on every ride at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. You will have to sit in one of the end seats on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, as the two center seats were not designed for bigger people. I was also able to ride Rip Ride Rock It, Hulk, Mummy, and the two coasters in Hogsmeade, but my harnesses were on the very last click on all five. There are test seats outside of each ride's entrance so you don't have to endure the walk of shame. Have fun!

 

[jpeppers]

USF is way better than a lot of older parks, they have a seat on 2 of the rows for bigger riders on both the Hulk and Dueling Dragons (or whatever the harry Potter name is). My friend is not fat but very large in the chest from lifting weights and he has had to do the walk of shame at Cedar Pointe and Magic Mountain on a few rides but he was good because of these seats at USF. I think it is row 3 and 7 but just look for the sign or ask the attendant.

 

[dprincessmom]

Thanks for the information. This is great to know.

 

[Senator Tressel]

There are bathrooms all over the place. Shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Magpie]

We did see one unhappy gentleman having to do the walk of shame off Forbidden Journey back in 2010, but my husband estimates he had to have been 300+ pounds.

If you haven't had a problem at Disney, you should be okay at Uni, too.

 

[Hummingbird]

I'm 4'11, 220lbs, & VERY busty and I've been able to ride every ride at US/IOA including FJ & RipRideRocket (the 2 most say they have trouble fitting in)

 

[bumbershoot]

We did see one unhappy gentleman having to do the walk of shame off Forbidden Journey back in 2010, but my husband estimates he had to have been 300+ pounds.

If you haven't had a problem at Disney, you should be okay at Uni, too.

Weird that you guys noticed someone leaving the ride; they figure it out very quickly and discreetly.

So not true that if you haven't had problems at Disney you should be OK at Uni. DH, who if your trip was in December that year could have been the man you saw, has no real problems at WDW, but can't yet ride any of the big rides at Universal. The parks are VASTLY different; of course that's very much because the rides are different.



OP, there are many posts started over the last few years where people give their actual stats and you're able to sort of compare yourself to see if you might have a problem. I got to 5'3" and 220 lbs, and rode everything I tried to ride, but some weren't comfy, like FJ. DH is 5'10" and over 300 (anyone who says weight loss is strictly about eating less and moving more doesn't know everything!), when we first went to Universal he was quite a bit over that, and can't ride the big stuff. Will probably never be able to ride the Mummy b/c of the way the restraint is (he's built like a sumo with very big muscular legs and that's key with Mummy's restraints), and depending on the exact situation with Gringott's restraints might be in the same position there.

 

[jpeppers]

The Disney rides are all easy because they are way lower in intensity so no real issues with restraints except on RockinRollerCoaster. I can't think of another ride at WDW that is a problem.

 

[dprincessmom]

Weird that you guys noticed someone leaving the ride; they figure it out very quickly and discreetly.

So not true that if you haven't had problems at Disney you should be OK at Uni. DH, who if your trip was in December that year could have been the man you saw, has no real problems at WDW, but can't yet ride any of the big rides at Universal. The parks are VASTLY different; of course that's very much because the rides are different.



OP, there are many posts started over the last few years where people give their actual stats and you're able to sort of compare yourself to see if you might have a problem. I got to 5'3" and 220 lbs, and rode everything I tried to ride, but some weren't comfy, like FJ. DH is 5'10" and over 300 (anyone who says weight loss is strictly about eating less and moving more doesn't know everything!), when we first went to Universal he was quite a bit over that, and can't ride the big stuff. Will probably never be able to ride the Mummy b/c of the way the restraint is (he's built like a sumo with very big muscular legs and that's key with Mummy's restraints), and depending on the exact situation with Gringott's restraints might be in the same position there.

Thank you - I knew that I had seen some on the WDW pages, but looked thru several pages on this forum and didn't find any. Your post above is what I had been hearing so it seems like it is still a problem depending on your body "type". And agreed eat less/move more isn't always the answer.

 

[Magpie]

Weird that you guys noticed someone leaving the ride; they figure it out very quickly and discreetly.

So not true that if you haven't had problems at Disney you should be OK at Uni. DH, who if your trip was in December that year could have been the man you saw, has no real problems at WDW, but can't yet ride any of the big rides at Universal. The parks are VASTLY different; of course that's very much because the rides are different.



OP, there are many posts started over the last few years where people give their actual stats and you're able to sort of compare yourself to see if you might have a problem. I got to 5'3" and 220 lbs, and rode everything I tried to ride, but some weren't comfy, like FJ. DH is 5'10" and over 300 (anyone who says weight loss is strictly about eating less and moving more doesn't know everything!), when we first went to Universal he was quite a bit over that, and can't ride the big stuff. Will probably never be able to ride the Mummy b/c of the way the restraint is (he's built like a sumo with very big muscular legs and that's key with Mummy's restraints), and depending on the exact situation with Gringott's restraints might be in the same position there.

My husband, being a larger guy himself, is very alert to these things. On that particular day he didn't want to ride a second time as he was feeling a bit queasy. So he took the chicken exit and waited for us. He said he felt bad for the gentleman, but that yes, the staff did their best to help.

My husband also has big muscular (and quite attractive, if you ask me ) legs, but he's in the lower half of the 200s and 5'10 and carries his weight all over versus just in his belly, so while some rides are snug, he's managed to fit into them all so far.

As for weight loss, I very much respect how difficult it is, and have done my best ti teach my kids that it's best just not to put it on in the first place. Hopefully they'll be able to avoid some of the struggles their dad has had with his weight.

 

[johde]

Weird that you guys noticed someone leaving the ride; they figure it out very quickly and discreetly.

So not true that if you haven't had problems at Disney you should be OK at Uni. DH, who if your trip was in December that year could have been the man you saw, has no real problems at WDW, but can't yet ride any of the big rides at Universal. The parks are VASTLY different; of course that's very much because the rides are different.



OP, there are many posts started over the last few years where people give their actual stats and you're able to sort of compare yourself to see if you might have a problem. I got to 5'3" and 220 lbs, and rode everything I tried to ride, but some weren't comfy, like FJ. DH is 5'10" and over 300 (anyone who says weight loss is strictly about eating less and moving more doesn't know everything!), when we first went to Universal he was quite a bit over that, and can't ride the big stuff. Will probably never be able to ride the Mummy b/c of the way the restraint is (he's built like a sumo with very big muscular legs and that's key with Mummy's restraints), and depending on the exact situation with Gringott's restraints might be in the same position there.

I would agree with you that Disney is much more Pooh friendly than Universal. At my heaviest, 6"4' and about 375lb I could still ride everything I wanted at Disney including Space Mountain, RnR, Mission Space etc. I didn't try Astro Orbiter. At Universal, I couldn't ride DD, Hulk or Mummy at that weight(HRRR wasn't built yet). I need to be a good 35lbs -40lbs lower than that at Universal. I'm currently about 335 and can ride most everything but they are tighter than I'd like. I've been lighter, and I want to loose some more weight again. In general, I'm proportionally big all around instead of having just a pot belly. In general, the rides I have trouble on are:

HPFJ - sides of the car are narrow enough that shoulder are at funny angle leading to tightness in the chest area.

Hulk and Dragon Challenge - the torso is a little shorter than I'd like and comes down on my shoulders, slouching down a little bit makes belly bigger

Dudley Do Right - Snug all around especially with the retrofitted lap bar and the belly. The worst problem though is the pivot point for the lap bar hits right at my knees so getting out is a challenge, especially with a wet floor.

Mummy - mainly thighs. Sitting in the back row gives my legs enough extra room to drop my thighs enough for the restraint to close enough.

HRRR - combination of thighs and belly.

Overall, I'd give Disney a 9 out of 10 in the Pooh Friendly scale and Universal about a 7.5.