Hulk Ride Fear

[TwoCortWort]

I am all for the big thrilling roller coasters and have had fears of coasters in the past due to witnessing something at a park as a child that scarred me a bit, but got over it after a few years. But last year that changed again...

I was at IOA and have ridden Hulk before and it's honestly a bit too thrilling for me, but I love coasters and nothing stops me from getting on them usually. I got on the ride and the seatbelt on the restraint would not buckle. The cast member (guess that's what they are called) took 4 tries to get it to buckle. I asked to be left off the ride and wait for the next train. He told me no no, I would be fine and got it as I said after 4 attempts. I never in my life held onto those restraints as hard as I did that ride.

And now I am fearing going back on the ride in all honesty. Even after calling and speaking to Universal about the accident and learning a bit about the restraint system, it doesn't change the fact to me how I was treated by the worker and me fearing I was going to fall out of that ride.

If you were in my shoes, would you just get past this and get back on the horse? (so to say) I swore I would never ride this particular ride again after this incident, but have been thinking about it again since I will be going in December.

 

[damo]

There's nothing to be afraid of. Some people like coasters, some don't. But realistically, you were, and are, very safe. If there was a problem with your restraint, the train would never have disembarked.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I've never had a harness issue at Hulk, nor have I ever heard of anyone having a harness issue. Once those harnesses are locked, Look at it this way: nobody, in the 13 year history of IOA's operation, has fallen out of the ride. According to this article, nobody has ever been seriously hurt or or killed on a Bolliger & Mabillard coaster.

Where do you normally go on coasters? Although I'm not an expert on ride maintenance, I think you'd be hard pressed to find amusement park companies elsewhere that maintain their rides and have as stringent safety requirements as Universal and Disney.

 

[TwoCortWort]

I've never had a harness issue at Hulk, nor have I ever heard of anyone having a harness issue. Once those harnesses are locked, Look at it this way: nobody, in the 13 year history of IOA's operation, has fallen out of the ride. According to this article, nobody has ever been seriously hurt or or killed on a Bolliger & Mabillard coaster.

Where do you normally go on coasters? Although I'm not an expert on ride maintenance, I think you'd be hard pressed to find amusement park companies elsewhere that maintain their rides and have as stringent safety requirements as Universal and Disney.

Universal kindly explained to me how the restraint system worked when I made my complaint about the worker not letting me off the ride. It wasn't as much as the restraint, but the fact the guy would not let me off the ride when I asked.

I grew up attending Cedar Point, Six Flags, Carowinds, Kings Island & Disney. The incident I witnessed as child was at Kings Island on Flight Commander when a drunk woman fell to her death off the ride. (it was the lady's fault) I get on roller coasters like some people get on airplanes quite frankly. Zero fear for the most part, but I hate to think some one else would be forced to ride when they feel their safety could be at risk. But knowing what I do now, would've changed this whole thing.

 

[papamouse1]

I think if the evidence shows that coasters in parks like Universal & Disney are extremely safe. Their safety precautions are intense and consistent.

But should anyone be forced to ride when they don't feel safe, absolutely not!

I say if you feel comfortable enough give it another go... but the next you get nervous and want off a ride DO NOT take no for an answer. That CM should never have forced you to stay on that ride, no matter how safe he knew it to be. This isn't about what he thinks, it is about how you feel

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

Universal kindly explained to me how the restraint system worked when I made my complaint about the worker not letting me off the ride. It wasn't as much as the restraint, but the fact the guy would not let me off the ride when I asked.

I grew up attending Cedar Point, Six Flags, Carowinds, Kings Island & Disney. The incident I witnessed as child was at Kings Island on Flight Commander when a drunk woman fell to her death off the ride. (it was the lady's fault) I get on roller coasters like some people get on airplanes quite frankly. Zero fear for the most part, but I hate to think some one else would be forced to ride when they feel their safety could be at risk. But knowing what I do now, would've changed this whole thing.

Wow, I cannot imagine witnessing that as a kid.. and how tragic for that woman. I don't think I would go on any ride if I saw something like that in person, so kudos to you for getting over your fear!

If you really do feel like something is wrong, don't be afraid to be forceful and insist to get off. If you change your mind, generally attendants are accommodating at letting a guest back on if you explain the situation.

 

[Mr. Pig]

If you really want to worry about Hulk watch the opening scene from "House on Haunted Hill" from 1999. It features Geoffrey Rush as the owner of a theme park and his way of scaring guests on a roller coaster is to have the car in front of them go off the track. You can see that it was filmed on the Hulk.

 

[TwoCortWort]

Thanks guys. And yes that event I witnessed was traumatic and it took me years before I ever set foot on a ride again. I plan to use my voice if it were to happen again. But universal was very nice and explaining everything to me about my concerns, so I feel right this moment I should conquer it. But glad I am not alone in my feelings. If this were to happen again, trust me I will make my voice heard. Even if I make a huge scene.

 

[macraven]

The cast member (guess that's what they are called)

cast members/CM are at the motherland
team members/TM are at the darkside.

 

[twosteptim]

I never in my life held onto those restraints as hard as I did that ride.

The forces exerted by rides like Hulk are such that there is no chance of you holding yourself in should the restraint fail. It may make you feel better, but if it opens you are going flying as soon as the ride hits its next negative G or high lateral G section.

That said, if your restraint was locked, even at the last latch, it is not going to fail. B&M has the best record of any coaster company and you have a better chance of winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning on the same day than you do of popping a B&M shoulder harness.

As for the TM, it does sound like he should have listened and let you out. It could have been that he thought you would leave and then later regret not riding and just wanted to help you have fun, kind of like sky dive instructors who force their customers out.

 

[Metro West]

If you really want to worry about Hulk watch the opening scene from "House on Haunted Hill" from 1999. It features Geoffrey Rush as the owner of a theme park and his way of scaring guests on a roller coaster is to have the car in front of them go off the track. You can see that it was filmed on the Hulk.

Yup...I saw that movie before I moved here and I couldn't wait to ride it!

 

[damo]

I think because you told TM that you would wait for the next train, it indicated that you weren't afraid to ride but just didn't want to cause any wait issues. If you had said you wanted off and weren't going to ride at all, that, to me, would have indicated that the seat belt had freaked you out.

 

[CPA_ESQ.]

go back on the ride

those little school bus seatbelts are a joke - I always have trouble getting them undone.

don't let it bother you

 

[fizbobunny]

Sounds like the TM would have let you off if you just wanted off, but that the TM would not let you wait for the next car though. You could have got off and then got back in line.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

From 2009 and before I weighed up to 320 pounds and could only ride in the rows that allowed for extra weight. And even there it was a tight fit. I lost 120 pounds down to 200 and now I fit comfortably in any row. The only time I can see the harness being an issue is if anyone is like I was and on the plus side.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Even after calling and speaking to Universal about the accident and learning a bit about the restraint system, it doesn't change the fact to me how I was treated by the worker and me fearing I was going to fall out of that ride.

What was the "accident"? If I am understanding your post correctly, you were not injured....or have I misread?

 

[damo]

What was the "accident"? If I am understanding your post correctly, you were not injured....or have I misread?

Maybe the OP meant incident? There certainly was no accident.