Most times I needed help from the CM to get the third click, but sometimes got them on my own. Anyway, there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the people who did and didn't fit. Every ride I was placed with a group of three other riders. I saw people smaller than me, I thought would fit, being told they did not, and people I thought would definitely not fit, getting to ride. The really confusing part happened to me both Thursday and then again Friday morning. I rode it twice Thursday morning (getting all three clicks by myself the first time, then requiring the CM to push to get the third click the second time I got on). I went straight back on through the single rider line, only to be told by a different CM at the loading platform that I didn't fit. I told him I had just gotten off not even five minutes prior and had ridden it multiple times every day all week. He still said I didn't fit and even said they were not allowed to push down on the restraint to help as it would ruin the restraint, making it dangerous for others.
I left, but returned later about lunch time and again got on with slight help from another CM. The next day the exact same thing happened with the same CM. I left and waited about an hour and must have caught that particular CM on break, because I got on another 6 or 7 times in a row that morning with no problem, requiring only a slight push from the CMs and even getting all three clicks by myself twice. On Saturday morning I went through the single rider line 8 times, getting on the ride each time with a little push from the CMs. Not once was I ever pulled out of line to try the test seats. However, Friday morning I was seated with a group of three and one of the men were told he didn't fit. He argued that he had been riding it all week without a problem. I only had a problem the two times with that one CM that was doing the load check. The rest of the CMs didn't have an issue helping guests get that third click.
I just got home late Saturday night after spending seven days at Universal. I made it to early opening every day to ride Forbidden Journey. I rode it 7-10 times every morning using the single rider line. Can you tell I loved the ride?
I only saw him there two mornings, but both times he was telling anyone even close that they could not ride. One guy in my bench said he had just been called out of line to try the inside test seats and he did fit when that CM pushed down just a little. The CM (a young, fairly small, thin black man) at the loading dock refused to assist him at all though and told him he had to get off. Of the four of us assigned to that bench only one got to ride. The other three (including myself) were kicked off. The one guy was bigger than me (about 6', broad chested with big arms, but small hips and legs), but the lady was almost exactly my size (about 5'6", 230 lbs, size 18-20, carrying our weight in our belly, hips, and thighs). Every time I rode the ride I felt very comfortable, (not a tight fit at all).
To tell the truth, I didn't really notice the clicks the times I got the restraint down enough by myself. The only times I noticed the click was when the CMs said they needed to push down just a little more, then asked if I was OK. What got me was that in all the times I rode it last week, only one CM refused to push down at all on the restraint and even said they were not allowed to do so. When I told him I had been riding it all week and had in fact just ridden it twice that same morning, he said it was dangerous for the CMs to push the restraint down and it could in fact make it dangerous for later guests.
But I scanned the line quite a bit and didn't see anyone turned away, at least first thing in the morning.
