Our no good very bad day

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Universal has come up numerous times on the Dis in the last few weeks, but the fundamental difference still exists between disney and universal. Universal will never compete with disney if they don't listen to the customer.

I think there are lots of places where Disney is also not listening to the customer.

One of the biggest ones I can think of off the top of my head is the lack of character meals that appeal specifically to boys. Princess overload, but no villain or superhero meals to counterbalance.

Disney is FAR from perfect. Their Fastpass + rollout has been riddled with issues. Just ask any offsite guest who is currently shutout of participating.

There are definite differences between Universal and Disney, and I, for one, am happy there are. Disney's fun for the little ones, but sure doesn't offer anything special for my teenaged son.

I am sorry your mom was embarrassed by her inability to fit on the ride. But if Universal were to create a special section of each ride to accommodate very large people, then there would be a group of folks who would complain that they couldn't fit in the "regular" section, and that they were embarrassed to be allocated to the "special" section (where they couldn't ride with their families). I don't think Universal could win either way.

 

[phamton]

As others pointed out, they did make modifications a couple of years back. These modifications weren't made at the time of your trip. Your mother could probably ride now. But many rides will not accomodate all body dimensions or sizes. Several of the team members at Universal who are "little people" can't ride many of the rides there. Guests come in all sizes and shapes. Some have disabilities or health issues that restrict the ability to ride. I agree that most of the rides in Disney are not as intense and thus can accomodate more sizes and heights. Universal chooses to offer more thrill rides and with that comes more restrictions.

 

[livndisney]

Did you do any research before you went?

https://www.universalorlando.com/Resort-Information/Ride-Height-Requirements.aspx

"Many attractions use safety restraints that some guests may find uncomfortable or that may occasionally prevent an individual from experiencing the attraction. Some attractions have "test seats" available so that guests can determine comfort and fit for themselves before riding.

Please take note of guidelines and restrictions before riding."

And this from the riders guide-Harry Potter ride: "This ride employs safety restraints which may not accommodate certain people due to their body shape or size. A test seat is available in the front of the attraction entrance to assist guests in
determining their ability to ride."

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

You probably missed his first reply.

This one?

there are other parks more expensive than UO.

How is this snarky?

 

[Granny square]

Why in earth post this two years later? Lol, bored?

No park can promise every person can ride every ride. Obesity may be rampant but every time you change the specifications for a ride the effects are exponential. Sometimes they can be dealt with in a reasonable manner and sometimes to get what we want we need to do the work.

Name a park that is entirely accessible to everyone.

 

[JOCAmom]

2 years after your trip, you decide to search out a chatboard and post about your experience? If you were so disappointed, why not sooner? I've seen nothing snarky here or anything that can be close to be attacking. You say Universal has the technology to create all these different ride vehicles but won't. Why? Because they dislike people over a certain size?

I took my oldest daughter to Hershey Park. She met all the requirements for a certain ride. We took her on and she was so thin she could have slipped out of the restraints. My husband held on to her and when it was over, we said we would never do it again till our kids were bigger. Should we have complained to Hershey? Absolutely not. We did not take into consideration that our child was on the very thin side. My child, my responsibility. And I screwed up. But it was the new and greatest thing of the park that year. Still my screw up because I didn't research the way I should have. Instead of blaming Universal, maybe you should look at how you didn't prepare for you trip.

 

[EAW]

2 years after your trip, you decide to search out a chatboard and post about your experience? If you were so disappointed, why not sooner? I've seen nothing snarky here or anything that can be close to be attacking. You say Universal has the technology to create all these different ride vehicles but won't. Why? Because they dislike people over a certain size?

I took my oldest daughter to Hershey Park. She met all the requirements for a certain ride. We took her on and she was so thin she could have slipped out of the restraints. My husband held on to her and when it was over, we said we would never do it again till our kids were bigger. Should we have complained to Hershey? Absolutely not. We did not take into consideration that our child was on the very thin side. My child, my responsibility. And I screwed up. But it was the new and greatest thing of the park that year. Still my screw up because I didn't research the way I should have. Instead of blaming Universal, maybe you should look at how you didn't prepare for you trip.

I only found out about The Dis Unplugged YouTube Cannel last week. The time when this happened, to me, is irrelevant. Because I've never discussed this online so I thought what better place to get feedback than this forum? I want feedback and I appreciate all the positive feedback I get.

 

[EAW]

Clearly you are not willing to site examples for me, and instead suggest I google search. However, I was merely asking for clarification because I don't understand what you are implying that Disney has that Universal doesn't.

But, as others have stated, this is a trip report board, not a debate board, so I will bow out gracefully. I hope you enjoy your next trip more than you did your last one.

This trip report board had my experience posted. Nothing more. If you want to turn it into a debate and argue with me that's something out of my control. I apologize for not being more clear.

 

[EAW]

I don't see any snarky replies except yours to Macraven. Just because others don't agree with you, doesn't make their answers as snarky. Macraven suggested making a thread on the main board about the size requirements rather than having a debate on the trip report board. She is correct as trip reports are usually not debate threads. There have been several threads addressing this issue already but here is one: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3060633 Feel free to start another one on the main Universal/Islands of Adventure forum if this one doesn't address your issues.

I don't appreciate being criticized by a few individuals such as yourself that want to argue and criticize my post. This is a trip report forum on Universal and my original post was just that. It hurt me watching my family endure a horrifically embarrassing ordeal, one I have never experienced at Disney. After discovering The Dis Unplugged YouTube channel I wanted to post my story and get some feedback if others had a similar experience. I do not want to debate chair sizes or be criticized for my story not being current enough for their tastes. That is negative and unproductive and I hope others will share with me positively.

 

[EAW]

Did you do any research before you went?

https://www.universalorlando.com/Resort-Information/Ride-Height-Requirements.aspx

"Many attractions use safety restraints that some guests may find uncomfortable or that may occasionally prevent an individual from experiencing the attraction. Some attractions have "test seats" available so that guests can determine comfort and fit for themselves before riding.

Please take note of guidelines and restrictions before riding."

And this from the riders guide-Harry Potter ride: "This ride employs safety restraints which may not accommodate certain people due to their body shape or size. A test seat is available in the front of the attraction entrance to assist guests in
determining their ability to ride."

Thanks for the links! Yes we did lots of research and read reviews for over 4 months prior to our flight. We were very excited. Looking at the links you posted they still give no indication, other than minimum height, that would indicate my family would be unable to proceed on the Harry Potter ride. And yes there were test seats in front of the ride but we didn't test it out because we never had an issue with getting on any ride at Disney, so we assumed to get the same level of accommodation would also be considered at Universal.

Now I wanted to get feedback on other's experience or if my family's story was an isolated incident. Thanks again for your feedback.

 

[EAW]

This one?





How is this snarky?

Nope, this isn't it.

 

[JOCAmom]

I only found out about The Dis Unplugged YouTube Cannel last week. The time when this happened, to me, is irrelevant. Because I've never discussed this online so I thought what better place to get feedback than this forum? I want feedback and I appreciate all the positive feedback I get.

Fair enough. But why not take personal responsibility? Since the introduction of the internet and chatboards, I've researched my vacations online. And before that, I hit the bookstores to figure out where I was spending my hard earned money. And what kind of "problems" I may run into. Problems meaning I have kids of various ages that I have to figure how to keep entertained throughout the day, those with disabilities, those with food allergies.

No park can make rides accessible to every little group. Can you imagine the lines? This person needs a car with a restraint suitable for some one with a larger body frame and someone with a tiny frame. The next needs 2 larger restraints. And so on and so forth. How many variables should there be?

 

[livndisney]

Thanks for the links! Yes we did lots of research and read reviews for over 4 months prior to our flight. We were very excited. Looking at the links you posted they still give no indication, other than minimum height, that would indicate my family would be unable to proceed on the Harry Potter ride. And yes there were test seats in front of the ride but we didn't test it out because we never had an issue with getting on any ride at Disney, so we assumed to get the same level of accommodation would also be considered at Universal.

Now I wanted to get feedback on other's experience or if my family's story was an isolated incident. Thanks again for your feedback.

Really? I see this "Many attractions use safety restraints that some guests may find uncomfortable or that may occasionally prevent an individual from experiencing the attraction. "

You also said you saw the test seats but did not try them. Disney is not Universal so I really don't understand your logic.

You also stated you did research, so I am not sure how you missed the links I posted as they came from Universals site.

 

[aaarcher86]

Thanks for the links! Yes we did lots of research and read reviews for over 4 months prior to our flight. We were very excited. Looking at the links you posted they still give no indication, other than minimum height, that would indicate my family would be unable to proceed on the Harry Potter ride. And yes there were test seats in front of the ride but we didn't test it out because we never had an issue with getting on any ride at Disney, so we assumed to get the same level of accommodation would also be considered at Universal. Now I wanted to get feedback on other's experience or if my family's story was an isolated incident. Thanks again for your feedback.

Universal laid out that certain sizes and shapes may not be able to ride. They put out seats to verify things to avoid this kind of situation. You chose not to utilize that tool. While it may not have been a problem other places Universal stated it might be there. A person of large size can be limited because of it. There has to be a point where the size accommodation is halted for one reason or another.

I've seen lots of experiences posted from people... Tried the seats and didn't fit, tried the seats and did fit and went on the ride, larger people who have said they fit but were snug, larger people who carry their weight on the bottom... What I haven't seen is anyone that agrees Universal is partially to blame for your mothers embarrassment.

 

[EAW]

Fair enough. But why not take personal responsibility? Since the introduction of the internet and chatboards, I've researched my vacations online. And before that, I hit the bookstores to figure out where I was spending my hard earned money. And what kind of "problems" I may run into. Problems meaning I have kids of various ages that I have to figure how to keep entertained throughout the day, those with disabilities, those with food allergies.

No park can make rides accessible to every little group. Can you imagine the lines? This person needs a car with a restraint suitable for some one with a larger body frame and someone with a tiny frame. The next needs 2 larger restraints. And so on and so forth. How many variables should there be?

We did an extensive amount of research. The Universal information page only has the minimum height requirement. Again, my family has never had an issue with getting on rides at Disney, so we assumed the same accommodations would naturally be similar at Universal.

 

[EAW]

Really? I see this "Many attractions use safety restraints that some guests may find uncomfortable or that may occasionally prevent an individual from experiencing the attraction. "

You also said you saw the test seats but did not try them. Disney is not Universal so I really don't understand your logic.

You also stated you did research, so I am not sure how you missed the links I posted as they came from Universals site.

I agree, after my experience, Universal is NOT Disney.

 

[livndisney]

I agree, after my experience, Universal is NOT Disney.

Poor attempt at twisting my words.

Universal is not the same company as Disney.

But they DO have some of the same policies-
Test cars at WDW:
http://allears.net/tp/ak/ak_ee5.htm

 

[CPT Tripss]

My family has never had this experience at Disney. So I'm not certain how my family's at fault for having the same expectations for the second most expensive amusement park on planet earth.

So, I guess the two people pictured did not try to ride the Astro Orbiter together. That's one attraction that isn't C of S friendly.

 

[mjem216]

im so sorry . im rather large and my wife is too and she is sso worried bout disney

 

[mimmi]

Perhaps you are right, we try to accommodate too many people. People should just deal with it right? You've had cancer before? Sucks for you. You have a thyroid problem? Sucks for you. You've had a knee surgery? Oh well.

Then we should also say, you have disability? You don't have a right to be here. You aren't perfect, you don't get to enjoy life. Suck it up, move on.

Our technology and machines allow us to accommodate you, but we don't feel like making the design. This means you do not want those customers. This is not about them creating a brand new machine that has never existed. This is not about putting hand rails in national parks. This is about making a seat more accommodating, not even changing weight restrictions.

See the problem isn't that Universal has to accommodate all these gosh darn fat people who have no right to enjoy life until they loose weight, this is about them designing a seat.

Oh yes, this is the aggressiveness and the sense of entitlement I was talking about.
Expecting eberybody else to accommodate lifestyle choices seems very weird to me. I don't know how this trend of handing over responsibilty for oneself to evrybody else around you is supposed to be something good .

How you came to the conclusion that I was talking about sicknes and disabilities is a bit unclear to me, couldn't you support your argument without twisting words?