When did they stop checking your lap bar...

[TunaSled]

...and begin asking you to do it yourself? And why do you suppose that is?

Our last trip was a couple years ago, and I'm certain the ride op CMs were pulling up on guests lap bars to check them, and the little 'T' handles on SM. Not so anymore?

 

[plutolovr]

Well, I believe it's because if the CM checks it and something happens you can blame the CM by saying "the CM checked it" now if you check it yourself you have no one else to blame. It all comes down to liability.

 

[TunaSled]

Well, I believe it's because if the CM checks it and something happens you can blame the CM by saying "the CM checked it" now if you check it yourself you have no one else to blame. It all comes down to liability.

There must have been an incident then, I can't imagine they would just decide to discontinue that practice and somehow trust the guests to their own safety. Heck, people have gotten out of boats on POTC and have gotten hurt leaving their Doom Buggy in HM. Just seems strange to me. If I pretend my lap bar is locked down but somehow it is not, and I fall out of a coaster, believe me Disney is still liable.

 

[mountdew1]

Pretty sure that the CM can see an indicator that the belt is in the locked position on most rides. One of the easiest places to see this is on Star Tours. The CMs check an indicator panel on the front of the vehicle looking for green lights. If there is a guest in a seat and it shows red, then it's not in the locked position. You pulling on the strap is to ensure that it secured in place and doesn't pop out.

Not terribly surprised that the guest now does the pulling on any vehicle that is lap bar only, and no shoulder restraints. All it takes is for one Pooh sized guest to be offended when the CM can't grab the lap bar easily, or for the CM to brush against a guests body parts while trying to grab the lap bar. The same goes for the CM, I can't imagine reaching down into thousands of different laps a day is high on their favorite list.

 

[PrincessP]

I don't know when they stopped, but I did notice the "self-checking" request on our Sept. trip. Did not make me comfortable when riding Space Mtn w/my 7 yo and 9 yo for the first time. It was the first ride we've ever done when we weren't sitting right beside them. I was straining/twisting around to check them myself and then asked the CM to please do so when I didn't have complete confidence.

I wish they'd at least check the restraints of children riding.

 

[TunaSled]

Not terribly surprised that the guest now does the pulling on any vehicle that is lap bar only, and no shoulder restraints. All it takes is for one Pooh sized guest to be offended when the CM can't grab the lap bar easily, or for the CM to brush against a guests body parts while trying to grab the lap bar. The same goes for the CM, I can't imagine reaching down into thousands of different laps a day is high on their favorite list.

OK, this I can maybe see, someone complaining that they were inappropriately touched. But you'd think that it would not stand, after all it is for the guests' safety. I find it surprising that they'd change this after 40 years of doing it the same way. That's why I thought there must have been an incident of some type that caused this policy change. But still, if that is the case, it took 40 years for someone to claim they've been groped? After all, this is the USA, home of the complaintant.

PrincessP: I fully agree, I'd feel way better if a CM checked my children's restraints as opposed to leaving them to check their own, especially in the case of something like SM where you can't easily reach them.

 

[larryz]

Plus, you can dispatch quicker if you don't have to wait for a CM to walk the length of the train/car pulling handles/straps...

 

[TunaSled]

Plus, you can dispatch quicker if you don't have to wait for a CM to walk the length of the train/car pulling handles/straps...

Good point, but they do still walk the length of the train making sure we do it. They've got to see it.

 

[Robo]

Good point, but they do still walk the length of the train making sure we do it. They've got to see it.

Walking by is much easier than leaning down and tugging on X-hundred restraints hour-after-hour.

Oh, the backaches!

 

[TunaSled]

Walking by is much easier than leaning down and tugging on X-hundred restraints hour-after-hour.

Oh, the backaches!

And probably the real reasoning behind the change actually. Good call

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Our last trip was a couple years ago, and I'm certain the ride op CMs were pulling up on guests lap bars to check them, and the little 'T' handles on SM. Not so anymore?

1) The above are good guesses, but the real story is a little more sordid.
2) When HM was rehabbed,
. . . the Iger efficiency experts got to work
. . . they found out they did not need all of the 99 employed ghosts
. . . many were "displaced"
3) The displaced ghosts from HM now perform other duties at WDW
. . . they now help (poorly) with maintenance
. . . they now remotely unlock hotel doors (do you really believe in RFID chips)
. . . they now drive the Tomorrowland People Mover cars
. . . they now load the dishwasher in the Halloween scene in Carousel of Progress
. . . they now push the ball downhill at Indiana Jones Stunt Show
. . . and, they now check ride lapbars

So, to quote Paul Harvey, "Now you know the rest of the story.".

 

[TunaSled]

I'm buying into that. Period.

/thread

 

[parkhopping]

1) The above are good guesses, but the real story is a little more sordid.
2) When HM was rehabbed,
. . . the Iger efficiency experts got to work
. . . they found out they did not need all of the 99 employed ghosts
. . . many were "displaced"
3) The displaced ghosts from HM now perform other duties at WDW
. . . they now help (poorly) with maintenance
. . . they now remotely unlock hotel doors (do you really believe in RFID chips)
. . . they now drive the Tomorrowland People Mover cars
. . . they now load the dishwasher in the Halloween scene in Carousel of Progress
. . . they now push the ball downhill at Indiana Jones Stunt Show
. . . and, they now check ride lapbars

So, to quote Paul Harvey, "Now you know the rest of the story.".

I will be sure to say thank you to the "invisible CMs" around next time I am getting on a ride!

 

[kaligal]

I don't know, exactly, but I don't love it. If it were just once - one time, one kid asking to watch us pull on our straps - fine. But it is like never just once. It is always two, three or more times.

I get to a point where I'm sick of pulling on the stupid things. It is annoying.

I grow weary of participating in pointless activity.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

While our court system may not see it this way, for me, if an adult is not able to check on a lap bar correctly, it's not Disney's fault.

However, I do think they should check for young children. DS will be 4 when we go next, and I think he'll be tall enough for Space Mountain (he's 43" now, and we're looking at next Aug). But, I don't think he should be responsible for checking his restraint.

Now, as a forwarned DIS member, I'll get him in his seat, close his bar and check it before getting into my seat. But, most guests won't know they would need to do this in order to have an adult check a child's restraint.

 

[LaurenT]

While our court system may not see it this way, for me, if an adult is not able to check on a lap bar correctly, it's not Disney's fault.

However, I do think they should check for young children. DS will be 4 when we go next, and I think he'll be tall enough for Space Mountain (he's 43" now, and we're looking at next Aug). But, I don't think he should be responsible for checking his restraint.

Now, as a forwarned DIS member, I'll get him in his seat, close his bar and check it before getting into my seat. But, most guests won't know they would need to do this in order to have an adult check a child's restraint.

They're always careful with DD. While they will casually walk down making the tug motion, they stop when they get to DD and watch her pull on her yellow strap...I assume they do this for all young kids.

 

[MonorailPilotMulan]

There must have been an incident then, I can't imagine they would just decide to discontinue that practice and somehow trust the guests to their own safety. Heck, people have gotten out of boats on POTC and have gotten hurt leaving their Doom Buggy in HM. Just seems strange to me. If I pretend my lap bar is locked down but somehow it is not, and I fall out of a coaster, believe me Disney is still liable.

There's a whole segment of the Company that is solely based on safety and auditing Company practices to limit liability and safety issues. That being said, Disney doesn't necessarily wait for an incident to send in the Safety Dept to audit attractions, it just happens on a regular basis. This practice just as well could have come from this department's recommendations.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

It could very likely be nothing more then a new *fail safe* techno system that shows the ride operator on their panel all the safety bars/straps are in place and secure, thereby not reqiuring the old tug and pull.

AKK

 

[Robo]

It could very likely be nothing more then a new *fail safe* techno system that shows the ride operator on their panel all the safety bars/straps are in place and secure, thereby not reqiuring the old tug and pull.

AKK

They do both on (for instance) Tower of Terror, Soarin' and Star Tours.

The indicator lights (and "no-start" interlocks) are there, yes,
but the manual "tugging" will show if there are any loose mechanical issues.
It's a secondary fail-safe procedure.

ALSO...
It shows the CM that the guest has not just buckled the belt UNDERNEATH himself
(yes, it has happened) or it can more easily demonstrate that the guest has not pulled the
belt out and held it in an extremely loose-fitting manner.

The things guests will do to increase their "thrill" (and diminish their safety factor!)


.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

from my years in daycare, think about where lapbelt rests. this is done to protect young CMs from being accused of touching young kids. as we used to say cover thy butt when dealing with children