Obesity and theme park rides....

[Aw hype]

Gonna sound a bit insensitive here but if it is openly advertised and expressed by WWW that people under/over a weight limit (which is set by manufacturers i believe) cannot go on slides, a bit of the onus has to be placed on the guest for paying full price. If you want to go for a swim but cant ride slides, go to the local rec centre.

[ads086]

I tried to ride the B&M invert at Knotts Berry Farm and couldn’t bring the harness down low enough to even find out if I couldn’t fit, it was hitting my shoulders.

Also had trouble with fitting inside the Hollywood Dream seat at Universal Japan.

As a result I just didn’t bother going to Universal Orlando when I went there later. Didn’t see the value for money if I couldn’t ride many of their attractions.

[franky]

1 hour ago, ads086 said:

I tried to ride the B&M invert at Knotts Berry Farm and couldn’t bring the harness down low enough to even find out if I couldn’t fit, it was hitting my shoulders.

Also had trouble with fitting inside the Hollywood Dream seat at Universal Japan.

As a result I just didn’t bother going to Universal Orlando when I went there later. Didn’t see the value for money if I couldn’t ride many of their attractions.

Just curious, How tall are you?

[ads086]

6 foot. I couldn’t get the restraint down far enough for my belly to be a problem

[joz]

 

7 hours ago, aussienetman said:

Took a group to White Water World recently and a couple could not ride any of the slides due to the weight limit. Is it fair to charge full price to a fuller figured adult who can 'only' go in the wave pool?

I think if a guest asked for a refund since they couldn't actually ride anything, that would be totally valid grounds for getting one IMHO. 'You should have checked' would be a really shitty attitude for a park to take, and I'd assume that if you presented yourself at guest services and asked for one as you couldn't use a single attraction you would get one. More so than the rides themselves, the product parks sell is a fun day out, if you're knocked back from literally everything then that's hardly a fun day out, and being rejected all day and feeling embarrassed and conscious of their weight was obviously not what they signed up for when they bought their ticket. Refund seems like a totally valid outcome.

[Jdude95]

Are there signs anywhere stating that if you're above a certain weight, you can't ride anything? Other than safety signs on the actual ride entrances that state the maximum weight and to not ride with any injuries.

[aussienetman]

I can definitely see both sides of the argument... my friends are not wanting refunds but we also had a robust discussion about it. 

It is not like it is Movieworld where their are other things to do if a harness is to tight or you dont make the height limit. 

Paying $70 odd to use a wavepool and literally nothing else though... 

10 minutes ago, Jdude95 said:

Are there signs anywhere stating that if you're above a certain weight, you can't ride anything? Other than safety signs on the actual ride entrances that state the maximum weight and to not ride with any injuries.

If their was a sign at the entrance to the park we didnt see it... but it is listed on each slide page on the website. 

EDIT TO FIX >>>

Actually looking at WWW website now my friends may have been able to do some of the slides with some creativity to stay under the limits. Its not a flat 115kg across the board. Would have been good to know b4 we went.. after attempting a couple of them and being turned away my friends kinda gave up. Maybe some suggestions on the map or on the safety signs of alternatives if over the limit would be a better idea. 

Edited November 1, 2020 by aussienetman

[joz]

To me it's a question of acting in good faith. If you're knocked back from one, or even a few rides, that shouldn't stop you having a fine day. But literally everything? Come on. 

 

Also is the cut off to ride slides in the park really 115kgs? Because I had a look just before and that rule is not listed on the website. I don't think people weighing 120kgs would even think to look up if their weight would be an issue. If 115kgs is the limit, then a sign is needed, but yeah even if there is a sign doesn't really change it to me. 

[Jdude95]

It definitely sounds like they need better communication in terms of weight restrictions.
Just like age limits for rides, I swear weight never used to be scrutinised this much for slides before TRR changed the landscape of how things are enforced. 

[T-bone]

You are correct Jdude, no one cared about weight or age, it was a case of if you fit you ride like it is universally at many parks around the world. 
 

So what spurred these age and weight restrictions when other parks with virtually the same ride don’t have them? Does it mean the other parks are operating in an unsafe manner?

[aussienetman]

Ok I definitely should have researched before posting my original question.

Weight Restrictions as per website 

No limit- The Bro

113kg - Temple of Huey; Little Rippers

115kg - Triple Vortex; The Wedgie

120kg - Fully 6

136kg - Pipeline Plunge (kids area)

MINIMUM TWO PEOPLE (combined weight)

270kg - Hydrocoaster (min. 50kg)

300kg - Green Room; The Rip

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

8 hours ago, joz said:

To me it's a question of acting in good faith. If you're knocked back from one, or even a few rides, that shouldn't stop you having a fine day. But literally everything? Come on. 

If the staff are at the scales weighing people and knocking them back, then they should be trained to be apologetic and suggest alternatives "i'm sorry guys but the limit is XX - you might like to try such-and-such a slide instead?"

By the sounds of the story, they were knocked back from a couple and decided not to bother with the rest - if the staff weighing had suggested alternatives, they might have had a better day...

[Naazon]

13 minutes ago, AlexB said:

If the staff are at the scales weighing people and knocking them back, then they should be trained to be apologetic and suggest alternatives "i'm sorry guys but the limit is XX - you might like to try such-and-such a slide instead?"

By the sounds of the story, they were knocked back from a couple and decided not to bother with the rest - if the staff weighing had suggested alternatives, they might have had a better day...

Thats a great idea but maybe leave out saying the weight limit part. People can get upset by saying their size (more or less) publicly like that

[franky]

10 minutes ago, Naazon said:

Thats a great idea but maybe leave out saying the weight limit part. People can get upset by saying their size (more or less) publicly like that 

Do the guards see the actual weight though? When we went last year I only noticed a green/red light. In the case of multiple riders per raft, we just packed onto the same scale.

[Naazon]

3 minutes ago, franky said:

Do the guards see the actual weight though? When we went last year I only noticed a green/red light. In the case of multiple riders per raft, we just packed onto the same scale.

No, but simple math. If the light is red and you announce they can't go on the ride because the limit is 120kg, are the over or under 120kg. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I assume this is some attempt at reducing embarassment? like the red light isn't bad enough?

But sure - i'm sorry guys but the device you're standing on, which obviously checks your weight says you aren't within our weight range, but please try alternate slide that doesn't have the same limit?

[Brad2912]

10 hours ago, aussienetman said:

113kg - Temple of Huey; Little Rippers

 115kg - Triple Vortex; 

This is definitely incorrect unless they are a per person limit as opposed to a 2 person limit. (Ie triple vortex - 2 people x 115kg = 230kg limit) 

My son and I regularly go on all these slides and have a combined weight of approx 130kg and have never once had an issue 

[westical]

They’re all 180kg max combined. 

[aussienetman]

10 minutes ago, westical said:

They’re all 180kg max combined. 

 

37 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

My son and I regularly go on all these slides and have a combined weight of approx 130kg and have never once had an issue 

Yeah was only quoting the individual weights.