Metal Detectors at HRRR

[Tinkerkelle]

Another thought. What do the TMs do about prescription eyeglasses? They're a loose item but they obviously don't make you put them in a locker. So do you get to wear them on the ride? Stow them in a pocket? They could be a "dangerous projectile" either way. This whole thing is so half-baked...

Exactly what I wanted to know. Both my son and I wear glasses and that popped into my head as I read the article. I was scanning the pictures of the post-scanned people to see if I could see anyone still with specs. (Not a joke, I actually did!)

 

[lazyboy97o]

Prescription glass tend to be fitted to the wearer and will stay on during a ride on any coaster at Universal Orlando Resort.

 

[Tony Perkis]

Well, that's one way to keep me out of Universal. Hope Disney doesn't get any ideas about this.

The strollers are a much, much bigger deterrent.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I just saw this video and it shows how Bat-Schmit insane it is...It's like their making it the friggin airport..What's next TSA And ID Proof!

 

[RobBlock]

I just saw this video and it shows how Bat-Schmit insane it is...It's like their making it the friggin airport..What's next TSA And ID Proof!

I was just at Uni last week, Easter week during Spring Break. Spent 5 days at the resort. The only metal detectors I saw were on HRRR, not Dragons or Hulk. Passing through the metal detectors for HRRR didn't slow down my time to get on the ride at all, it's not the bottleneck in the loading process. And the way you go vertically up the first hill, I can easily see how anything would fall out of your pockets. The free lockers available at all attractions were easy and convenient and always available, even during this busy week.

Really, not an issue.

 

[PinnySmart]

If it keeps someone from getting hurt I am all for it.

 

[StageFrenzy]

If it keeps someone from getting hurt I am all for it.

Wrong, that is not a good reason. We ca do lots of things to make public spaces safer. They are not good ideas in every day life.

 

[Deadvoid]

I was just on Hulk just yesterday and had to go through this. The only annoyance was going to get a locker. Passing through the detector was very easy lol well, until my belt set it off. The attendance said "you're fine, go ahead" and off I went. I will admit, they way they have it setup is in my mind, ridiculous. It's definitely like going through the airport TSA, loses the theme park feel I can tell you that.

 

[Jane Doe]

I was at a local fair with one of my kids last Sunday and no sooner as we'd got there we were almost struck by a flying iPhone that had fallen out of a teenagers pocket whilst on a ride. I'll be honest here, if that thing had hit it would have done some serious damage, so maybe a little extra security isn't a bad thing (plus you're only going to be stuck in a queue once you get through, so there's hardly any rush)

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Thankfully Universal is addressing this brand new issue that is gripping America's amusement parks - unsecure flying objects.

Only in the last few years have guests at parks had any loose items on their person, so it's easy to understand why the issue of getting hit with a loose object has suddenly come to light. Many experts claim that it's the improving economy that has allowed guests to possess loose articles and so carelessly decide to ride with them. People in previous years simply couldn't afford to take their valuables on rides.

Thank you Universal for keeping America safe and thinking about our children.

I just don't know how we survived the previous 130 years of the modern roller coaster without the need to get felt up and magnetometered at the ride entrance. I guess we were all just lucky I guess. Lottery tickets for everyone.

Rumor has it that Universal will next be going after pigeons/sea gulls/and other birds to secure their loose objects to prevent us from the next airborne catastrophe in the making.

 

[Jane Doe]

How long in those 130 years have people been riding roller coasters with four foot sticks in their hands? Or have only been able to ride whilst gurning into mid size recording devices? I'll be happy to go back to the golden age of no security checks just as soon as the t1ts of society can actually ride an attraction without the need of having to have their cell phone security blanket thrust out in front of them.

 

[JoeCamel]

Thankfully Universal is addressing this brand new issue that is gripping America's amusement parks - unsecure flying objects.

Only in the last few years have guests at parks had any loose items on their person, so it's easy to understand why the issue of getting hit with a loose object has suddenly come to light. Many experts claim that it's the improving economy that has allowed guests to possess loose articles and so carelessly decide to ride with them. People in previous years simply couldn't afford to take their valuables on rides.

Thank you Universal for keeping America safe and thinking about our children.

I just don't know how we survived the previous 130 years of the modern roller coaster without the need to get felt up and magnetometered at the ride entrance. I guess we were all just lucky I guess. Lottery tickets for everyone.

Rumor has it that Universal will next be going after pigeons/sea gulls/and other birds to secure their loose objects to prevent us from the next airborne catastrophe in the making.

Fabio?

 

[JediMasterMatt]

How long in those 130 years have people been riding roller coasters with four foot sticks in their hands? Or have only been able to ride whilst gurning into mid size recording devices? I'll be happy to go back to the golden age of no security checks just as soon as the t1ts of society can actually ride an attraction without the need of having to have their cell phone security blanket thrust out in front of them.

People have been taking loose articles on coasters and other thrill attractions since their inception. This side of the industry is one that I'm intimately (or Intamin-lately) familiar. The issue at hand is one of enforcement and putting responsibility back on ride operators and park operations itself. Ride operators need to monitor attractions while they are in motion and emergency stop when passengers aren't compliant with the stated guidelines. For something like Rockit, that would mean monitoring the lift hill cameras and e-stopping the attraction if someone is reaching for their pocket. For park operations, that means coming up with guidelines that quantify acceptable risk, come up with procedures and practices to enforce it, and place them into an environment that weighs the risks involved and comes up with means to mitigate the risk to an acceptable level. Using Rockit as an example, that means: attraction guidelines that inform guests of what constitutes an loose article (for most amusement parks that is something that is visible and not secured to the person); implement practices (like the afore mentioned e-stop or instructing hosts to be on the lookout for unsecure items that are visible and have them instruct guests to stow them or not ride); and reviewing an attractions interaction with guest areas and determine if there is enough safe zone area or if additional protection (like netting or walls) are required).

Look, riding any theme park attraction contains an element of risk. Standing next to an attraction moving at 50mph contains an element of risk. The only change in the level of risk that one could argue today versus ten years ago is the higher percentage of people that potentially have a smart device that may contain the ability to record. The real question is that increase in the level of risk gotten to the point where the practices and procedures that seem to work for every other theme park need to be changed at Universal?

If the metal detectors fail to stop the next incident on something like Rockit when the next article is a let's say a plastic item - then what will come next? Pat downs?

I still contend that you are far more likely to have a part of the train fall off and cause harm on Rockit than someone's wallet or phone if the guidelines, practices, & procedures are reasonably implemented.

Fabio?

Are you proposing metal detectors AND hair clippers to prevent any long, flowing locks from happening?

Of course, you mean the Apollo's Chariot media day where Fabio got introduced to a golden goose to the nose.

That's a good comparison as Busch Gardens Williamsburg understood that a 70mph coaster (over water even) could have that happen again... but, the probability is so slim they haven't hired a full time Elmer Fudd to shoot down anything near the train.

Sometimes, things happen that are so improbable they may never happen again.

For Universal, train their park operations to enforce their policies and put up some netting in high exposure areas and problem solved.

 

[Deadvoid]

People have been taking loose articles on coasters and other thrill attractions since their inception. This side of the industry is one that I'm intimately (or Intamin-lately) familiar. The issue at hand is one of enforcement and putting responsibility back on ride operators and park operations itself. Ride operators need to monitor attractions while they are in motion and emergency stop when passengers aren't compliant with the stated guidelines. For something like Rockit, that would mean monitoring the lift hill cameras and e-stopping the attraction if someone is reaching for their pocket. For park operations, that means coming up with guidelines that quantify acceptable risk, come up with procedures and practices to enforce it, and place them into an environment that weighs the risks involved and comes up with means to mitigate the risk to an acceptable level. Using Rockit as an example, that means: attraction guidelines that inform guests of what constitutes an loose article (for most amusement parks that is something that is visible and not secured to the person); implement practices (like the afore mentioned e-stop or instructing hosts to be on the lookout for unsecure items that are visible and have them instruct guests to stow them or not ride); and reviewing an attractions interaction with guest areas and determine if there is enough safe zone area or if additional protection (like netting or walls) are required).

Look, riding any theme park attraction contains an element of risk. Standing next to an attraction moving at 50mph contains an element of risk. The only change in the level of risk that one could argue today versus ten years ago is the higher percentage of people that potentially have a smart device that may contain the ability to record. The real question is that increase in the level of risk gotten to the point where the practices and procedures that seem to work for every other theme park need to be changed at Universal?

If the metal detectors fail to stop the next incident on something like Rockit when the next article is a let's say a plastic item - then what will come next? Pat downs?

I still contend that you are far more likely to have a part of the train fall off and cause harm on Rockit than someone's wallet or phone if the guidelines, practices, & procedures are reasonably implemented.



Are you proposing metal detectors AND hair clippers to prevent any long, flowing locks from happening?

Of course, you mean the Apollo's Chariot media day where Fabio got introduced to a golden goose to the nose.

That's a good comparison as Busch Gardens Williamsburg understood that a 70mph coaster (over water even) could have that happen again... but, the probability is so slim they haven't hired a full time Elmer Fudd to shoot down anything near the train.

Sometimes, things happen that are so improbable they may never happen again.

For Universal, train their park operations to enforce their policies and put up some netting in high exposure areas and problem solved.

RIGHT ! well said. For Universal, train their park operations to enforce their policies - I can't tell you how many times I see ride operations playing around and not paying attention. I was a ride team lead for Busch Gardens and Six Flags. ride operators not paying attention frustrates me so much.

 

[rangerbob]

Six Flags Universal Orlando. Didn't know that Six Flags is starting to help here. That is the only park chain that I ever had to go through a metal detector to enter the park (non halloween event) or hit a ride before. This isn't a new problem but is getting to become a worse problem with people intentionally throwing stuff off the ride. It isn't with things falling out of pockets accidentally but the intention things that are released from the ride.

 

[flynnibus]

I think they should be hidden if they use them. The average guest wouldn't know they were there unless they had metal in their pockets. Also doesn't it take a quite a bit of metal to set them off? I know I have had change or something similar in my pockets at the airport and it didn't go off.

Sensitivity is adjustable. You can't hide them because you need people to go through one by one.. they need to be within a certain range of the person (size limiting).. and there are audiences that need to avoid them.

So we're supposed to believe that regional parks like Six Flags can somehow operate without turning their coaster queues into TSA checkpoints, but Universal needs to do this for loose items?

Not all are the same. For one, where coasters are passing through guest areas. Two, different coaster designs and vehicle designs.

Either some people are idiots, or just don't mind other people getting hurt.

Pretty much this.. these kind of things get put in place because guests IGNORE THE RULES.

Thankfully Universal is addressing this brand new issue that is gripping America's amusement parks - unsecure flying objects.

Only in the last few years have guests at parks had any loose items on their person, so it's easy to understand why the issue of getting hit with a loose object has suddenly come to light

People have been taking loose articles on coasters and other thrill attractions since their inception. This side of the industry is one that I'm intimately (or Intamin-lately) familiar. The issue at hand is one of enforcement and putting responsibility back on ride operators and park operations itself.

Wait a minute.. here we do have the park trying to enforce things.. and you're complaining.. and then saying the burden is on the park and complaining they aren't doing things. How many sets of eyes do you want to be covering each rider to see if they touch themselves or see stuff coming out of pockets and react and e-stop the train in the seconds this might happen? What about all the additional risk to riders and the park from all these e-stops? Are you planning on having zoomed in tracking cameras on all angles of all guests in all vehicles and reaction times in under <2seconds? It's just impractical to argue they should be able to mitigate this problem with more aggressive stops. Sure that would help for the dummy trying to hold a go-pro or something.. but wouldn't do anything about all the other accidental departures.

As to the sarcasm about being a 'new' problem. Things are not the same as they always have been. Coaster design with more open-air vehicles, ride movements have changed (more rotations, etc), speeds have changed, WHERE a coaster runs and safety areas have changed, and the biggest... People are just more selfish than ever. Others just think 'oh this is the same as every other coaster I've been on' and make assumptions that are just wrong.. and take stuff they take on any other ride. Basically... people don't respect the rules.. and that problem has gotten worse over time.

So yes, while people have been tkaing loose articles on coasters since the beginning.. the consequences of doing so and probability of it causing a problem HAVE changed

 

[zbsigpi]

Just returned from a 2 night trip and all I have to say is suck it up folks and empty your pockets. They are not asking you to remove your wallets or glasses just misc loose items in your pockets (change, cell phones, car keys, ect) If you don't like it then don't go to universal that way I can enjoy it with a few less people.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Sensitivity is adjustable. You can't hide them because you need people to go through one by one.. they need to be within a certain range of the person (size limiting).. and there are audiences that need to avoid them.



Not all are the same. For one, where coasters are passing through guest areas. Two, different coaster designs and vehicle designs.



Pretty much this.. these kind of things get put in place because guests IGNORE THE RULES.





Wait a minute.. here we do have the park trying to enforce things.. and you're complaining.. and then saying the burden is on the park and complaining they aren't doing things. How many sets of eyes do you want to be covering each rider to see if they touch themselves or see stuff coming out of pockets and react and e-stop the train in the seconds this might happen? What about all the additional risk to riders and the park from all these e-stops? Are you planning on having zoomed in tracking cameras on all angles of all guests in all vehicles and reaction times in under <2seconds? It's just impractical to argue they should be able to mitigate this problem with more aggressive stops. Sure that would help for the dummy trying to hold a go-pro or something.. but wouldn't do anything about all the other accidental departures.

As to the sarcasm about being a 'new' problem. Things are not the same as they always have been. Coaster design with more open-air vehicles, ride movements have changed (more rotations, etc), speeds have changed, WHERE a coaster runs and safety areas have changed, and the biggest... People are just more selfish than ever. Others just think 'oh this is the same as every other coaster I've been on' and make assumptions that are just wrong.. and take stuff they take on any other ride. Basically... people don't respect the rules.. and that problem has gotten worse over time.

So yes, while people have been tkaing loose articles on coasters since the beginning.. the consequences of doing so and probability of it causing a problem HAVE changed

Where do you think the line is going to drawn at Universal? A quick reminder, this is the same resort that attempted to ban bottled water from being taken into City Walk.

You are attempting to set a new standard at Uni, that nobody else in the amusement industry is adhering to. As if the need at Universal is somehow different.

Hulk - production model B&M sitdown trains (well, almost production model as they are actually newer in design than Kumba but use wheel assemblies that are unique to the sitdown class).

Dragons - production model B&M inverted trains with some additional fiberglass themeing.

Rip, Ride, Rockit - production model Mauer-Sohne train.

Nothing unique about Universal's ride vehicles that merit any additional needs for personal security checks.

Maybe the environment is different? This is a bit harder to quantify; but, in the state of Florida there exist other B&M production model coasters that have yet to implement metal detectors at queue entrance and many of those locations have "guest interaction" with the RVs. Their guests are the same guests that Uni services.

Nope, it's something unique to Universal.

If you as a guest are comfortable in giving up a bit more to be a bit more secure... feel free to do so. Just don't complain when Universal feels the need to crack down on the next loose article that doesn't get picked up by a metal detector. Maybe it will be a credit card... maybe a comb... my guess, it will be a lanyard. Why do I suspect this... because lanyards have already been known to come off and get wrapped around a wheel on coasters.

I talked with some friends in the amusement industry this past weekend and to a tee - they all feel Universal has gone overboard with this. They all stated that if Universal wants to make loose articles safer, they need to better train their employees to monitor RVs in motion (and yes, that means watching lift hills), put up netting to keep guest interaction zones as safe as the feel is necessary, and be prepared for the unexpected to happen - like the time at a "large Midwestern park on an peninsula in a lake" had a guests artificial leg become detached on a RV in motion.

At least with the new heightened security and the greatly diminished probability of accidents - Dragons were immediately put back into their original dueling mode, right?

 

[Bairstow]

Nope, it's something unique to Universal.

The only thing I can think of in Universal's defense is that sociopathic guests who threw batteries or rocks or something at the passing train on their dueling coaster also seem to be unique to their park.

I'd be really curious to know if it was the same miscreant both times, or if the second attack was just a copycat.

 

[JoeCamel]

Metal detectors will not find rocks if that is what it was