Big and Tall...rides?

[orangevw99]

Hello! I am planning on a trip to Disney the first week of May. My boyfriend is 6"3 and about 270 pounds...he has to wear XLT shirts because his frame is very long..most of his weight is in his stomach area..we are kind of nervous if he will fit on any of the rides at disney? We went to Six Flags New England and he did not fit on any of the roller coasters there...I have read some posts saying that the rides at WDW are very weigh friendly...I have been to Disney a few times but I never went with anyone that was big/tall before!

Any tips /rides to avoid ?

Thank you

 

[C&D]

Stay away from the Astro Orbiter; I'm 6', 185 and it about did me in.

 

[orangevw99]

I can see how that would be a tight fit...I didnt care for that ride myself.

What about Tower of Terror, Soarin, Star Tours?

Space Mountain seems to be one that I remember being a small fit, too

 

[karlbeau]

I am 6'4" and 290 pounds. I have been to parks all over the U.S. and have found WDW to be the most "big and tall" friendly. I agree that the Astro Orbiter is nearly impossible, but I did not have a lot of trouble with Space Mountain - though my knees and chin were about 12 inches apart.

The other ride that is a bit tight is Test Track - depending on where you are seated. I would try to get a front row seat if possible. All other rides were quite comfortable with a whole bunch of leg room. Even Expedition Everest is comfortable.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Monty]

I'm 6'3" 260, never had a problem on any ride at Disney, although Sum of All Thrills was a very tight fit. Everything else was fine.

 

[orangevw99]

I am 6'4" and 290 pounds. I have been to parks all over the U.S. and have found WDW to be the most "big and tall" friendly. I agree that the Astro Orbiter is nearly impossible, but I did not have a lot of trouble with Space Mountain - though my knees and chin were about 12 inches apart.

The other ride that is a bit tight is Test Track - depending on where you are seated. I would try to get a front row seat if possible. All other rides were quite comfortable with a whole bunch of leg room. Even Expedition Everest is comfortable.

Enjoy your trip!

Oh yes, I forgot about Test Track...I did read that I should try and get him in a front row seat. Thank you very much for the information. I am glad Disney has made things accomodating for all people

 

[orangevw99]

I'm 6'3" 260, never had a problem on any ride at Disney, although Sum of All Thrills was a very tight fit. Everything else was fine.

Sum of All Thrills? I am not aware of this ride. I have not visited WDW in 3 years now!

 

[Monty]

Sum of All Thrills? I am not aware of this ride. I have not visited WDW in 3 years now!

It's in Innoventions, it's a design your own ride that uses a Khukla arm system to go through what you design.

 

[orangevw99]

Oh, that sounds neat

 

[jlandis44]

I concur with everything said here. I am 6'7", about 280 lbs. I have leg room problems on the TomorrowLand Speedway, but other than that, I fit fine on everything...BUT, there are a few rides where I have to adapt...for example, I have to sit in a front car on Aerosmith RnRC, and scoot down a little bit. On Test Track, I have to sit in the front of the car...same with Thunder Mountain. Space Mountain is tricky...I have to sit in the BACK row, as it allows me to extend my legs next to the seat in front of me. I sat in the front once, thinking that was the answer, and could barely get the lap bar down, and felt like I was going to pop out of the seat at every drop (yes, I was scared!). A friendly CM gave me the tip to sit in the back, and it worked out fine. Many other rides where there is a seat in front of you (Pirates, Maelstrom, etc), I just have to sit with my knees sideways or spread apart. Rides are very friendly to tall folks, and even moreso once you figure out a few tricks.

 

[Silver Figment]

I concur with everything said here. I am 6'7", about 280 lbs. I have leg room problems on the TomorrowLand Speedway, but other than that, I fit fine on everything...BUT, there are a few rides where I have to adapt...for example, I have to sit in a front car on Aerosmith RnRC, and scoot down a little bit. On Test Track, I have to sit in the front of the car...same with Thunder Mountain. Space Mountain is tricky...I have to sit in the BACK row, as it allows me to extend my legs next to the seat in front of me. I sat in the front once, thinking that was the answer, and could barely get the lap bar down, and felt like I was going to pop out of the seat at every drop (yes, I was scared!). A friendly CM gave me the tip to sit in the back, and it worked out fine. Many other rides where there is a seat in front of you (Pirates, Maelstrom, etc), I just have to sit with my knees sideways or spread apart. Rides are very friendly to tall folks, and even moreso once you figure out a few tricks.

Good to know that you seem to have eveything figured out ahead of time to enjoy future trips.

 

[finaldynasty]

I am more Big than tall, 6'2", 330 former college football player. The reason why I love WDW over other parks is that I can ride pretty much every ride without being embarrassed about my not fitting. Like others I had to find a way to fit into the tomorrowland and space mountain. You would be amazed at how plus size friendly WDW is. I love the fact that I can ride with my children unlike at Six Flags. They even have lap belt extenders on Star Tours if you need them...Have a Magical Time!

 

[FriarTuck&Roll]

Over the past weekend, I learned that while not a ride, the American Idol Experience has very small seats, and we were made to sit right next to other guests. I would have had no problem with this except for the fact that the theater was barely 1/3 of the way full. It would have been better if they would have let the crowd spread out.

As others have said if you ride Space Mountain, ask to sit in the back row as this does have the most room. The only other attraction that might be a tight fit at WDW is the Goofy coaster, but that probably wont be open in the near future. (If you go to Universal most attractions there are Big and Tall friendly with the exceptions of the coasters with OTS restraints (but they due have designated rows with larger seats) and the Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket with the least large person friendly restraint system anywhere).

 

[Hoop Raeb]

Lots of great information here.

http://allears.net/tp/ridsiz.htm

 

[joannecasey]

Hi there,

I have a friend who came to Disney with us, he is 6'2 and 500 lbs. He rode everything at Disney except for Expedition Everest ... he found that one uncomfortable for his legs.

Have fun on your trip

 

[orangevw99]

Thank you everyone for your input. It seems WDW has made attractions available to everyone of all sizes Another reason to love Disney!

 

[LoriSue]

DH is going to kill me if he sees I posted this but just to answer honestly, he is over 450 lbs, 5'8. I agree the seats at American Idol were definitely a tight fit for both of us (was about 250 at the time) but even though his weight is in the abdominal region, he hasn't had trouble with anything else. He rides Expedition Everest and Space Mountain every time. He hasn't tried the Astro Orbiter but everything else is good for him. That's one reason he loves Disney so much, they try to include everyone. :sohappy:

 

[Uncle Lupe]

I'm 6'3" 230. Most of my height is in my legs and the mass in my gut. Space mountain in the front the T bar hit me in the middle thigh. Had more room in the very back. The back of those cars is a more intense ride then in the front. If you have 4-6 grown adults that this gets going. I'm sure the darkness adds to the illusion of speed.

I had the most trouble getting into and out of the tea cups and raceway. Just no graceful way of putting size 13 shoes into those rides. Did not help that I was the pack mule of our group.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

I am 6'2" and 280lbs. (yeah Big Phil is not a metaphor) and pretty much an exact contemporary of your boyfriend. I too know what its like to be the size of an NFL lineman at a theme park. Normally it isn't a problem for me, not even at a Six Flags park. There are a few rides I haven't been able to go on. I am still bitter I couldn't fit on the Millennium at Cedar Point. But other than a couple other coasters even the Six Flags parks usually accomodate a guy like me.

Disney is a notch above that though. This is why their park is the best in the world, they build their rides for everyone. Now I am a big man too and carry lots of that weight in my stomach and I can tell you with absolute certainty that your boyfriend will fit in everything. Space Mountain has always been tight for me but it is more a product of my height than my weight. My knees usually hit the front part. Splash Mountain is fine, don't let the initial look of the ride fool you, his feet will fit in there fine once he sits down. Thunder Mountain is fine. Get this.............Dumbo fit my wife and I (normal size woman).

Ummmm, what else? Soarin is comfortable. Tower of Terror and Aerosmith are fine although you have to get in pretty deep into Aerosmith so it looks deceptive. Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World, Peter Pan, Pooh, are fine too. Astro Orbiter fit my wife and I as well. Heck, even on Tom Sawyer's Island I fit through all of the caves. Also a comfortable fit was Expedition Everest and Dinosaur.

Look, Disney is hardly a bush league park, there isn't a "tester" at the front of any of the rides wanting you to see if you fit. They accomodate every size of person. Oh, and he'll love the parades. No problem seeing everything when you're 6'3"!

 

[Timekeeper]

The question isn't so much "what rides can a person ride," but more "what rides can a person ride comfortably." Just because someone can more or less easily get into and out of a ride doesn't mean that the ride experience itself will be pleasant. Taller individuals have to sit with their knees positioned "diagonally" on something as simple and slow moving as Spaceship Earth, and the majority of other omnimover rides (Buzz, Haunted, etc.)

Just think "it's good to be odd."

For Aerosmith, definitely ask for an "odd number" row. There is a much larger amount of legroom in these rows compared to the extremely cramped even numbered rows, which will have the knees of any rider over 6' tall shoved into the back of the odd number row in front of them.

Same goes for Test Track.

Also, Mission Space can be quite constraining so take a look at the model ride vehicle out front to guestimate a comfort level.

I concur with everything said here. I am 6'7", about 280 lbs. I have leg room problems on the TomorrowLand Speedway, but other than that, I fit fine on everything...BUT, there are a few rides where I have to adapt...for example, I have to sit in a front car on Aerosmith RnRC, and scoot down a little bit. On Test Track, I have to sit in the front of the car...same with Thunder Mountain. Space Mountain is tricky...I have to sit in the BACK row, as it allows me to extend my legs next to the seat in front of me.

Why does it help to sit in the front row of Thunder Mountain? It's my understanding that each row has the same dimensions due to the box-like characteristics of the ride vehicles. I was not aware that any row is more spacious than another.

A friendly CM gave me the tip to sit in the back, and it worked out fine.

Yes, if the ride attendant CM is paying attention and really doing their job, then they may actually suggest a seating location that is more comfortable for the guest (or seat you in that location without you knowing that they're helping to accommodate you).

But that's hit and miss. For example, when we visit the Studios with a very tall individual, the attendants at Aerosmith will tell him to "make sure you ask for an odd number row" maybe 25% of the time. Luckily, he knows to ask for this during the 75% of the time that he manages to make his way past multiple CMs, none of whom offer the suggestion, and often with the final "row attendant" assigning an even number row before he has to speak up and request otherwise.