It does, but I think the difference is that bar has been grand-fathered in. If it were being built now, it would not be done that way. It would be the way the mine train is.
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mine ride for BIG PEOPLE..
- Thread starter bjlc57
- Start date
I really don't see anyway they can change things.
sporadic
Well-Known Member
It does. I'm fairly large myself and had the death grip on our little one when we rode. She had a blast while i was freaking out.
momof1princess
Well-Known Member
My family won't have a problem, but I'm disappointed that Disney built a "family" ride that can't accommodate...
Have they not looked around the MK lately? Guests aren't made with a cookie cutter!
Have they not looked around the MK lately? Guests aren't made with a cookie cutter!
dstrawn9889
Well-Known Member
maybe not a cookie cutter, but that have to make a distinction somewhere... whether it is height restriction of 6'3", or whatever ails you... coasters cannot be made to fit everyone.
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
Not even creating 1 or 2 rows that are slightly wider or longer? Similar to what Six Flags does on many of their coasters?
I'm not concerned about whether I'd fit but it sucks for children whose parents may be too tall or too big to ride so they have to miss out.
I remember friends who went to visit WWoHP when it first opened and one was too "large chested" to ride and her husband's shoulders were too broad to fit, so their kids had to miss out.
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
I agree. I know at WWoHP they had an attendant outside with a test seat and they tell you whether you will fit, will fit in one of the larger side seats, or wont at all.
startraveler
Active Member
Did anyone see someone transfer from a wheelchair? Is there a modified car like Big Thunder or Everest that lets you slide over the seat rather than just that little opening to step through? Really want to ride this one.
Thanks
Thanks
Chicagoshannon2
Well-Known Member
Couldn't they just do a seatbelt like on Star Tours? That would solve the issue.
flynnibus
Premium Member
I think he point was there was nothing that can be done... short of new trains cars. You can't do anything within the existing design to accommodate those people.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
This really makes me dissappointed in disney. As a short and big (5'7, 350lbs) male I am more round than tall and I have experienced the horror of being embaressed at Universal Orlando. I do not even go to Six Flags or any other theme park because I know the ride systems. But I have always paid my thousands to disney because its the only place where I know I will fit and not be embararessed. I struggle with Test Track though the CM always gives me extra time to buckle up before sending the car. But this mine train business is crazy. Why couldnt they do it like EE with individual bars. Any photos of the car seat? I know allears usually does but I am not sure if they have updated.
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
I believe rollercoasters require an actual bar.
DrewmanS
Well-Known Member
Since this is designed to be a "family" coaster, I assume the split safety bars is to accommodate different size riders. There is a safety concern if a single safety bar is used with a parent and child. The child is not properly restrained and is able to climb out of their seat. I think most modern rides and retrofits (i.e. space mountain) require a single safety restraint per rider.
Most human factor designs are based on generally accepted standards for the "95 percentile american man". This is 6'2" and about 24 inches wide. The problem is designing a single, unadjustable seat that fits all body types. Shaquille O'Neal is 7'1", 325 lbs, and about 32" wide. A child would be difficult to safely restrain, be uncomfortable, and have problems seeing if in a seat designed for Shaq.
Having a row of "plus sized" seats would probably create a bigger (PR and guest realtions) issue for Disney. Smaller adults might request the seats because they enjoy the additional leg room (think airlines, I am 6'1" and hate it when I see a 5' person sitting in an exit row and I am stuck in front of them with no leg room and a seat that does not recline). Some larger individuals may be offended if instructed to sit in the plus sized seats. (Again, on aircraft I have seen passengers get irate because they were told they needed a seatbelt extension.) So the result is, design a seat that accommodates the vast majority of the ride population while having to consider the smallest rider. It means a certain portion of the population might not be able to ride, not because of size limits, but because of the inability to properly use safety restraints.
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DoctorDisney
Active Member
My wife is a small woman and I'm only 5'10", about 190...we fit in the Mine Train fine, but had a backpack with us and putting that thing under my legs was one of the hardest things possible.
That immediately began the discussion between us wondering how those of larger stature would fit into the attraction. Especially with the split bar and the booster seat riser between the two seats.
As WDWMagic said, would Thunder be built today...it wouldn't include the single bar. But speaking for 7DMT, while I believe there should have been a way to better approach the situation of who can and can't fit, I don't see how it can be fixed now. The cars are all designed in the way they are and looking at their construction, I don't see how all that can be changed without shutting things down and designing brand new trains entirely.
Which I don't see happening anytime soon with the grand opening set for tomorrow.
Going to be interesting to see where this goes though.
That immediately began the discussion between us wondering how those of larger stature would fit into the attraction. Especially with the split bar and the booster seat riser between the two seats.
As WDWMagic said, would Thunder be built today...it wouldn't include the single bar. But speaking for 7DMT, while I believe there should have been a way to better approach the situation of who can and can't fit, I don't see how it can be fixed now. The cars are all designed in the way they are and looking at their construction, I don't see how all that can be changed without shutting things down and designing brand new trains entirely.
Which I don't see happening anytime soon with the grand opening set for tomorrow.
Going to be interesting to see where this goes though.
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
I understand what you're saying and agree that it is impossible to accommodate everyone. But plenty of theme parks offer a row for larger guest and when it is not needed they allow anyone to use them. People request the back row or front row too and it has never been an issue for Disney, so I doubt creating a row for larger guest would be an issue. The seats may not be for plus size guest but even guest that have long legs.
I could see how someone may be offended but I'm certain most guest would rather be directed to a larger seat than be embarrassed when they don't fit.
DoctorDisney
Active Member
It's not so easy to just "create a row." Doing so would entail creating another mine train car for each train and then replacing the current caboose car with the new one and so on and so on. It can be done, but it's not simplistic by any stretch of the imagination.
The Harry Potter attraction at Universal has the shoulder restraints and I have a friend that can't fit in them because his shoulders are simply too broad. He's a big dude.
The Harry Potter attraction at Universal has the shoulder restraints and I have a friend that can't fit in them because his shoulders are simply too broad. He's a big dude.
cw1982
Well-Known Member
There are ways of handling this so that people don't have to be offended. If the CM simply directs the guest to go to a specific row and doesn't make a big deal out of explaining why, most guests are just going to assume the CM is doing their job of filling the rows anyway. The only way it would come up at that point is if the guest asks to be moved to a different section, at which time the CM could gently and discreetly explain that he or she thinks the guest would be more comfortable in the directed area. Most guests who are larger, whether it be height or gait, will be able to read between the lines and figure out the underlying meaning without it being a big show to the rest of the guests.
And yes, DH has been very embarrassed by not being able to fit on rides (before he lost his weight). I could tell you horror stories... and of course it always used to happen on rides with high demand, so we'd wait for an hour or more just to have him humiliated when a latch wouldn't lock or a bar wouldn't go all the way down. I could tell it was horrible for him, and it made me feel horrible too because saw him hurting like that.
I'm just a tad surprised that there isn't already a row in place that can fix this issue. As someone else said, it's not like Disney never sees tall or thick guests, so the need to address this without guests being disappointed or embarrassed should have been obvious. It seems like a no-brainer that they could have easily worked that into the plans.
donsullivan
Premium Member
I had my camera bag with me on both days that I rode over the weekend and just put it on top of the lap bar instead of trying to wedge it into the very tiny space underneath. Just get in and pull the lap bar down and then put the backpack on top of the lap bar. if you're concerned about it flying out (it won't) just wrap one of the shoulder straps around the top of the lap bar and your arm.
ChrisM
Well-Known Member
Bar can't close. Moose out front should have told ya.