Flight of Passage + People of Size = Disappointing

[ShirikiUtundu]

Page one of this thread? or another?

Of the official thread, here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/official-pandora-the-world-of-avatar-information-thread.3587311/

 

[jj69]

Hi, I have only read about half of this thread, but I wanted to comment on my experience with the test seat during our recent trip. We were there the day before Pandora officially opened and were able to take part in the soft opening. We hopped in line for the River Journey since I wasn't sure I would fit on FOP and didn't want to waste valuable time if I wouldn't. After riding I decided to go take a look at the test seat for information for next year's trip. At first a cm was there. People were just sitting on it to take pics and kids for fun to try out the seat. For these folks the cm didn't close the restraints. Then a couple larger folks sat on it to see if they would fit asking the cm to close the restraint. The cm spend a great deal of time with one guy trying different positions and giving advice. I then left to visit the rest room, and when I came back the area was empty, no cm, no people. I sat on the seat and tried to figure out how to close the restraints. You can't do it yourself. A cm asked if I wanted to try the restraints, and when I said yes he got the other cm who came over with a special tool she used to operate the restraints. She was very helpful with advise and positioning. I would recommend that anyone with doubts about fitting easily should do the test seat just for the practice and time to figure out the best positioning for you. I did fit and will try to ride sometime in the future. I am 5'3", 248 lbs, apple shaped. Good luck to all of you!

Would you be willingto share your waist/hip measurements? I leave for WDW on Friday.

 

[cassidy57]

Would you be willingto share your waist/hip measurements? I leave for WDW on Friday.

I would love to know measurements as well so I know if I fit

 

[maxiesmom]

You tried t ride and had issues and was not able to?

No. I know looking at how you are seated, and knowing my physical limitations, it would not be comfortable for me.

 

[gatechfan99]

I posted this last week, but will share again since I know most people don't have time to read through all pages of these types of threads.

I am 6'8, 250 and rode FOP last week without any problem. My long legs felt like they weren't going to fit well when I sat down and the knees kept hitting the vehicle. But I leaned all the way forward and when the restraints came on, I really couldn't even tell. Couldn't move my torso very much back and forth but didn't feel "trapped". My legs had much more movement than I would have guessed. That said, my legs and calves are not unusually big by any measure. I carry most of all my extra weight in my abdomen.

For the record, I've never had any problem fitting on any Disney ride except Astro Orbiter. For some reason, the one time I tried, I just couldn't get my legs folded in right on that and just haven't felt the need to try again. 7DMT, Goofy's Barnstormer, BTMRR...I do it all every visit.

 

[coolbrook]

This is me! We leave on Wednesday night with our Animal Kingdom day on Friday. Would you say you fit comfortably or would you describe it as "just fit"?

I would say fit comfortably. The cm also said (in a hushed voice with lots of qualifiers) that the test seat is a little harder to fit than the actual ride. She also gave a disclaimer about three times that just because you fit here doesn't guarantee you will be able to ride, but it sounded like they have to say that so people don't get mad and claim they were guaranteed a ride.

 

[Pawpsicle]

I posted this last week, but will share again since I know most people don't have time to read through all pages of these types of threads.

I am 6'8, 250 and rode FOP last week without any problem. My long legs felt like they weren't going to fit well when I sat down and the knees kept hitting the vehicle. But I leaned all the way forward and when the restraints came on, I really couldn't even tell. Couldn't move my torso very much back and forth but didn't feel "trapped". My legs had much more movement than I would have guessed. That said, my legs and calves are not unusually big by any measure. I carry most of all my extra weight in my abdomen.

For the record, I've never had any problem fitting on any Disney ride except Astro Orbiter. For some reason, the one time I tried, I just couldn't get my legs folded in right on that and just haven't felt the need to try again. 7DMT, Goofy's Barnstormer, BTMRR...I do it all every visit.

Did you have to bend your knees a lot for the leg restraints?

 

[gatechfan99]

Did you have to bend your knees a lot for the leg restraints?

Nothing unusual in the bending. My main problem was that when I bent my knees normal, they just wouldn't fit under the bottom part of the front section. I couldn't really get my feet flat on the floor to fit because of that, but like I said, the leg restraints wound up not causing any problems.

 

[coolbrook]

I would love to know measurements as well so I know if I fit

Measurements today (2lbs less than Disney Weight) Waist 46" where my pants waist band sits, 48" waist around where belly button is, 55" hips which is under belly. The weight I gave was upon returning from trip two days after animal kingdom day. I had just lost 20lbs on weight Watchers before the trip and am back at it now. It was the first time in years I haven't had to ask for a seat belt extender on the plane and could go through all the ride turnstiles without asking a cm to open the handicap gate. I was so happy! I hope this is helpful, but of course everyone is shaped differently. One other tip, since my legs are short I had to raise my heels so I was on the balls of my feet once I sat down and scooted all the way forward, otherwise the back calf flaps couldn't close past the back of my thighs.

 

[scrapquitler]

so does anyone know what happens to your FP if you fit in the test vehicle, but can't ride because of the restraint after you go into the line? DH is concerned that he might not be able to ride and will 'waste' his FP. Will they give him a paper one for use somewhere else, or is he just out of luck?

 

[bethbuchall]

One other tip, since my legs are short I had to raise my heels so I was on the balls of my feet once I sat down and scooted all the way forward, otherwise the back calf flaps couldn't close past the back of my thighs.

This is the part that concerns me. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Disneyplanners]

page one has all the videos

Thanks

 

[cassidy57]

Measurements today (2lbs less than Disney Weight) Waist 46" where my pants waist band sits, 48" waist around where belly button is, 55" hips which is under belly. The weight I gave was upon returning from trip two days after animal kingdom day. I had just lost 20lbs on weight Watchers before the trip and am back at it now. It was the first time in years I haven't had to ask for a seat belt extender on the plane and could go through all the ride turnstiles without asking a cm to open the handicap gate. I was so happy! I hope this is helpful, but of course everyone is shaped differently. One other tip, since my legs are short I had to raise my heels so I was on the balls of my feet once I sat down and scooted all the way forward, otherwise the back calf flaps couldn't close past the back of my thighs.

Thanks so much for sharing your measurements. I am exactly the same so I am happy to hear I can ride the ride. Yahooooo!

 

[wilkeliza]

so does anyone know what happens to your FP if you fit in the test vehicle, but can't ride because of the restraint after you go into the line? DH is concerned that he might not be able to ride and will 'waste' his FP. Will they give him a paper one for use somewhere else, or is he just out of luck?

You'll most likely have to talk to GR who can issue you an anytime or ask to speak with an attractions manager if nothing is offered at the ride.

 

[AMC3boys]

I posted this last week, but will share again since I know most people don't have time to read through all pages of these types of threads.

I am 6'8, 250 and rode FOP last week without any problem. My long legs felt like they weren't going to fit well when I sat down and the knees kept hitting the vehicle. But I leaned all the way forward and when the restraints came on, I really couldn't even tell. Couldn't move my torso very much back and forth but didn't feel "trapped". My legs had much more movement than I would have guessed. That said, my legs and calves are not unusually big by any measure. I carry most of all my extra weight in my abdomen.

For the record, I've never had any problem fitting on any Disney ride except Astro Orbiter. For some reason, the one time I tried, I just couldn't get my legs folded in right on that and just haven't felt the need to try again. 7DMT, Goofy's Barnstormer, BTMRR...I do it all every visit.

That's good to know. Thanks. My husband is a little smaller than you at 6'6 and 230lbs. If you can fit, he can fit. I would want to waste a fastpass if he wasn't going to fit

 

[h&D3]

This is me on just about every new ride. then when its over im like well that wasnt so bad. although there's been rides where i've kissed the ground after.

Which rides did you come off of where you've kissed the ground? My DH, who gets motion sickness, HAD to ride Everest. When he got off he must have looked green enough as a CM asked him if he was alright. He replied, "I will as soon as the world stops spinning!" He then proceeded to sit down for a few minutes and then he was fine.

 

[h&D3]

I would be pissed after waiting 3 hours and have a CM give little effort ..

Just wondering, but could a family member "push you in" instead of a CM? Heck, I'd have my DH or DS body slam me to get that sucker to lock in if needed. Or isn't there enough time. I would think if a CM has to check everyone before the ride can start, you would think there would be time for everyone to get settled.

I'm a Pooh sided lady (and proud of it), who is 6'1".... now my DS is 6'5" and skinny as a rail. I'm hoping they will have all of this resolved by the time we go next summer so we both can enjoy the experience.
~D

 

[ErinsMommy]

Which rides did you come off of where you've kissed the ground? My DH, who gets motion sickness, HAD to ride Everest. When he got off he must have looked green enough as a CM asked him if he was alright. He replied, "I will as soon as the world stops spinning!" He then proceeded to sit down for a few minutes and then he was fine.

Everest did it for me - I was fine up until the backwards part, but that killed it for me.

 

[DisneyOma]

I'm an engineer. A computer engineer, granted, but the same core principles go into designing everything engineers make--firstly, make it safe, and, second, make it as "idiot proof" as you can. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that given that pull chain rate is determined by sensors and that it's a roller coaster, not a water coaster, there's got to be a way to make the Mine Train, and FoP, a little more forgiving in regards to size--at both ends of the spectrum. (I have an adult friend who is barely 50inches tall!) It would, however, absolutely come at the cost of loading rate. If every seat is the same size, you can fill every seat on every ride, but you'll have to turn people away, in theory, from each ride. If you have a variety of sizes, not every seat will be filled on every ride. The kid sized seats may not all fill and the larger adult size seats may not be full. Families that want to ride together may not be able to because all seats of one size would fill. Wait times would probably increase drastically because 15% or 20% of the seats would be empty. Theme park engineers are 1) concerned with safety and 2) concerned with throughput.

This does bring the question of what will happen to theme park engineering as the average size goes up, but you continue to have people like me (5'5" and 130 lbs of muscled dancer). Will we eventually see the sacrifice of throughput for more inclusion and safety for all? Or will we see and reversion of design to coasters and attractions along the lines of BTMRR with individual bars for more safety?

FoP is a roller coaster?

Just wondering, but could a family member "push you in" instead of a CM? Heck, I'd have my DH or DS body slam me to get that sucker to lock in if needed. Or isn't there enough time. I would think if a CM has to check everyone before the ride can start, you would think there would be time for everyone to get settled.

I'm a Pooh sided lady (and proud of it), who is 6'1".... now my DS is 6'5" and skinny as a rail. I'm hoping they will have all of this resolved by the time we go next summer so we both can enjoy the experience.
~D

If your family members are not in their seats the CMs can't activate the ride restraints, so no, they can't help you.

 

[Lisa F]

I think the obvious solution would be to calculate the %age of guests being turned away and have that %age of seats that will fit bigger (in any direction) people, maybe in one theater so loading can be efficient in the other 3. A CM can direct people who might be of questionable size to the other theater. This way you don't put smaller people in danger, you don't have to take the whole ride down, you don't have to retrofit EVERY seat. That is what universal did for their rides and it seems to be working out ok. They could balance the entire load as they need to in that one theater.

Oh and I know my calf size just because I like boots and need wide calf boots.