Universal Orlando modifies Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey to accommodate larger guests

So apparently Potter fans are Portlier than your average Theme Park Guest. Who'd have thunk it?*

*I'm totally not being too serious. Kind of. But not really.

Hooray! I'll take 1 ride and then 5 more butterbeers!

Here come the fat jokes... I hope folks show a little sensitivity...

I can make them because I probably couldn't fit ;).

I think its a positive step for them to take. If you search for the ride name you only have to get to page two until you get the stories about the size restrictions.

I guess you have to wonder why if the ride vehicles can easily be modified to accommodate a larger size of guest - why this wasn't done from day one.

Well now the guy who was dieting just so he could ride has no incentive.

Sure he does - he's going for that Subway endorsement now...Jared is so yesterday...

I read that guy still wants to lose weight and become healthier even though he can fit now.

Jeff said:
Well now the guy who was dieting just so he could ride has no incentive.

According to his blog here, with help from the ride ops he was finally able to ride before the seat modifications. He also says that he plans to keep losing weight.

Is Cedar Point listening? I can only take Kennywood and Idlewild so many times a year.

So I wonder if they actually retrofitted the whole thing across the board, or just made one specific bench a "chubbo bench" (trying to be sensitive, as requested) in which case "guests of grandiose proportions" will have to ride in a specific chair as on their B&M's.

I really don't care if its a specific chair or not. Certainly it'd be cool to ride front or back if you wanted but much better being able to ride than not as long as its safe to do so..

Someone else said it above about CP. I wish they'd listen cause even at a weight I could ride most everything on a nine park trip, several of their rides are no go's.

I've not perceived Cedar Point to be that bad (aside from the random MF belt length at times). I did have a very tall friend with a large chest struggle to get into Wicked Twister once.

With OTSRs, as on Forbidden Journey, broad shoulder/large chests seem to be more of an impediment than a larger midsection.

I'd think it would be easier to retrofit one of the benches to accommodate larger guests, but one seat on each "car" might be better in terms of throughput/accessibility (albeit WAY more expensive for the park). Inquiring minds want to know!

kpjb said:
So I wonder if they actually retrofitted the whole thing across the board, or just made one specific bench a "chubbo bench" (trying to be sensitive, as requested) in which case "guests of grandiose proportions" will have to ride in a specific chair as on their B&M's.

Right now it is the right seat on every other bench

So if there are more than one big person in party

They will have to split you up

May have too make all seats that way eventually

Alternate headline: Universal Orlando Bends to Pressure From Overweight Guests, Modifies Harry Potter Ride.

Kudos to them for being accommodating, but at the risk of sounding insensitive to the "grandiosely proportioned" among us, I don't think it was necessary. Nice, sure. Necessary, not in the least.

BBSpeed26 said:
Alternate headline: Universal Orlando Bends to Pressure From Overweight Guests, Modifies Harry Potter Ride.

Kudos to them for being accommodating, but at the risk of sounding insensitive to the "grandiosely proportioned" among us, I don't think it was necessary. Nice, sure. Necessary, not in the least.

Do you think sales of Butterbeer were in jeopardy of plummeting? :-)

Jeff said:
I've not perceived Cedar Point to be that bad (aside from the random MF belt length at times). I did have a very tall friend with a large chest struggle to get into Wicked Twister once.

I thought the same thing until after my wife had our two kids. Before, she could ride everything in the park, including all the kiddie rides. Then after she had the kids, this is what I found out:

She can't ride her favorite ride MF.
She can't even ride Top Thrill Dragster.
She couldn't fit in the seats on Mean Streak.
She couldn't fit on most of the kiddie rides (mainly Wood Stock Express, which she rode before kids.)
Can't fit on Blue Streak,
Can't fit on Most rides that added seat belts...practically everything.
Can't fit on Disaster Transport.
Can't fit on Mine Ride.
Can't fit on Chaos.
Can't fit on Wild Cat.

Now, many people who do know me and wife, know that my wife gained about 30 lbs during pregnancy, and of course we can get into the whole hip thing. But I have noticed stuff at the park, that I didn't notice before after being their once with her having the above effected.

It's AMAZING how many rides at Cedar Point she can't ride until she looses the rest of the weight.

She CAN ride everything at Disney World, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Kennywood, and a few small parks. That she has been too lately.

I'm still dumbfounded over many other parks that we go too, and then when I go to CP and see how skinny or "built a certain way" one must be to ride their rides.

Things I noticed that others might not have also if your' tall or getting close to being overweight:
If you sit on the Mine Ride 3rd row of any car you'll fit MUCH better since the lapbars go down less further in each row from the front.
If you don't fit in the second row of Wild Cat, you'll have an easier time fitting in the first row.
One will fit MUCH easier on Corkscrew in the front seat.

This year I have gone up MANY more times than I have the last 2 (due to both kids.) I can't even count how many times I have seen MANY girls and guys have to do the walk of shame of MANY rides and not just MF. I think Mine Ride and Mean Streak are the two next in line for people not being able to fit...It just doesn't get talked about as much since they aren't high profile rides.

-RollerCoasterGod

The Daily Mirror in England ran with a slightly more direct headline