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I told you an outside factor related to the guest - such as obsesity - would be one of the lead contributing factors. I'm going to ruffle some feathers here, but I'll come right out with it. Parks should, under the law, have the right to refuse anyone of exceptional size and/or physical handicap to ride. ADA regulations have reached a ridiculous fever pitch, and those that are obsese are developing a mentality that "what everyone else can do, I should be allowed to do." Sorry, but that's crap. They should NOT be allowed to do something that could compromise their safety. A park should be protected, just as any citizen is, should they refuse a person. If I have a backyard pool with a slide, I can - by law - refuse someone access to it for fear their physical limitation would endanger them should they go on the slide. However if a park does such, it's considered discrimination, and the ADA gives the guest the right to sue. It's a fact of life that those of larger proportions simply cannot do, or should not do, things that would be impeded by size. By living in a "PC" society, we are perpetuating myths. By "pretending" that a person of extreme size or limitation is completely able-bodied endangers them. It generates a mentality, in cases such as coaster riding, that they are superior to a mechanical device. It's lose-lose for the parks. If they refuse the rider - they get sued. If they allow the rider - they run the risk of getting sued should any accident (no matter how small) occurr. When I worked on Beast crew, there was a fellow who came with his Dad to KI every weekend and rode The Beast. He was middle-aged, wheelchair bound and LOVED KI. I really appreciated his love of the park. However, he was handicapped to the point that he could not lift or manuever himself out of his chair or into the train whatsoever. As a matter of fact, (as I recall) his arms had very limited mobility and he was not able to hold the lap bar properly. (I believe, he had Cerebral Palsy to the point that he was constricted to the chair) We'd have to hold the trains while three of us lifted him from his chair onto the ride. We then had to adhere him to the seat with a special torso strap and click his lapbar down on him. This was AFTER we had notified those that had waited in line (he didn't have to - came up the exit) that he would be riding in front of them for the next two circuits (he was permitted two consecutive rides.) We'd send him on his way, and every single time I'd pray to God that he came back in one piece. I stayed scared to death something would happen and I'd be responsible. However, by law, I was not allowed to refuse this. But also, had something happened, my neck was on the chopping block for blame. Now I was in my late 20's - and working at KI for kicks. Most employees at KI are teens - or young 20s. That's an immense responsibility to place on "a kid." Yet, had I refused to allow him - or even refused to assist him - I would have been fired and the park sued. Now I ask... is that fair to anyone? Him? Me? The park?

Ever been on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal? It doesn't go 200+ feet in the air and isn't made by Intamin, so, no, he hasn't.

Devin Olson Media is at it again with another documentary. I got a chance to meet Devin at Busch Gardens this year, and he and his crew are great. Enjoy From Dreams to Screams: Gatekeeper I'm in this video at the 8:20 mark!

Never ever.

Owl long has this been going on?

I was afraid this would play into the accident. I have always had a problem with those of "Exceptional Size" being jammed into a seat. Just doesn't seem safe to me. I would rather be told no than to die from a failed restraint. I feel terrible for the kids that had to witness this happen to their mother. As a woman of "exceptional size" I had an incident on FOF about 4 years ago where a ride op was trying to force the lap bar down enough to have the seat belt click on the side of the train. I told the ride op " if you have to do all of this to allow me to ride that's crazy, unsafe, and point blank i'm not riding" The ride ops did let me off the ride. I enjoy roller coasters, but it's not worth dying over just to get on one. I can't ride DB due to my thighs(I tried the test seat and it did not turn green). but that's okay. I don't want to be jammed in just to be able to ride. I feel very sorry for the victim who apparently didn't feel safe in the restraint and I feel sorry for the family having to see this happen to her. Prayers for the family!

Additionally, when my best friend passed, I placed a Crunchwrap Supreme at his grave. He loved Taco Bell. I know many living people would love that Crunchwrap. But it made his mother smile, which hadn't happened for a long time. So I see what you're saying, but I think placing things like that at a memorial can have its benefits.

I'm not saying it isn't fun to talk to random people in line, but what do you expect them to say other than "really"? If they just said "I know". That doesn't leave much room for the conversation. Or if they said "Yeah, I heard it's going to be a ________" then they would just end up on a KIC post anyway in the guests say the darndest things topic

Yeah, I have difficulty riding Disaster Transport now too.

Ride approved!

Owl long has this been going on? Your posts and tweets send off old songs in my head. You're like an oldies top forty station of the mind.

026 by upstop2, on Flickr 024 by upstop2, on Flickr 025 by upstop2, on Flickr 023 by upstop2, on Flickr 027 by upstop2, on Flickr

I know that this info has been stated again and again. But I, like many other in this forum, are not satisfied with it. Regardless of what they say, using this massive building for an attraction that only lasts 1-2 months out of an entire season is a waste. Such a great building, such a great space. I feel like to much emphasis is put on "Haunt" and not enough on the regular operating season. I'm with everyone else...use it for a year round attraction or tear it down and put something useful in it's spot.

A test seat doesn't enforce the rule. Many would ignore the test seat and venture in anyways. Some may try the test seat, and even if they didn't fit, still attempt. The employees at an entrance (park or ride) can't profile (tell larger folks to try the test seat) otherwise it's mis-construed as discrimination. While test seats do work for those that actually take their limitations into consideration, they do not work for those that are either mentally oblivious or mentally ignorant of the restrictions.

I think there is a possibility of them purchasing Great Wolf Lodge next door.. While I love the place they have been struggling to find a way to be profitable. The new owner of the franchise may be willing to sell off a few of them to stream line the company..

Im not sure many average park guests will even take notice to the owls. While riding Drop Tower this year I often point out to the person besides me that a new coaster is being constructed for next season; more times than not, their reaction is along the lines of "REALLY?!?" Um... what else can that construction realistically be?

I would like to hear a little more from a man named Don Helbig.

Terrible ride and idea, terrible capacity, terrible terrible terrible

What a hoot!

044 by upstop2, on Flickr Finally!!!!!!! Thanks JCGOBLE3!!!!

With every post you make I become more and more convinced that you need to visit Universal Studios Orlando. Badly.

If you do believe in an afterlife, and it appears that you do, I'm certain your best friend is looking down on you and smiling....and he walks with you everyday. You'd be surprised of the little reminders of his presence that will appear to you. One day you will be reminded of a situation, or a joke, or smell and he'll be right there with you....always and forever!

Seems like there are an awful lot of people ready to cast aspiration at the women who passed away, are ready to blame her weight on the problem. Was she at fault? Possibly. Was it the ride op? Possibly. Was it the locking mechanism on the ride? Possibly. Was it a design flaw? Possibly. I'm sure I've missed a warning somewhere, but don't recall ever seeing the warning sign for a rollercoaster list direct weight as a ride limitation. They mostly (if not all) indicate that rides of unusual or larger porportions may not fit in the ride, but I don't recall seeing a specific weight. The women who tragically fell to her death certainly appears overweight, but that does not mean she was at fault. Did the ride op check her in properrly? Was he/she sure that the lap bar was in correct position? Did the car manufacturer overlook a potential design flaw? Was it a combination of all 3, and possibly something else, in essence the perfect storm? I've seen more than 1 person do the walk of shame. I've never seen anyone protest, though I'm sure the current or former ride ops have on many occasions. I'm guessing most, when they realize they don't fit suffer an immediate dose of shame and are looking to scoot away as quickly as possible. I couldn't imagine being the ride op on that train. How many questions have to be going thru his/her brain at the moment? How much shock do they feel. Its a terrible tragedy, no doubt about that, but lets let the investigation take its coarse before we place all the blame on this lady's weight.

KI Tweeted this picture with the caption: "And then there's Blob" Got it, the color of the attraction is going to be blue! What are your thoughts of what this could mean?

One of the most interesting things I've done at a park was to take the Montu insider tour at Busch Gardens Tampa. We went inside the maintenance area and had a chance to see how B&M restraints worked out in full view. I'll spare the technical details, but suffice it to say that the odds of a B&M restraint failing, including the clamshell restraints, are extremely close to zero. They're close enough to zero that I truly believe you'd win the lottery multiple times before a B&M restraint fails. Add in the reclined seats as the Interpreter mentioned and the odds of an incident go further still. B&M really thinks about a lot of the little stuff. Their perfect safety record speaks for itself.

Just like the Rapids that might get the boot.

When guests complain about the seatbelts on MF or TTD, they should be referred to this thread. Decisions are not made to **** people off, they are made with your best interests in mind. Nice job homestar! I did a similar remembrance for a friend that was a Steelers fan. I wore a hat to his service, and put it in his casket.

don't pollute

It needs torn down and rebuilt. That place is disgusting.

Once again, you don't know what a dark ride is. Revenge of the Mummy is a dark ride.

Ever been on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal? That's crazy! Do you (YoungStud) know what a dark ride is? It's not just rides like Peter Pan's Flight at Disney World; Spider-Man at Universal is a dark ride. DINOSAUR at Animal Kingdom is a dark ride. Pretty much every ride at Disney World, Disneyland, and Universal is a dark ride. All of which are great rides, and the best ride I've ever been on is a dark ride. I know it's your opinion, but I just don't think you know the definition of dark ride.

And for we flashless souls?

Ever been on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal?

That's cool how you were in there, Cedar Points landscape will never be the same without the space needle.

I am sure that I will be happy with anything planned rides or no rides. It will just be nice to see all the wonderful people I have met since I joined KIC.

Not the best place to list pet peeves, but here goes. In the comments section of one of the many stories carrying this, someone posted that it was time to treat heavier people the way smokers are treated. No! Let's not do this. There are myriad reasons for why a person would be heavy, and if people were to attempt this stunt, I would definitely have to go to battle. We don't need more of that. Pick on me if you want, but don't point barbs at someone who possibly CANNOT help their condition. Also, with makeshift memorials, why do people put stuffed animals as a tribute to someone who cannot possibly appreciate it? I'm seeing pictures at the entrance of The Texas Tornado with a stuffed animal as a memorial tribute. Every time I see toys at a memorial, (And I probably think this way due to the kindness of Ruth Lyons,) I think, there are hospital wards throughout the state where a child would love to have that toy to cheer them up. Why let the toys get wet and dirty in the weather by putting it in a memorial? Let some child appreciate it, instead.

That would be wonderful. It would be such a convenience, especially different accommodations in various price ranges. And f there were a package deal where wristbands, rooms, etc., were all in a package, that would really benefit vacationers by making an all in one purchase instead of several possibly confusing purchases along the way. Diamondback girl, I'm sorry about what happened. I know it's sickening. Hopefully they can find some of your things. I was told they go through the trash nightly, especially if there's a theft report.

I went to the park today with the intent to get pictures, but while my boyfriend and I were at Soak City our bookbag with all our things was stolen. some people are horrible.

So the new ride will be called Don Helbig the Mind Warper. Thanks got it!

Then you should stop riding coasters then. In 09, Diamondback had a wheel come off during one cycle. these are machines, S**t happens. Im sorry, how is parts fallign off of a ride acceptable? I wont stop riding coasters, but if I found out that park workers ignored bolts falling off then yes, yes I would stop spending money in that park. Rides break down (bolts can come loose), but its the park's responsibility to put things back together... Nemo wasn't saying that it was acceptable. He was stating that it's more common than most here think. He didn't say that the parks didn't put things back together. He just stated that it happens. You've got to realize that these things are machines, they don't run 100% perfectly all the time. You've also got to realize that the maintenance checks every piece of track and bolts before the ride can open for the day. What's different in this case is that the Smiler had a bolt fall out of the jointed track, creating a gap between two different pieces of track while guests were in the queue for the ride right below it. Again, no where did Nemo say it was acceptable.

The New Texas Giant restraints do NOT click. They do not ratchet. They are infinitely variable. This is important, given the widely reported "witness's" so-called account. Like Shaggy, I do not find it credible.

You don't like 'Invertiblo' but your good with that? By the way, I like Invertigo.

It was darien. Guy on supes in 04 at sfne had his legs. I am a intamin historian.

LOL. I doubt they are very concerned about the goings on at KK.

With the recent teases involving owls and the "No Camping" signs pointing to a potential forest-themed attraction, I am now thoroughly convinced that these guys: ...aren't scarecrows. They're woodsmen. The name is actually meant to describe the sport seen in lumberjack competitions, but either way goes. And while plenty of axe-wielding maniacs in lumberjack garb have terrorized campers and unsuspecting passersby in pop culture over the past several decades, I think there is one in particular dangerous and legendary enough to warrant a ride named after him - The Huntsman. Anyone who has either read the fairy tale of and/or has seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remembers the Evil Queen ordering a huntsman to take Snow White out into the forest and kill her, bringing back her heart as proof. Thankfully, and in the spirit of a happy ending, the huntsman lets Snow White free and brings back a pig heart instead. But what if it were the opposite, and the huntsman actually succeeds in 86ing 'Ol White-As-Snow and, overcome with blood-lust, stays in the forest to prey upon more victims? Numerous times people have hypothesized the idea that this new attraction may be revealed during the run of this year's Haunt, and if this batch of pure speculation somehow manages to bear fruit, then we could see a potential maze tie-in dubbed...Feary Tales (Scary Tales is taken by Universal's Halloween Horror Nights). A trek through horrific incantations of popular fairy tales and children's nursery rhymes, all leading up to a finale scene with the big bad Huntsman himself? Sounds like a plan. Of course, this is all speculative conjecture and should not be taken as 100% fact.

It seems like most people aren't that honest with themselves.

SToP. (Superman: Tower of Power) Terp, who just HAD to.

I was afraid this would play into the accident. I have always had a problem with those of "Exceptional Size" being jammed into a seat. Just doesn't seem safe to me. I would rather be told no than to die from an improperly secured restraint. I feel terrible for the kids that had to witness this happen to their mother.

Sometimes when it rains, it pours.