Differences between the test seat and actuall seats

I have been on the borderline between fitting and not fitting on Millenium Force ever since the the new seat belt rules went into affect. Just recently I tried out the test seat and passed, so I waited in line. When I tried to fit on the actual seat on the rollercoaster it was an extremely tight fit. (A thank you to a very helpful ride op is due because I don't think the belt would have fastened without help.)

What I noticed was the ride has a black shroud around the lap bar that makes it so that you have to spread your legs apart thus making it more difficult to fasten the seatbelt. The test seat is missing this shroud and me and possibly other people find it easier to fasten the belt on the test seat than on the actuall ride.

I tried to point this out to the entrance host so that maybe something can be done to make the test seat as accurate as possible for future guests but they thought that I was complaining and just wrote off my comments. I was thinking if I posted this here maybe the descrepency can get noticed and a simple fix can be done to keep guests happy. All that it would take would be to add the same black shroud to the test seat.
*** Edited 7/8/2006 5:43:47 AM UTC by Delbert***

This was brought up at a coastermania Q&A this year. The dude that said it wasnt clear on what he was asking which made it more worse for the the higher ups to tell him things. But they said that they never knew this and will get with Monty Jasper to fix it. But with Force being broke it will be hard to tell when he will look into this. They also said they are working with the ride makers to make the seats on the coaster cars more fitting for all and at the same time be safe. Alot of times the ride host doesnt handle the complants. Let Guest Services know what is going on with the stuff at the park. Most that do arent to nice about it which makes matters worse with Guest Services. You can blame the seat belt thing on Six Flags due to them not checking the Superman ride the way they should of. A guy died cause of them not doing that. Its just a safety thing the ride maker came up with so it doesnt happen anymore.

Welcome to PointBuzz, Delbert.

You're sure to find one or 2 others on a "quest to ride" on here. I'm sure you guys will get along just fine :).

I always thought that the test seat was smaller than the actual?? Is this true?? I've never been faced with the problem of not fitting so I have no idea if I'm right or not.

SFSKnights said:
I always thought that the test seat was smaller than the actual?? Is this true?? I've never been faced with the problem of not fitting so I have no idea if I'm right or not.

I wondered this myself. I have ridden MF for years and never had a problem. I rode TTD no problem this year, but it was snug. This wasn't a huge surprised since I knew I gained 20 pounds over last year. I went to MF and tried the test seat and to my surprise I couldn't even get the belt within 3 inches! I wasn't about to wait in line after this and also considering buckling it wouldn't be enough as the entrance person said you needed to pull 1/2" extra also.

Sshhh... Don't tell anyone you needed help. Technically they're not supposed to help. Which, I found some people help and some refuse to. And I too am on the border line of fitting. I can feel for you. However, sometimes it's like I have about 2 inches of slack, to not fitting! And goes for both Millennium Force and Top Thrill Dragster.

I'm asked to sit in the MF test seat every time I go to Cedar Point, sometimes more than once a day. I believe the test seat seatbelt is the official length Intamin stated after the SFNE accident. I have never been on the ride in a seat where the seatbelt was LONGER than the test seat, but on several seats the seatbelt is several millimeters to maybe a centimeter and a half SHORTER than the test seat. The tension in the belt varies from seat to seat also. There has been advice given by some to get the required 2" slack first and then try to buckle the seatbelt. That's never worked for me. I always have to pull the slack all the way out to buckle the belt and then pull the end for the required op-OK'd slack length. Because of the varying tension on the different seatbelts, you have to tug and shimmy some of them with a lot more force than others. I have a friend with a 34" waist, mine's 36". On one MF ride he had more trouble getting the required slack on his seatbelt than I did, so go figure.

I'm going to Cedar Point this Summer with my parents, and my mom is really looking forward to riding Millennium and Dragster. But I think she might be just a tad big, or she'd just barely be able to get the belt on.

I don't have the heart to tell her that though! I would feel awful. So now I don't know what to do.

I'm worried that if she waits in line for a long time, she won't be able to get on and I would feel awful. On the otherhand I can't just come outand tell her I think she's too big to ride!

Help me!! haha

Sorry for the double post, but no one has responded to my problem! haha. I know that sounds concieted, but I really need some help with my situation.

Anyone?!?! PLEASE!

What I posted was not meant to be a complaint. I really do not care very much if I ride Millenium Force or not. It is a good coaster but personally most days I would rather ride Wild Cat. I just would think that it would be good for other people who may be in the same situation as me (i.e. large thighs and long legs) to know that if they fit the test seat they may not fit on the actual ride.

I am glad to hear that this has been brought up before at Coastermania hopefully they will do something as a simple fix should resolve a lot of guest complaints.

Keith 2005 wrote:

Sshhh... Don't tell anyone you needed help. Technically they're not supposed to help. Which, I found some people help and some refuse to.

I am not sure, but it appears as if the policy has changed. When I went on July second everybody of questionable size had to try the test seat, if you did not fit you were turned away right away and were not allowed to enter the line. If you fit in the test seat you were allowed to enter the line and it appeared that in the station the ride ops did everything in their power to allow you to ride. I did not see anybody turned away on the platform.

I think you're right Delbert. I have noticed a change (at least on TTD). The ops in the station have been very helpful to larger guests, even though at times it does slow down the loading and dispatch times.

Mark Small said:
I think you're right Delbert. I have noticed a change (at least on TTD). The ops in the station have been very helpful to larger guests, even though at times it does slow down the loading and dispatch times.

That is all I asked for is that if you fit the test seat that you get a chance to ride even if it takes a couple extra minutes to dispatch a train.. That is a good thing for us bigger people...

I'm sorry but on some rides giving extra time just can't be done. Take Magnum for example, if the trains get backed up, you're going to get one stuck in the blocks next to the lift.... which creates even more of a back up and usually causes atleast a few upset guests (ie: scared).