The "bottom" line...?

OK, so what's the "bottom" line on Maverick? Is this just another coaster I won't be able to ride? Like the Force, the Dragster, Wicked Twister, Raptor, etc., etc., ad infinitem; ad nauseum.

I hate molded seats and arm-rests, and belts that magically shorten from one season to the next. And safety rules adopted to account for the stupidity of people and employees in other parks and then applied to systems that have been proven safe and reliable for years.

I'm a little larger than the average bear, but still smaller than a lot of other folks. So, is this one going to be for the 5'5", 135 lb and under crowd? Don't get me wrong, nothing can replace Maggie in my heart, and I can look forward to even more Magnum walk-ons next year, but geez, I'd like a shot at the new one, too!

Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?

I think there was talk about this earlier in the summer... I think the thought was that the Intamin OTSRs seem to be more accomodating.

I'm 6'4" and 250lbs. and I've never been unable to fit in a coaster. Some arrows like magnum and mine ride get tight, but I can fit (usually pretty comfortably). I'm not at all worried that Mav will be the first coaster I cannot ride.

Yeah,with OTSR there shouldn't be much problem except for extrmely large people.

Seems like it will have to be a wait and see. I have been in lines thinking that there is no way a given person will be able to get on a given ride and they are able to do so. And I have seen others who I would never had guessed would have a problem who could not ride. Little differences with each person and in the cars/restraint system can be huge.

I think that at some point, CP and other parks need to address this issue. Turning away paying customers is not good for business. Especially because having to get out of a fully loaded train with everyone staring at you is embarassing which is horrible for customer relations. In addition, holding up lines while people struggle to get restraints fastened hurts capacity.

The only ride I won't ride anymore is CCMR, the leg space is just too tight for me.

I have to agree GoBucks, they will need to address it at some point. At the same time though, Americans need to stop getting fatter.

I've ridden StormRunner that has the same OTSRs, and they're very accomodating. They should also help with capacity, as there shouldn't be people struggling to get the seat belt fastened.

Problem is that I know a couple of people who are simply not fat at all who cannot ride certain rides. And yes, many of the people who cannot ride are overweight. But that is not always the case. And again, it just doesn't make sense for a business to be telling its customers they should lose weight.

Reminds me of when one of the Japanese automakers was having problems with its seatbelts becoming gummed up and not working properly. Japanese auto executive's response was that the problem was too many overweight Americans eating french fries in the car gumming up the seatbelts. Blaming your customer is usually not a good idea.

However should CP allow someone who is too fat for the restraints allow them to ride rather than hurt their feelings?

Personally, I think the restraints could be let out a little bit, but they are already quite accommodating. And there is a big difference between having a couple extra pounds, and being obese. It also depends heavily on how you carry the weight as to whether you'll fit or not.

Slighly OT, but I can agree with the capacity statement. A couple weeks ago, Millennium was bad. In line, I saw at least 5 people be denied and people waiting to unload in the back blocks for at least a minute, sometimes two. Not that I'm anyone else, but I've told myself that 30 seconds is the cutoff limit before I have to take the walk of shame (which I had to do but still got to ride... long story). I hate holding people up.

Anyway, back OT... GoBucks, you're right in a few ways. Turning away people really isn't good, espically after they fit a test seat and told they can't ride. That alone is bad. And the holding up lines thing kinda hurts to see everyone stare and mumble as you walk by. I hope Maverick will fit riders of all sizes to a certain point, and hopefully that point is much larger than Millennium or Top Thrill.

-nesdude

The OSTR's on storm runner are slightly more accomodating than the ones on Raptor, so we shoudln't see nearly as many people turned away. That is of course only if CP can figure out how to measure seatbelts all the same length which seems to be a problem.

Nesdude, I take it you fit in the test seat but were turned away from the ride?

GoBucks89 said:
I think that at some point, CP and other parks need to address this issue.

Aren't there actual seats with the restraints at the entrance to the ride so one can test to see if they fit in the restraint? I always recalled, Raptor having such at their entrance, but cannot for the life of me, remember if Mill.. has them?

If they had who ever was at that entrance, profiling people and pulling a side those that might not make the cut and have them try out the retraint system first. That just might save some a long wait in line to only be disappointed they cannot ride.

I don't know, but there has to be something.

I have never had a problem with dragster or millennium force. I also have rode storm runner and noticed the otsr are made to fit all sizes with the

exception of really heavy people. The seat belt attaches from the seat to the part of the restraint

that goes around your waist.

I am really sick of these topics. These rides can handle some pretty large people. If you are one of those people that can't fit on the rides then you need to stop complaining about them, blaming the ride creators and parks and look in the mirror and consider a lifestyle change.

Certainly, they need to do a better job of profiling people and having them try the seats at the front of the lines. And to the extent they make changes in the restraint systems that make them more restrictive, they need to let people know that and give them the opportunity to see if they fit before they get in line.

And what is the explanation for making belts shorter? Or why a given belt cannot be made 1" longer? If you compare weights of people who can ride and who cannot, I am sure you will be able to find people who cannot ride who weigh less than those who can.

Telling people to make lifestyle changes is both naive and arrogant. I know a guy who isn't even close to being obese (and is maybe 15 llbs overweight) who could not ride Millenium this year. And I am 6'3 and 160 llbs so I have no skin in this game yet I still see it as an issue for CP and other parks.

What does he weigh if he is only 15 lbs overweight and can't fit on the rides? One of my friends is 6'3" 255 and he has no problem fitting on the rides. It isn't naive, the reality is that people don't want to take responsibility for themselves. There are too many people in this country who can't control their portion sizes gain weight then look to blame other people. Let's blame the parks for making the restraints too small or blame the food companies for creating unhealthy food. Give me a break.

MongooseOutlaw said:

Aren't there actual seats with the restraints at the entrance to the ride so one can test to see if they fit in the restraint?

If they had who ever was at that entrance, profiling people and pulling a side those that might not make the cut and have them try out the retraint system first. That just might save some a long wait in line to only be disappointed they cannot ride.

Yes they have them, but the problem has been they aren't exact. People fit in the test seat and not in the actual ride all the time. At entrance for WT, TTD, MF, and Raptor its actually part of you job to have larger people try the test seat. If you're at entrance and alot of people are coming to the station that couldn't fit on the ride, you get a phone call from controls.

You can't win either way. If you have a the gate ride op pointing out someone to try the seat first, what you bet someone will be on here complaining that they were embarrassed by being point out like that.

Unfortunately to have the open feeling of trains like MF there are going to be restrictions and some people are going to be left out. The world is cruel and isn't fair. And where do you set the cutoff? Someone will always be ticked.

I'm saying this as someone for the first in many trips to CP no longer fits on MF and Dragster.
(I will by next year, I want to ride Maverick :-) )

I'm not trying to sound cruel here but the few unfortunate guest that are too big to ride should not go blaming CP for THEIR problem.

Just like spock says "The needs of the many exceeds the need of the one".

It those unfortunate riders that are also primarily the reason for the slowness in train departure.

Sorry TANK, the bottom line is for you to lose some of your bottom line and maybe you could stop complaining about the rides you can't fit in.

Yeah, I honestly think they should return the restraints to their original specifications, but thats just me. The whole reason for shortening them in the first place is null and void.