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View Full Version : Wizarding World of Harry Potter ride tweaked for larger guests



Maleficent's Dad
09-13-2010, 07:43 PM
From today's Orlando Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/os-universal-harry-potter-ride-20100913,0,5393258.story


Some fuller-figured theme-park fans may now be able to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, the popular ride in Universal Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The resort said Monday it has tweaked Forbidden Journey to accommodate some guests who previously had been too big to fit into the seats.

"We always want to accommodate as many guests as possible on our attractions," Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said. "After watching Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey operate for several months, we made some adjustments to the ride's overhead restraints that would allow more people to ride. We're thrilled to be able to give more people the opportunity to experience this attraction."

The ride changes were first reported by Orlando Attractions Magazine.

Forbidden Journey's size limits have been something of a mini-controversy since Wizarding World opened in June in Universal's Islands of Adventure, with some large or overweight fans complaining of missing out on the attraction. Universal officials have said Forbidden Journey's size restrictions are similar those of its other thrill rides, once noting that even Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic's 6-11, 265-pound center, was able to ride it.

Schroder said modifications have so far been made to some of Forbidden Journey's ride vehicles — four-seat benches attached to robotic arms that swivel and swoop as they advance along a track — but that all will eventually be modified. The adjustments affect the two outboard seats on each vehicle.

Jason Garcia can be reached at [email protected] or 407-420-5414.

joonyer
09-13-2010, 08:41 PM
This is good news for a lot of people. I don't think I would have been unable to ride FJ, as I can fit in most other restraints at Universal and elsewhere on extreme coasters, but now I'm confident I'll be able to ride.

Joannelet
09-13-2010, 08:50 PM
This is definitely good news for a lot of people. I have read that there were a lot of people that could not go on it. I think one person even started a blog about losing weight to get on FJ.

sacandjac
09-26-2010, 07:54 PM
Was there Friday the 24th and my husband did not get to ride:(. He is 6'6" and is 300 lbs with a pant size of 42. Maybe next time!

Pirate Granny
09-30-2010, 10:42 PM
We went sun, monday and tuesday... new seating allowed my daughter to ride...yeah....crowds were not bad on Sunday...we got there around noon and it was only 20 minute wait...great ride...Monday the ride went down in the morning...of coure the day we got up early to be there for 8am...line was 60 minutes plus around 10:30...came back around 3pm...35 minute wait. Tuesday, perfect. Rode twice between 8:30 and 9:00. Ate breakfast at the three broomsticks, and lunch twice. BUT we did miss Disney customer service. The woman in the Wand shop was sitting on. Stool and just grunted and pointed at the special wands.
:pirate: