Are you too fat for the rides at Cedar Point? (1 Viewer)

[Chris Bardon]

Well, apparently Millennium Force just wasn't safe enough for the past couple of years. Due to an accident at a six flags park, new policies have been enacted at Cedar Point for the seatbelts on Millennium Force and Top Thrill Dragster (see the story here: http://www.newsnet5.com/entertainmen...14/detail.html)

Now, I don't consider myself of "exceptional size", and had no problem fitting on MF the last time I was at Cedar Point 2 years ago. With this new state of things though, I'm not so sure. I was planning on going again this year, but I'm not spending a whole pile of money to go all the way down there, just to not be able to ride two of the main rides I'd be going after.

Has anyone been out to Cedar Point this year that can share some firsthand information?

 

[Leila Dougan]

Buried deep inside Cedar Point's website, I found this about the Millenium Force:

Due to rider restraint system requirements, guests of exceptional size may not be accommodated on some of our rides. This may apply, but not be limited to, males who exceed 6'2", and those who exceed 225 pounds, have a 40" waistline or 52" chest or females who exceed 200 pounds or wear size 18 or larger. Each person has different body proportions, so it is impossible to determine exact size and weight.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

The death they speak of was a horrible accident at Six Flags New England. A disabled man (I think he had CP) who needed a scooter to get around and had to be physically helped into the ride was thrown from the "Superman: The Ride of Steel" roller coaster. The man was overweight (5'2" and 230lbs) and the attendants basically did/could not strap him in correctly due to his oversize girth and short stature. Poor guy held on until the final curve.

 

[MikeSerrano]

No. But at 5'4" the real question for me is if am I tall enough for the rides at Cedar Point.

-Mike

 

[Brett_H]

I'm 6'5", 205 lbs. Not overweight, just "overtall". Wonder if this will include me? I've had legroom problems on rides before, but never a problem with the restraints. I've ridden Millennium Force in the past....

-Brett.

 

[Leila Dougan]

According to their height guides, if you are at least 60" you can ride every ride.

Which is a good thing, considering I'm barely 60".

 

[Travis Hedger]

"and the attendants basically did/could not strap him in correctly due to his oversize girth and short stature."

AND THEY LET HIM CONTINUE ANYWAY????????????????????

Holy crap, I hope they are no longer employed there.

 

[Richard Travale]

I'm not fat! I'm big Boned

 

[Chris Bardon]

And this is the problem. The new standards are not only ill defined (since the disclaimer cites "varying proportions"), but imply that the restraints that we've been using for the past four years are not safe enough. Personally, I've never felt unsafe on any of the five or six times that I've ridden MF.

I'm a little worried since I'm 6 feet and about 235. Like I said, I haven't had a problem on any coasters before (including MF), but with this new policy there's basically no way to determine if I can ride without going down and paying a bunch of money up front.

 

[Malcolm R]

Given your measurements, and the fact you've been on the ride before without problems, I'd think it's a non-issue.

I'd think the new disclaimer simply gives them a way to say "No" to someone who is far too large to safely be secured in the seat. In the past, they've probably had to stretch the belts and jump up and down on the shoulder bars to get them to lock on some obese people since they really had no recourse to deny them a ride. Now, with this disclaimer, they can simply point to the policy and say, "Sorry, but we can't guarantee your safety so we can't let you ride."

I don't think they're trying to automatically restrict everyone who is XXX lbs. or over.

 

[Bill Williams]

You mean someone who has the height and the build of, say, a Christopher Reeve or a Liam Neeson, both of whom are 6'4" tall, can't ride the Millennium Force? And I'm 6'4" tall, 220 lbs. myself. Sounds like a discrimination lawsuit in the works to me...

 

[Grant B]

You must have at least 14 font size to post in the Thread, Thank You

 

[Chris Bardon]

That's what I'd think, but I've started hearing about people who, like me, had no problems in previous years getting turned away.

I'll have to see what happens later in the season though-maybe this will all start to die down once they realize that there aren't (and likely won't be) any more accidents.

 

[Bill Williams]

LOL Grant!

 

[StephenA]

This kind of reminds me of an incident at a amusement park I went to many years ago in Mass. A really fat guy went on a tea cups ride or something similar and got stuck in the cup thing, and they had to break his legs and the thing he was in to get him out. It was crazy.

 

[Evan S]

StephenA, what amusement park would that have been? Riverside Park? If so, I'm sure you realize that Riverside IS the new Six Flags New England so it seems like accidents happen in droves there. (begin sarcasm) Which is reassuring seeing it's 25 minutes from my house and I go there once every summer at least. (end sarcasm).

 

[Leila Dougan]

 

[Carl Johnson]

It sounds like just the opposite to me. I'd be willing to bet that somebody tall was injured on a roller coaster and sued, so now they use the disclaimer. They probably wouldn't stop you from riding, but if anything goes wrong they can use the I told you so defense.

 

[StephenA]

It was Whalom(sp?) Evan S. Not sure if it's still around or what.

There's also been a few incidents here in the amusement park in my hometown called Canobie Lake Park. The big rollercoaster has burnt down as well as come off the track. There's other stuff that happened I think, but can't think of it.

 

[John*C]

I am not allowed on any ride due to their insurance problems or so they say, I am crippled not a Leper.