Height restrictions have always been a challenge for some amusement park guests, as the safety devices on rides are not designed for every rider. But Mario fans are flocking to Universal Studios Hollywood this month for the opening Super Nintendo World may not be able to enjoy the park’s most exciting attraction, this time because of their waistline.
according to a last report in the The Wall Street JournalUniversal Studios Hollywood has warned some guests may not be allowed to drive Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, which allows guests to climb aboard a go-kart and experience the popular Nintendo racing game in real life through augmented reality effects and animatronic characters “if their waist is 40 inches or more”. With the average male waist size in America now over 40 inchesthis restriction will potentially leave many guests very disappointed after enduring what will likely be very long lines at the new attraction.
In recent years, theme parks across the country have become more stringent when it comes to safety and restrictions on vehicles, and it’s not just for high-speed attractions like roller coasters that can take riders through inverted loops and steep turns. As indoor rides have become more complex, and now offer highly immersive experiences for riders, the technology they use has also become more complex… and more dangerous.
Trackless vehicles now deftly meander through attractions such as Galaxy’s Edge Rise of the Resistance with more speed and maneuverability than the vehicles used in classic attractions such as The Pirates of the Caribbean. As a result, while pirates does not hold back riders, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge Because there is a serious risk of injury, a driver should exit a vehicle before the journey is complete. In addition, there is now even more emphasis on securely securing smaller children in the same seats used by adult drivers, adding further restrictions for larger guests.
Jeff Polk, senior vice president of resort operations at Universal Orlando Resort, told the The Wall Street Journal that many of the park’s attractions offer trial seats outside of the rides, allowing guests to test restrictions and capacity in advance to avoid being turned away after waiting hours. But at the same time, some park visitors also said so The Wall Street Journal that testing seats in advance can be cumbersome and embarrassing and does not always reflect the actual layout and design of the ride.
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Some attractions, like Universal’s Islands of Adventure’s The Incredible Hulk Coaster in Florida, now offer certain seats specifically designed for larger guests. But as the pandemic-weary population is embracing travelling and vacations again, theme parks are bursting at the seams with hours-long wait lines, and there’s simply less incentive for parks to offer rides with seats they may not be able to fill every time the ride is operated.
Update 2/2/2023 at 11:00 AM ET:
Universal Studios reached out to Gizmodo to clarify that the 40-inch waist size guideline is not a hard limit and that some riders who exceed 40 inches might still be able to ride, depending on individual circumstances. In the company’s words, “This guideline is not a specific restriction, but is instead meant to encourage guests to try a test seat or to speak with one of our Team Members before riding so they may comfortably and safely board the ride.”
The company also told us that it is working to ensure test seats have a strong balance of privacy and ease-of-access, though did not provide specifics.
This is also not the first time the company has employed the 40 inch waist limit, with previous rides like Flight of the Hippogriff also warning bigger Drivers to use test seats before boarding. Universal Studios informed us that there is a task force looking into ride design and test seat placement, and that some existing rides will be reconfigured, including Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventurewith a view to accessibility.
