Originally Posted By tashajilek I was reading an article that said the new bobsleds wont be able to hold guests much over 6 feet and over 200lbs. This is really irritating if true, why cant they make bobsleds big enough for all guests and still meet the safety requirements? I wonder if they are going to have new height and weight signs saying " you cant be this tall or this wide to ride" lol.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Looking at the picture posted in Al's column it looks like there's enough space for a big or tall person to be seated in the sleds to me.
Originally Posted By tashajilek ^^^ I hope so, that would be a horrible for a guest to wait in line to not fit.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I've actually seen that happen before. Not on the Matterhorn, but on another ride at another theme park.
Originally Posted By gadzuux Except that the vehicles for 'pooh' and 'mulholland madness' - both relatively new attractions - are surprisingly small and for larger guests they range from difficult to impossible to fit into. So it wouldn't come as a complete surprise that these new matterhorn sleds would be a snug fit at best. I was more interested in the idea of a fountain in the center of the esplanade, and better landscaping around the edges. I've felt from the very beginning that the esplanade needed a centerpiece, and an impressive one at that. I think this will actually make the plaza feel larger, since a centerpiece will help to define the space. What Al describes is rather modest - I'd prefer something on the order of the Epcot fountain.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Fountains don't seem very green to me in arid Southern California, I suppose it would be a trade off for the loss of the fountain beneath the Sun Sculpture. In case anyone here has forgotten what the Esplanade fountain was supposed to look like here's the original concept art: <a href="http://rotocat.tripod.com/dl/concept_dca.jpg" target="_blank">http://rotocat.tripod.com/dl/c..._dca.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By Manfried Good old Al disseminating his interesting points of views as fact. Trust me, they will be able to sit down in the seats. But then he isn't about presenting facts, he is about presenting his view.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I just clicked on it and it worked for me. Try this one: <a href="http://www.coaster-net.com/pics/dca/dcaart2.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.coaster-net.com/pic...art2.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Thanks Hans. That works. And I do remember that fountain in the center esplanade. I think it should have been built.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I am hoping Al is wrong. Until last year, I was able to fit in every Disney attraction made in Anaheim, Orlando and Paris, and then RC Racer opened. Nearly the same height restriction as rock N Roller Coaster (stopping little ones riding) and I was too tall and broad in the shoulders to fit, as was my friend. the beauty of Matterhorn is you could be big, or take a 3 year old on it (my daughter loved it, and like her daddy, it was here first roller coaster ride)
Originally Posted By Bellella Why do they even need new bobsleds? I hate to think of them discriminating against people who are tall or (unfortunately) really big. If they have to refurb the Matterhorn, fine, but they certainly don't need to put in bobsleds that'll be too small.
Originally Posted By gadzuux I'd guess it's because of just what Al said - the lawyers want to see a restraint system that the guests can't tamper with. TDA wants to maintain capacity as high as possible, so they attempt to squeeze in three passengers per sled, rather than just two. The obvious solution would be to design longer bobsleds, but I'd guess there are restrictions inherent in the design of this fifty year old coaster. As for the cramped seating in Pooh, there's just no good explanation. They designed the track and the vehicles wholly new and under 'present day' circumstances, and still managed to screw it up. And this was the third 'Pooh' attraction they had built within about ten years.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I'd guess it's because of just what Al said - the lawyers want to see a restraint system that the guests can't tamper with." I'm actually surprised that it has taken Disney this long to remedy this issue. Two people have been killed on the attraction presumably because they undid their restraints.
Originally Posted By Moon Waffle There is no 100% foolproof restraint system. All the new sleds do is make it less likely that an idiot will find a way to get out and injur/kill themselves. A really determined idiot will still find a way.
Originally Posted By tashajilek "I'm actually surprised that it has taken Disney this long to remedy this issue. Two people have been killed on the attraction presumably because they undid their restraints." I remember rumours a few back that spalsh mountain would get restraints. I hope they dont ruin it one day.
Originally Posted By ImTempest My husband is 6'3" tall, and if he can't go on the Matterhorn anymore it will make us both VERY unhappy.
Originally Posted By tashajilek "My husband is 6'3" tall, and if he can't go on the Matterhorn anymore it will make us both VERY unhappy." I dont blame you.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "There is no 100% foolproof restraint system." Well of course there isn't, but why make it convenient for people to do something idiotic?
Originally Posted By Moon Waffle My point is that changes like this are a waste of time and money, because the idiots will still find a way to injur themselves. A lap bar is not going to stop them. In the meantime the money spent on these so-called "safety improvements" could be spent on new attractions. I suspect the majority of the park-goers are not only disappointed with this change, but also responsible guests who would never dare try to escape their restraint during a roller coaster ride. It is extremely unfortunate (and quite unbelievable) that the 0.00000000001% of people who choose to behave like idiots result in these type of unpopular and expensive changes. Changes that will have zero to no effect overall due to the reasons mentioned above.
