Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Latest-ID-76469.asp" target="_blank"><b>Latest: OrSen: Splash Mountain Adds Lap Bars, Disney Comments</b></a> <p>The Orlando Sentinel reports on the lap bars that are now a part of Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom including comments from a Disney spokesperson on why they've been added.</p>[[poll:23]]
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub (How do you feel about the voting box?) I must have missed the announcement and explanation for the new feature. Hope it wasn't costly to install... On the other hand the safety restraint is a sad representation of modern society. I guess they will be installed everywhere. I know guests are constantly standing up on the peoplemover causing constant stops and resets. When will people realize this type of improvement causes ticket pricing to increase especially when you add the cost of legal fees and lawsuits and insurance.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I'm still not entirely sure I see the reasoning behind this. Will they be adding them to small world, Gran Fiesta, Maelstrom, and Pirates too? Yes, it's unfortunate that a guest climbed out of a vehicle and was killed, but after a certain point, there's only so much that Disney needs to be responsible for. From what I remember of the story, the man had some mental issues, but I'm still not sure I understand the need for the addition. The article mentions that capacity and load speeds where a concern, but it doesn't say that the loading would be just as fast with them, only that it wouldn't be 'significantly' impacted. I also think it's interesting that the Magic Kingdom bills itself as the most attended theme park in the world. I'm pretty sure that there are others out there (including Disney's Tokyo parks) that still beat it. Heck, the Shanghai Expo last year logged over 73 million visitors in its 6-month run. While it's not a permanent theme park, it did have over 4 times the published attendace of MK, which is likely very inflated to begin with (and the Shanghai numbers have their own interesting backstory too, but still blow MK away).
Originally Posted By Doobie <<< (How do you feel about the voting box?) I must have missed the announcement and explanation for the new feature. Hope it wasn't costly to install... >>> Sorry, didn't think it really needed an explanation. Online polls aren't new. And no, not costly.y As for Splash, I think preventing guests from hurting themselves is a lost cause. Restraints should protect guests from accidents, not from intents. Peoplemover, Railroad, Dumbo, Spaceship Earth, Pirates, Autopia ... the list goes on and on. And I do fear that ultimately all of these attractions will also have restraints keeping guests from voluntarily exiting the attraction. I don't understand the fundamental different between Splash and these. Doobie.
Originally Posted By SuperDry I seem to remember that the Splash Mountain logs at TDR have lap bars, and unlike DL, TDR has essentially the same logs as WDW. What's different is that Tokyo has a separate unload and load platforms. It would seem to me that WDI's concern about ride capacity was taken into consideration when they built TDR's Splash, knowing that lap bars would be present from the beginning, as they went to the extra expense to create a separate unload station. It will be interesting to see if there is a big capacity impact at WDW.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Heck, the Shanghai Expo last year logged over 73 million visitors in its 6-month run..." Sorry to hijack the discussion, but is that figure even possible? That number seems extremely exaggerated to me.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I suspect it is. There were several days toward the end of the Expo that logged over 1 million guests per day. I performed there over the summer, and the two days I was there both hit well over 500,000. While it was very crowded, it certainly didn't feel like it was any where near capacity. With the heat (41 degrees Celcius and 95% humidity) I wouldn't have been able to handle any more people than were there (and the front-of-the-line performer pass certainly helped!), but there was plenty of room for more people. The entire site was several square miles, and had areas on both sides of the river. You could easily spend an hour walking from one end to the next, without even getting on the ferry across to the other side, which could take another 30 minutes. Combine that with the rediculous queues for some of the pavilions (Switzerland boasted a 6 hour line both days), and I completely believe that figure. The Chinese government set out to make the Expo the most heavily attened 'event' of any kind in the history of the world, with an attendance goal of 50-60 million over 6 months, and they destroyed that. Granted, the Chinese government has a certain way of 'convincing' people to do things that most other governments and corporations can't compete with (which is why there were rumors of foul play at several of the last days, where attendance was well over 1 million), but it's still a very impressive number.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Thanks Doobie. I guess I don't understand if the same person can repeatedly "vote" causing flawed results. i guess it is supposed to be fun or something...I guess it reminds me of the survey takers at every turnstile entrance.
Originally Posted By Doobie It's obviously not scientific. But it does require a time limit between allowing multiple votes. You can't just sit here and vote over and over.
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt I like it too! Interactive LP! I'm all for the restraints! I'm on the petite side & I always feel like I'm going to fall out of the log & plumet to my death!
Originally Posted By wahooskipper The safety bar does seem to be overkill. The reality is that people can jump from the train, the parking lot trams (and they sure have), etc. Heck, someone could do a high dive off the Mark Twain if they felt like it. As much as government and industry tries, you cannot legislate against stupidity.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros "The reality is that people can jump from the train, the parking lot trams (and they sure have), etc." They sure made it a lot harder (though still very possible) to jump off of the parking lot trams when they added the doors to them. Strangely, at least in DLR, that sped up the loading process, since they didn't have to do as thorough of a check to make sure all feet were onboard. If the door's closed, the feet are inside. "As much as government and industry tries, you cannot legislate against stupidity." Nope, but you can tax it! See also: the lottery.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I like it too! Interactive LP! I'm all for the restraints! I'm on the petite side & I always feel like I'm going to fall out of the log & plumet to my death! ----------------- at the opposite end when you're 6'4" tall and have to squeeze your knees in now-- this may keep me from riding one of my faves
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>at the opposite end when you're 6'4" tall and have to squeeze your knees in now-- this may keep me from riding one of my faves<<< Same height as you, same worries. I think it'll be OK, though... Heard that it's still around the same size in there.
Originally Posted By Fe Maiden <<at the opposite end when you're 6'4" tall and have to squeeze your knees in now-- this may keep me from riding one of my faves>> Knees be damned! Hop in and have fun. I'm 6'5" and if I can get into the Vapor Trails coaster at Sesame Place, the lap bars on Splash shouldn't be a problem.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> I think it'll be OK, though... Heard that it's still around the same size in there. << Which has never been enough room to begin with.
