Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Some Muggles Too Pudgy for Harry Potter Ride
http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/fat-harry-potter-fans-turned-away-from-forbidden-journey-r ^ | june 23, 2010 | Ben Muessig

Posted on 07/05/2010 9:19:43 AM PDT by longtermmemmory

(June 23) -- When most people get in line at Orlando, Fla.'s new Harry Potter theme park, they're worried about the wait -- not their weight.

But according to some Harry Potter lovers, pudgy muggles -- those who weigh about 265 pounds or more -- are getting tossed from line at the most-hyped ride in Universal Studios' Wizarding World of Harry Potter amusement park.

For them, the ride "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" is truly living up to its name -- and that's a big disappointment for fans who resemble Harry's rotund cousin Dudley.

Harry Potter fanatic Jeff Guillaume said he was "quite disappointed" after park officials turned him away from the Hogwarts-touring attraction because his 5-foot, 8-inch, 265-pound frame was deemed too large for the ride's safety harnesses.

"What it boils down to for me, and what surprised and disappointed me the most, was that many of Universal's other rides contain 'modified seating' rows for larger guests, and -- let's face it -- a good number of people in the Harry Potter fandom are a bit heavy, so why didn't Universal anticipate and accommodate us here?" he wrote on his website, the Harry Potter Automatic News Aggregator (HPANA to Potter maniacs).

Universal Studios representatives did not return calls in time for AOL News' deadline, but the Orlando Sentinel reports that park officials have "instituted a screening system" requiring random park-goers to sit in "test seats" installed in the line area of the "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" ride.

"I'm not sure what the system is, but team members take potential riders -- not all of them -- and test whether the safety harnass [sic] will latch," the paper's Theme Park Rangers blog notes.

Some park-goers are hexing Universal Studios officials over rumors that 6-foot-11, 265-pound Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was permitted on the ride while other heavyset Harry Potter fans were turned away.

But amusement park expert Dennis Speigel says the restrictions likely have as much to do with body type as they do with weight.

"Height can be a factor either way -- too short or too tall -- and girth could be a factor too," said Speigel, who is president of the amusement industry consulting firm International Theme Park Services.

While amusement park visitors are probably accustomed to signs informing them they "must be this tall to ride," Speigel says weight and body type restrictions are prevalent.

"It's not unusual," he says. "You have weight restrictions everywhere from Disney to the smallest mom-and-pop operators. It's for the safety of the guests. ... They aren't penalizing the person to be mean. They are exercising caution as it relates to safety -- and that's the prudent thing to do."

Even though more than one-third of American adults are obese, amusement park designers simply aren't creating rides for people who are very overweight, Speigel says.

"You can't design a ride for an excessively large person," he says. "You can't build for that narrow segment of the population. You try to hit average and little bit above."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: exercise; obesity; responsiblity; safety
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-50 next last
To: Frantzie

The price of an electric scooter rental would cover a gym membership.

For the people you mention, it is about EXCUSES not fitness.


21 posted on 07/05/2010 9:49:31 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory

But there is a law somewhere that can be twisted and misconstrued that says you have to make accommodations for people with disabilities...like being obese. Yeah, that’s the ticket! Obesity = disability. And we have the ADA that will force this evil ride to be either shut down or physically altered at the ride operator’s expense.


22 posted on 07/05/2010 9:51:56 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: I Drive Too Fast

Fatties at the amusement park ping.


23 posted on 07/05/2010 9:54:00 AM PDT by windcliff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory

Oh I hear you. I think someone recently was talking about ObamaCare and they were overweight. People want a pill so they can keep eating garbage and sitting in front of a TV or on Facebook, video game, etc. Usually playing some fantasy game or something childish.


24 posted on 07/05/2010 9:56:01 AM PDT by Frantzie (Democrats = Party of I*lam)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: libertarian27

25 posted on 07/05/2010 10:05:32 AM PDT by libertarian27 (Ingsoc: Department of Life, Department of Liberty, Department of Happiness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory

What? Did I just read that some dude is about to drop dead of a massive heart attack and he is worried about getting on a Harry Potter ride???????????????????


26 posted on 07/05/2010 10:28:57 AM PDT by MattinNJ (Iron Man 2-a great conservative movie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goseminoles
Wrong, I seen more than one woman in that weight range and they were all lard asses and lard guts.
27 posted on 07/05/2010 10:45:49 AM PDT by org.whodat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory
They just need to station a witch or wizard at the ride; he/she will point at the rider with a wand and shout "Lardasso-Reduxus!"
28 posted on 07/05/2010 10:54:58 AM PDT by Grizzled Bear (Does not play well with others)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JRios1968

Lol! No kidding. Wish they would do the same on airlines.


29 posted on 07/05/2010 11:19:54 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory

265 is pretty high a weight limit and should cover most people? I am still too short for many rides at 5’2” so I have little sympathy sicne I will never be tall enough to be 5’3” or taller.


30 posted on 07/05/2010 11:55:37 AM PDT by chris_bdba
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: windcliff

And they rent those scooters because they can’t walk all day at the park.


31 posted on 07/05/2010 1:33:49 PM PDT by I Drive Too Fast
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: JRios1968

ROLF!


32 posted on 07/05/2010 1:39:40 PM PDT by CodeToad ("Idiocracy" is not just a movie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: goseminoles

“I wouldn’t exactly call 250 or 265 a lard ass.”

I would. Most people weighing that much are severely obese. Even a 6’4” muscle bound dood weights in at 240-260.


33 posted on 07/05/2010 1:42:55 PM PDT by CodeToad ("Idiocracy" is not just a movie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine

Obesity is not that type of disability. It is like saying voting for democrats is a disability.


34 posted on 07/05/2010 1:43:38 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad

My point is that I’ve been in the 250 range at 6’2. Should I be excluded as a lard ass? I understand the arguement for planes. But should Disney spend all that money in R&D and not be able to accomodate people of the upper limit of average without compromising safety for youngsters?


35 posted on 07/05/2010 2:45:16 PM PDT by goseminoles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: goseminoles

I guess I should replace the work should with could. Could Disney accomodate large people? Everyone is assuming large people are fat or lazy. Disney with its money and technology should be able to build a ride for most. Even NFL players should they choose to visit Disney and ride.


36 posted on 07/05/2010 2:52:19 PM PDT by goseminoles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: goseminoles

“But should Disney spend all that money in R&D and not be able to accomodate people of the upper limit of average without compromising safety for youngsters?”

That’s not your call. It is their business.

“My point is that I’ve been in the 250 range at 6’2. Should I be excluded as a lard ass? I understand the arguement for planes.”

I have BIL that is 6’4” and 245. He’s primarily muscle. My weight lifting partner is 6’2” and 225. If you are not muscle at 6’2” and 250, then, yes, you are a lard ass. Today’s standards might make you seem not a lard ass, but 250 is fat for most people.


37 posted on 07/05/2010 3:00:32 PM PDT by CodeToad ("Idiocracy" is not just a movie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad

You’re right. It is there business. They have every right to cater to 90 pound Japs. They won’t get my money, and that’s my choice.


38 posted on 07/05/2010 3:18:39 PM PDT by goseminoles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: goseminoles
I wouldn’t exactly call 250 or 265 a lard ass.

Unless they're weight lifters, if someone is 5'8" tall and weighs over 190 pounds, they need to be seriously concerned with losing weight. A large-framed person who is 5'8" shouldn't weigh more than 172 pounds. At 265 pounds, they'd have a BMI of around 40 and be considered morbidly obese.

39 posted on 07/05/2010 3:20:02 PM PDT by Drew68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory

Isn’t Leftism a mental disorder according to Mike Savage? LOL! They definitely need ADA-compliant rubber rooms!


40 posted on 07/05/2010 3:26:54 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-50 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson