Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[SharkTums]

Have we gotten an updated height restriction with the new trains?

[coasterfreak101]

^Just by comparison, Space Mountain has a 44" height limit. I'm not sure what Matterhorn's was before, but there might be a good chance we'll see it increase to (or stay the same at) that number.

[SharkTums]

^Matterhorn was 35" height requirement, so upping it to match Space at 44" is a HUGE jump. That's kids that were riding it since 2 and 3 years old all of a sudden not being able to ride it again till they were 6 or older! I'm very curious to see what they decide.

[robbalvey]

^Matterhorn was 35" height requirement, so upping it to match Space at 44" is a HUGE jump. That's kids that were riding it since 2 and 3 years old all of a sudden not being able to ride it again till they were 6 or older! I'm very curious to see what they decide.

Exactly. Remember that before Space Mountain at WDW went to the single rider per seat sleds, the only requirement for that coaster was that you had to be 3 years old (like Matterhorn used to be), and when the new rockets came on board, it jumped to a height restriction of 44".

 

I would assume that something similar is in store for Matterhorn.

[Wes]

Not to mention how the ride operated for 52 years without incident with seat belts, and conventional systems

 

Besides the two people who died on it?

[QueerRudie]

Not to mention how the ride operated for 52 years without incident with seat belts, and conventional systems

 

Besides the two people who died on it?

 

Do you have a reference point to that? I can't seem to find it doing a google search...

[dylanreich]

Not to mention how the ride operated for 52 years without incident with seat belts, and conventional systems

 

Besides the two people who died on it?

I don't really think that they can be blamed on the park... The first death was caused by someone unbuckling their belt and standing up deliberately. The second case could have *possibly* been caused by the park, if they did not fasten the belt correctly, but from what I understand, it isn't known if the second person unbuckled theirs on purpose.

 

I don't see anything wrong with the seat belts.

[coasterfreak101]

^However both of those incidents could have been avoided with fixed bars instead of solely seat belts. Your description of the incidents basically says that straight up. I'm not a proponent for the new restraints, as I loved the seat belts; but I see no problem with them at all. Welcome to America, where if someone can find a way to be stupid and guy, you better believe that they will.

[dylanreich]

^However both of those incidents could have been avoided with fixed bars instead of solely seat belts. Your description of the incidents basically says that straight up. I'm not a proponent for the new restraints, as I loved the seat belts; but I see no problem with them at all. Welcome to America, where if someone can find a way to be stupid and guy, you better believe that they will.

People are often successful in leaving large amounts of space between them and the lap bars... However I agree with everything you said after your first two sentences. I am fine with the lab bars, I just wanted to make it clear that Disney wasn't the cause of death(s).

[Wes]

Do you have a reference point to that? I can't seem to find it doing a google search...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incidents_at_Disneyland_Resort

 

Both involved the seatbelt being undone in some fashion.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Wes

[QueerRudie]

Do you have a reference point to that? I can't seem to find it doing a google search...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incidents_at_Disneyland_Resort

 

Both involved the seatbelt being undone in some fashion.

 

Thanks... But I also stand by my statement: In one case, admission of stupidity... in the other, there's no clear 'did she do it' to the accident- and the cars have, if you discount stupidity- operated fine for 52 years...

 

But as people are saying, welcome to the Lowest Common Denominator system of life in America.

[Wes]

I agree, but Disney really does have to out-stupid stupid people to make things safe. I'm surprised the current vehicles have lasted as long as they have.

[coasterfreak101]

I'm not in any way saying that Disney is at fault. I'm saying that having a bar in place that can't be unbuckled (or at least a buckle like those on the Towers, which can't be unbuckled for the duration of the ride) is a simple solution to the problem of stupid people being stupid and stupidly getting hurt. Same reason why there's bars on Splash at Magic Kingdom now. A park that sees millions of people through the gates every year needs to be prepared in this day and age for people who either a) are stupid or b) will look for any reason to sue a company out of greed.

[OldJJman]

I agree, but Disney really does have to out-stupid stupid people to make things safe. I'm surprised the current vehicles have lasted as long as they have.

 

I don't know who said it first but, there is no such thing as "fool-proof". As long as there are Americans and lawyers, there will always come along bigger, and more foolish fools... See Roger Rabbit, and BTM for examples.

[QueerRudie]

Sigh... Perhaps instead of the 'boarding spheel, they should play the old Jimeny Cricket song "I'm No Fool" while showing people how to board the ride...

[the ghost]

^Matterhorn was 35" height requirement, so upping it to match Space at 44" is a HUGE jump. That's kids that were riding it since 2 and 3 years old all of a sudden not being able to ride it again till they were 6 or older! I'm very curious to see what they decide.

I never thought of that, but that's 100% true. I went to Disney with my friend and her nieces who are 2 and 3 and we rode Matterhorn... and both had ridden before. That is quite a jump and really the only major coaster(major meaning non kiddie in terms of kiddie coasters) for "little kids" so I wonder if there is some solution for that. Her two year old niece loved the ride when we rode... it would be kind of weird if she couldn't ride it for another 3 or 4 years.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

 

 

 

 

http://ocattractions.net/disneylandlive/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15

[SoCalCoasters]

Testing!

 

Those cars look really great!

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Lame. Way to take all of the fun out of a ride that's been around for over 50 years..

 

Is this just to make some lawyers happy, or are people too big to share one compartment in each train?

 

Something else for the ride, the Theoretical Riders Per Hour should increase with these new sleds. I realize that the old sleds held up to 8 people per train, but most of the time the train wouldn't fill that way, lowering the capacity of the ride. With the new arrangement, they should be able to get more people on per hour.

[QueerRudie]

Lame. Way to take all of the fun out of a ride that's been around for over 50 years..

 

Is this just to make some lawyers happy, or are people too big to share one compartment in each train?

 

Something else for the ride, the Theoretical Riders Per Hour should increase with these new sleds. I realize that the old sleds held up to 8 people per train, but most of the time the train wouldn't fill that way, lowering the capacity of the ride. With the new arrangement, they should be able to get more people on per hour.

 

Actually, that's not quite accurate: Most of the sleds I've seen dispatched have had... six to eight people on it.

 

Now, counting the 'we can't find a single rider' seat, we're looking at five per sled. So much for gaining capacity....

[Sir Clinksalot]

Speaking of the new Matterhorn Sleds, I haven't seen anything regarding the Height Requirement yet. My guess is AT LEAST 42", if not the 44" that Space Mtn. has. Which is kind of sad.

 

Like was said above, I'm actually surprised the old sleds lasted as long as they did.

 

I am excited for an increase in capacity though as the existing sleds very rarely had more than 4 people per train.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Lame. Way to take all of the fun out of a ride that's been around for over 50 years..

 

Is this just to make some lawyers happy, or are people too big to share one compartment in each train?

 

Something else for the ride, the Theoretical Riders Per Hour should increase with these new sleds. I realize that the old sleds held up to 8 people per train, but most of the time the train wouldn't fill that way, lowering the capacity of the ride. With the new arrangement, they should be able to get more people on per hour.

 

Actually, that's not quite accurate: Most of the sleds I've seen dispatched have had... six to eight people on it.

 

Now, counting the 'we can't find a single rider' seat, we're looking at five per sled. So much for gaining capacity....

 

On packed days, I see more full trains. But overall, the whole year, the ride doesn't carry as many people as it should.

 

Im more interested in seeing how disabled guests are going to enter and exit the cars. As it is, its not easy to step down into the giant seats, and the ride frequently goes down from slow loading guests. I can only imagine these smaller seats will take more time and cause more downtime for the ride. A WAV (Wheelchair Accessible vehicle) station solve that issue (Like Space Mountain or Midway Mania) but I cant see where they'd put it.

[ABW]

I don't thing there's anything to get upset about here. The sleds lasted for an extraordinarily long time. I'm honestly suprised that the trains even lasted even close to that long. So I don't believe there's anything to be up in arms over finally getting rid of trains that have been operating for what... 37 years now? I agree with the person who said be happy that they lasted as long as they did.

[QueerRudie]

 

Im more interested in seeing how disabled guests are going to enter and exit the cars. As it is, its not easy to step down into the giant seats, and the ride frequently goes down from slow loading guests. I can only imagine these smaller seats will take more time and cause more downtime for the ride. A WAV (Wheelchair Accessible vehicle) station solve that issue (Like Space Mountain or Midway Mania) but I cant see where they'd put it.

 

That's something I've thought about- but I don't see there being much change off the existing system itself. Usually, if there's a handicrapped guest entering (Say, for example, me...) there will be assistance needed to get into/out of the ride vehicles. However, chairs will require you to not only deal with a 'taller' car (See the picture a few pages bacK) but also some key issues gripping the ride vehicles. Most likely, there will be a 'sliding board' from chair to vehicle at the end of the day- that's pretty common in most parks for chair-bound guests.

 

For those of us who are ambulatory, we're pretty much expected to get in on our own, however, I -loved- the low sides to the old sleds. I could get in and out without any difficulty whatsoever, and without feeling like I had to climb over a wall to get into the vehicles. The same thing could be said for BTMR, with the coaches having low sides.

 

In the end, however, I think that the traditional 'stop loading for the handicrapped guest method' will be standard- although at a slight reduction in capacity overall.

[SharkTums]

Speaking of the new Matterhorn Sleds, I haven't seen anything regarding the Height Requirement yet. My guess is AT LEAST 42", if not the 44" that Space Mtn. has. Which is kind of sad.

 

Like was said above, I'm actually surprised the old sleds lasted as long as they did.

 

I am excited for an increase in capacity though as the existing sleds very rarely had more than 4 people per train.

 

Welcome to the conversation Gregg! We started talking about this on the previous page, and yeah, all of us agree the restriction will have to go up, it's just a question of what to.