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Tag Archives: Ride
Universal’s new Mario Kart ride is under fire for size restrictions
It’s a classic theological question: Could Bowser (the Koopa King) create a theme park ride so restrictive that even he couldn’t ride it?
Said question is front and center for plenty of Nintendo fans this week, with new reports that the upcoming Mario Kart ride, Bowser’s Challenge—set to be the main draw (and only actual ride) at Universal Studio’s new Super Nintendo World—will only accommodate riders with a 40-inch waistline or smaller. This is per our colleagues over at Kotaku, who report on a number of people raising issues online this week about Universal’s decision to impose the size limits.
An import from the Japanese version of Super Mario Land, Bowser’s Challenge is what’s known as “dark ride,” i.e., one of those space-efficient, thrill-deficient arrangements where you’re strapped into a car and then swerved on a track in front of a bunch of 3D screens and actual live elements. (In this case, lifted from Nintendo’s beloved Mario Kart franchise.) As such, it’s not entirely clear why such tight size restrictions are being imposed; certainly, it seems like some alternative solution could be used. (Disney, for instance, tends to use benches and lap-bars for this sort of thing, which accommodates a much wider variety of body types.)
The 40-inch waistline requirement is fairly standard at Universal Studios, where it’s also applied to dark rides like Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey and Revenge Of The Mummy: The Ride. From personal experience, this 6′, 4″, 290-pound writer will note that there is some wiggle room on those requirements when you’re actually at the park—but also that the process of forcing yourself into those seats (or using the tester seat provided, as with Mario Kart) can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. More to the point, it all feels profoundly unnecessary: There’s no reason for Universal not to update its sizing on rides to allow a more diverse group of riders to enjoy the Super Nintendo Land fun, especially as the opening of the new area has drawn renewed interest and attention to the park.
Super Nintendo World Mario Kart Ride Has Strict Waistline Limits
Height limitations have always been a challenge for some amusement park guests, as safety features on thrill rides aren’t designed to accommodate every rider. But Mario fans flocking to Universal Studios Hollywood this month for the opening of Super Nintendo World may find themselves unable to enjoy the park’s most exciting attraction, this time because of their waistline.
According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, Universal Studios Hollywood has warned that some guests might not be allowed to ride Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, which allows guest 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 waistline measures 40-inches or more.” With the average male waist size in America now exceeding 40-inches, that limitation is going to potentially leave many guests very disappointed after enduring what will probably be very long lines at the new attraction.
In recent years, theme parks around the country have become more stringent about safety and the restraints used on ride vehicles, and it’s not just for high-speed attractions like roller coasters that can take riders through inverted loops and steep curves. As indoor rides have become more complex and now provide riders with highly immersive experiences, the technology they employ has also become more complex… and more dangerous.
Trackless vehicles now deftly weave through attractions like Galaxy’s Edge’s Rise of the Resistance with more speed and agility than the ride vehicles used on classic attractions like The Pirates of the Caribbean. As a result, while Pirates doesn’t restrain riders, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge will, as there is a serious risk of injury should a rider exit a vehicle before the ride is finished. On top of that, there’s now even more emphasis on safely securing smaller children in the same seats used by adult riders, which contributes to more limitations for larger guests.
Jeff Polk, the senior vice president of resort operations at Universal Orlando Resort, told the Wall Street Journal that many of its parks’ attractions offer test seats located outside the rides as a result, allowing guests to test restraints and capacity ahead of time to avoid finding themselves turned away after waiting hours in line. But at the same time, some park visitors also told the Wall Street Journal that testing seating ahead of time can be awkward, embarrassing, and not always indicative of the ride’s actual build and design.
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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.
Super Nintendo World’s Mario Kart Ride Has A “Waistline” Limit (US)
If you love Mario Kart as much as we do here at Nintendo Life, one of the first things you’re probably going want to do when you make a trip to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood is try out the themed ride.
Well, a word of warning – you’re going to need to pass a certain requirement first. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Hollywood park is apparently warning visitors with “large waistlines” that they may not be able to ride Mario Kart: Bower’s Challenge if they have a waistline of 40 inches or more.
It’s all tied to the overall safety of rides – with parks having to nowadays balance “accessibility with heightened safety requirements”. Rides are also equipped with tighter restraints now to ensure children are safely secured.
The Wall Street Journal was able to get a comment about all this from Premier Rides president Jim Seay – who reiterated how the “safety of the guests” is always the “first priority”:
“Our first priority is always the safety of the guests and the employees. We balance that with a very focused effort to make the rides as accessible as possible.”
Universal Studios’ new Mario Kart ride ripped for rules restricting plus-sized visitors
Super Nintendo World made a splashy debut at Universal Studios Hollywood this month with its soft opening, and gamers and tourists alike raced to see what the park had to offer and to get in line to test out its highly-anticipated Mario Kart ride.
Featuring slow-moving carts painted in different colors, the augmented reality experience that places riders inside Bowser’s castle was destined to be a hit among Mario-lovers everywhere, but one detail about the ride is getting under some people’s skin.
“Nothing but wonderful things to say about Super Nintendo World except this: the body size limitations on the Mario Kart ride are absolutely ridiculous. I’ve never had any issue fitting into any ride in my entire life, and I can BARELY fit into this one. Completely absurd,” influencer Rocco Botte wrote, blasting the ride’s narrow seats on Twitter.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD OPENING IN FEBRUARY WITH INTERACTIVE MARIO KART RIDE
Guests ride Super Mario Kart during a preview of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California, on January 13, 2023.
(Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Another one of the ride’s critics, a Twitter user named Anna, wrote, “Can we discuss how at my biggest I would not have been able to fit on Mario Kart? A 40″ waist line is about a size 20. Are you freaking kidding me @UniStudios? It’s a DARK RIDE.”
“You can’t have a mario kart ride that Bowser and DK wouldn’t even be allowed on. Dumb,” a third user named Zaha wrote.
Postcast host Matt Mazany chimed in on the topic on Twitter as well, writing, “Trust me when I say ‘lose a little weight’ is not a novel suggestion. Universal has a history now of releasing new rides (Harry Potter, Life of Pets, and now Mario Kart) where they don’t accommodate big people yet they WILL take full admission price from us. Seems unethical.”
TikToker David Vaughn gave his followers a heads up about the size restriction on the video-sharing platform, saying. “Unfortunately, the new Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge attraction comes with a warning that guests whose waistline is at least 40 inches or greater may not be accommodated on the ride.”
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD COMING TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO, TOO
A statue of Bowser is seen at the entrance of the Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge ride during a preview of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California, on January 13, 2023.
(Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
“Though there is a test seat at the attraction entrance, it’s frustrating that theme parks are still creating family-friendly attractions that aren’t accessible to many of their guests.”
As Vaughn’s video mentioned, Universal Studios’ website says a “test seat” is available at the entrance so visitors can test whether their size will be accommodated on the actual ride.
“This ride employs safety restraints which may restrict certain guests from riding due to body shape and size,” the guidelines read. “Guests whose waist line is at least 40″ or greater may not be accommodated on the ride and are strongly encouraged to try the test seat provided at the entrance of the attraction to ensure their ability to ride.”
JAPAN’S SUPER NINTENDO WORLD WILL LET YOU ‘BECOME ONE OF THE CHARACTERS,’ ACCORDING TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN
CDC statistics show that to be a problematic number for ride goers, however, indicating that the average U.S. male scantily exceeds the 40″ limit with a waist circumference of 40.5″ while the average woman’s waist circumference measures 38.7″, leaving people to ask if the requirement is far too restrictive as some claim.
As some tweets mentioned, Universal Studios has come under fire for the same circumference issue with other rides in the past, including the popular “Harry Potter” ride.
Super Nintendo World offers more than the Mario Kart ride, however, including adorable Mario-themed pit stops, a shop chock-full of Super Mario goods, chances to meet and greet your favorite Nintendo characters and the Toadstool Café where visitors can enjoy Nintendo-themed foods.
The park’s grand opening is expected to take place on February 17.
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Bengals, Eagles ride high; Bills, Cowboys bow out
Previous rank: No. 5
You couldn’t ask for a better outcome. Saturday night’s 38-7 destruction of the Giants brought the curtain down on a rival in embarrassing fashion while also restoring the image of the NFC’s No. 1 seed as a swaggering juggernaut not to be trifled with. Entering the weekend, it was legitimately unclear which version of Philly we would see in the Divisional Round after a labored close to the season, with lingering health questions around key stars. But quarterback Jalen Hurts looked like an MVP again, and Lane Johnson led an offensive line that blew open holes en route to 268 rushing yards. The idea of the Eagles being vulnerable now seems, well … absurd. “You f—ing saw it, pardon my language,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said, per The Athletic. “It’s just that juice, man. That swag. Jalen’s got a ton of swag, so he’s always showing it out on the field. And his football IQ, just making plays out there. And having the same continuity on the O-line, it’s a fact — a key stat to winning games. … So it helps when you get your star players back, for sure.”
Here’s When New Ride Opens
Time for Splash Mountain to be movin’ along. Guests dropped into Walt Disney World on Sunday to be among the last to ride the iconic log-flume attraction, which will undergo a months-long transformation before reopening as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in 2024. The newly re-imagined ride — as inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film The Princess and the Frog instead of the controversial Song of the South — will also make its way to California’s Disneyland Resort. In December, the Walt Disney World Resort announced Splash Mountain would close permanently on Monday, January 23rd, after 30 years in operation within Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom park.
Videos shared on social media showed crowds of guests lined up at park open to ride Splash Mountain on its final day of operation, with wait times reaching as high as three hours, according to WDW Magic.
Crazy rope crowds for Splash Mountain on its final day of operation at Magic Kingdom#SplashMountain pic.twitter.com/ihcTsxkBjK
— BlogMickey.com (@Blog_Mickey) January 22, 2023
Disney theme park enthusiasts also took to Twitter to share their memories of the ride, which follows Br’er Rabbit as he moves on from his briar patch in search of his “laughing place.” The thrill water ride features more than 100 audio-animatronic figures, a five-story splashdown drop into a briar patch, and a sing-along to the classic Disney song “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.”
The sun has set on Splash Mountain for the last time. 💦#WaltDisneyWorld ✨ pic.twitter.com/NKeutYI2SM
— DisneyDoItAll! (@HippyDisneyGuy) January 23, 2023
The re-themed Splash Mountain will pick up where the film’s story left off, with guests joining “Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis during Mardi Gras season as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind celebration for the people of New Orleans,” Disney says of the re-imagined ride, which Disney Parks announced in 2020.
“While we’ve explored many new themes in the past, [2019 is] when we really began to hone in on Princess Tiana’s story,” Walt Disney Imagineering president Bob Weis told Disney’s D23 of the decision to move away from the animated characters seen in the 1946 film Song of the South. “That said, Splash Mountain has been the subject of many conversations through the years. Its brilliant ride platform and landscape create the potential for great storytelling.”
Disney World’s Splash Mountain officially closes permanently on January 23rd. Disneyland’s Splash Mountain currently remains in operation, and Disney has not yet confirmed a closing date. Both the Florida and California versions of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open in 2024.
Disneyland employees laughed at disabled woman who fell exiting ride, died 5 months later, lawsuit alleges
‘DIS Unplugged’ podcast host Pete Werner discusses the reopening details of Disneyland in California.
The family of a disabled woman, 66, who died five months after suffering a fall on the Jungle Cruise ride says Disneyland employees laughed at the parkgoer while she struggled to get out of a boat, according to a wrongful death lawsuit.
Joanne Aguilar, 66, visited Disneyland in August 2021 and opted to ride on a regular Jungle Cruise boat with the assistance of her daughters when park employees said that a wheelchair accessible boat wasn’t available, according to the lawsuit filed in Southern California last November.
When Aguilar was trying to exit the boat at the end of the ride the lawsuit says she lost her balance and fell back, breaking her leg.
It also alleges that employees placed at the exit of the ride to help riders out not only didn’t assist her but laughed as she struggled to get up the boat’s steps.
FILING REVEALS EYE-POPPING AMOUNT FORMER DISNEY EXECUTIVE EARNED DURIGN HIS BRIEF TENURE
Joanne Aguilar fell while exiting the Jungle Cruise ride in August 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“My clients went to Disneyland with the hopes of creating life-long happy memories and instead are left with the memory of a lack of dignity and respect for their mother which ultimately led to her final demise,” the family’s attorney Michael Jeandron told the Southern California News Group. “Two daughters are heartbroken, healing and seeking accountability for Disney cast members who laughed at their struggling mother instead of helping her.”
The lawsuit says employees “placed small unsecured blocks on top of the existing steps inside the boat to reduce the height of each step” as she was exiting the boat.
BILL PAXTON’S FAMILY NOTIFIES COURT OF INTENT TO SETTLE WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST LA HOSPITAL
“Exiting the boat was more difficult as it required her to propel her body upward with her lower legs, which due to her disability was not possible. The struggle was apparent, and Disney cast members began snickered [sic] and giggling as they watched Ms. Aguilar try to safely exit the boat,” the lawsuit says, which made Aguilar fall backwards and break her leg.
She was rushed to a hospital, underwent surgery and then spent the next five months at a rehabilitation facility She contracted an infection and died of septic shock in January of last year.
The lawsuit names the Walt Disney company, Disney’s theme park division and Disneyland. ((Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
The lawsuit, which names the Walt Disney company, Disney’s theme park division and Disneyland, alleges wrongful death, a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and seeks monetary damages for pain, mental suffering, humiliation, medical costs and funeral expenses.
The lawsuit was filed last November and was assigned a judge in a Santa Ana court early January.
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Disney denied that it discriminated against Aguilar in any way and said that her injuries were caused by her own negligence in a written court response in late December. The company is seeking a jury trial.
Disney didn’t immediately return FOX Business’ request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Game Freak announces Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! for Apple Arcade
Game Freak [251 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/game-freak”>Game Freak has announced Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/pocket-card-jockey-ride-on”>Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! for Apple Arcade. It will launch on January 20 worldwide.
Pocket Card Jockey is a solitaire and horse-racing hybrid game first released for 3DS [3,908 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/nintendo/3ds”>3DS on July 31, 2013. iOS and Android versions followed on November 26, 2014. Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! is an all-new entry in the series.
Here is an overview of the game, via Apple Arcade:
About
Guide your steed to the finish line by playing solitaire!
Saddle up for this unique solitaire and horse-racing hybrid from Game Freak, creators of the Pokemon [37 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/series/pokemon”>Pokemon franchise! Pocket Card Jockey originally released to great acclaim on the Nintendo 3DS, and while the basic rules are the same, the racing segments have been reborn in glorious 3D!
Key Features
- Solitaire as Simple as Can Be – Focus your mind and clear cards with subsequent numbers in quick succession. The more cards you clear, the better your horse’s mood will be—which helps them charge energy during races!
- Mind Your Positioning While Racing [89 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/racing”>Racing – Your position on the track determines the difficulty of your solitaire rounds. There are also special cards that can be picked up if you run over them while racing. These cards provide a variety of benefits, including leveling up your horse, learning new skills, or improving your performance in a race. Be careful though, because running too much on the outside of the track will cause your horse to lose precious stamina!
- Go For Broke in the Homestretch – If your steed has charged tons of energy and has plenty of stamina left in the tank, they’ll sprint their heart out once you enter the homestretch. Make sure not to run into other horses as you aim for first place!
- Entrust Difficult Races to Future Generations – Take the beloved steeds you’ve grown on the racetrack and pair them up on the farm. The foal they produce will inherit their abilities and become your new partner on the racecourse! Breed generation after generation of racehorses in your quest to conquer all the biggest, most prestigious races in the world!
Watch the first footage below. View the first screenshots at the gallery.
iPhone Apple Arcade [357 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/arcade”>Arcade Footage
iPad Apple Arcade Footage
Apple TV Apple Arcade Footage
Hijacked Muni bus careens through S.F.’s Mission District in wild ride
San Francisco police say they have arrested a man who assaulted a Muni bus driver, hijacked the vehicle and hit several cars while driving it in the Mission District on Friday night.
Police identified the suspect as Rickey Dancy, 36.
Just before 8 p.m. Friday, Dancy allegedly assaulted the Muni driver and commandeered the vehicle at Cortland and Mission streets. From there, he drove more than a mile north to 19th and Guerrero streets, hitting several other cars along the way, said San Francisco police public information Officer Robert Rueca.
Officer Raj Vaswani tweeted Friday night that about 10 cars had been hit by the bus. There were no passengers aboard at the time.
Video of the incident obtained by KRON4 shows the empty Muni bus swerving in the middle of the street, crossing over into the opposite lane, and cutting off cars as it made wide right turns.
Delaney Rua, who was working at Delfina in the Mission on Friday night, said that from the restaurant she saw several sirens and six to eight police cars parked along 18th Street up to the intersection with Guerrero, as well as two or three more blocking the intersection from the Guerrero side.
The bus, she said, was parked diagonally across that intersection with “EMERGENCY CALL POLICE 911” flashing on the display above the windshield that would normally identify the line.
Rueca said police took Dancy into custody after the bus was stopped. Police did not provide any possible motive for the hijacking.
An ambulance responded to the scene to treat the bus driver and another motorist for what Rueca said appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. The incident is under investigation.
By 10 a.m. Saturday, there were no signs of damage at 19th and Guerrero, witnesses said.
Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev